Everything seems automated these days. Self-service stations are proliferating in grocery stores, cars are parallel parking themselves, and everyone seems to be jumping on the robotic bandwagon. The real estate world is not immune to this electronic trend; the vast number of online resources has lead some house hunters to believe that real estate agents have gone the way of the dodo. While searching for a house alone is an option, it’s important to understand that navigating the real estate world without an agent is difficult at best, and disastrous at worst. Below, you’ll find the top ten reasons why you should always work with a real estate expert.
Access to Listings
Yes, it’s true: the Internet is amazing, and it contains more information than any human could consume in a lifetime. That said, it’s guaranteed that any real estate agent will have access to more listings than the Average Joe surfing the web. For instance, many properties might be available but won’t be advertised publicly, and most websites are not as up to date as the multiple listing service (MLS). As such, agents can help you access more and better listings.
However, while access to listings is great, it’s important to understand that the value of an agent goes well beyond the initial listings search. Indeed, any one of the benefits on the list below would be enough to justify an agent’s work. Put all of them together, and you’ve got solid gold.
Savings? Not so Fast
The classic excuse for going without a real estate agent is that doing so will save money. Indeed, some buyers assume they’ll get to pocket the money normally allocated to the agent’s commission. While this scenario is possible, it’s often unlikely. Generally, the seller has already agreed to pay a predetermined commission, so the absence of a buyer’s agent means the listing agent gets the benefit of both sides of the commission.
All in all, you probably won’t save money by house hunting without an agent, and it’s likely that you’ll end up paying more, as you won’t have an expert around to help you secure the optimum price.
Negotiations
While some of us wilt when it comes to debating, real estate agents are market experts trained in the art of negotiating a deal. Their negotiation tactics involve in-depth market knowledge and logical argumentation, so agents won’t let emotions get in the way of brokering a deal. All in all, you can rely on an agent to navigate negotiations and secure a competitive price with precision and professionalism.
Reliability
While there’s no 100% guarantee that an agent won’t lie, it is highly unlikely, and here’s why: real estate agents are required by law to pursue the best outcome for their clients, not for themselves, and there are significant repercussions preventing them from spinning falsehoods. If you’re working directly with the seller, however, you don’t have much legal protection at all, and so you have no course of action if you discover you’ve been duped.
Paperwork
Did you know most houses come with a sizable stack of paperwork? Did you also know that, unless you hire a real estate agent, you’ll be doomed to finishing said paperwork on your own? Real estate agents handle all the documentation associated with your house, and that’s a good thing: it’s estimated that today’s purchase agreements run an average of ten pages. Moreover, making a mistake on any of your home’s paperwork could result in a tedious (and expensive) legal fracas. In that case, why not trust an expert?
Confusing Contracts
Offer to purchase contracts are an important part of a real estate transaction, as they protect you against consequences if certain conditions aren’t met. However, these contracts are difficult to complete correctly, and so it’s helpful to have an agent who will ensure you get the best contract possible and avoid a lawsuit. It’s unlikely that a seller is going to offer multiple opportunities to get out of a contract, so it’s the agent’s job to secure a fair deal through addendums that protect the buyer.
Market Conditions
Agents have not only the ability to disclose market information, but also the ability to explain it to you. This detail is vital, as key market information, such as the cost per square foot of a home or the length of time houses spend on the market, will significantly impact your search.
Spam
It’s the sad truth that not all homes are worth a house hunter’s time, and pursuing some will be a waste. A real estate agent will only direct you toward homes that are worth your while, and so you’ll avoid sifting through the dead-ends floating around the market.
Business Relationship
Agents make it their business to develop and cultivate a robust professional network. As such, working with a real estate agent provides the potential to develop a valuable business relationship that will ease your real estate transactions for years to come. Additionally, even if your agent can’t help you with a specific problem, she will direct you to experts in her professional network who can give you all the help you need.
Advice
Last but not least, a real estate agent provides a wealth of advice vital to the home-buying process. Each house hunter is bound to run into frustrations or complications, and a real estate agent helps navigate these crossroads with sage advice gleaned from years of experience. As such, an agent can help you weather the emotional storms of the housing search, and this benefit alone is worth its weight in gold.
As you can see, it’s always better to work with a real estate agent expert.
To work with a qualified real estate expert, contact Pickett Street Properties at (425) 502-5397, or info@pickettstreet.com.
Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/25/why-you-need-real-estate-agent-personal-finance-commission.html
http://homebuying.about.com/od/realestateagents/tp/Whyhireagent.htm
http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/why-you-should-use-realtor/
http://www.inman.com/next/3-ways-to-prove-the-agent-haters-wrong/