Benefits of Using a Real Estate Agent

AVOID CLOSING PROBLEMS. Pitfalls can occur towards the end of a transaction. An agent can see that the completion of the transaction is smooth right through to signing the papers as well as advise as to any contractual changes which might be necessary prior to the closing. Your real estate agent will assist to ensure that all of the professionals involved in the transaction are staying on task and on timeline.

CODE EXPERTISE. Maybe you want to buy a home near a business district and turn the front into a store or perhaps you want to add an addition or build a backyard fence. Experienced real estate agents are familiar enough with local zoning ordinances to make sure you’re buying a property where the city allows it. If a house isn’t connected to the public sewer system, the real estate agent will make sure that is disclosed by the Seller to the Buyer within the inspection period.

PRICING EXPERTISE. Agents can provide all the data on local home sales and deliver in-depth knowledge regarding your purchase that comes from years of watching transactions close in the neighborhood.

UNEMOTIONAL NEGOTIATION. An agent can write requests objectively and submit them to the seller which saves you from getting overly emotional about the transaction. An agent can take the heat in difficult negotiations in a businesslike manner, negotiating all facets of the transaction in your best interest.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC? Aside from the technical aspects of a sale and the mistakes people can make in the paperwork, real estate agents know neighborhoods and houses inside and out. A real estate agent might just know exactly where to find the home you are looking for.

TACKLING THE PAPERWORK. A real estate transaction involves an extensive amount of paperwork. An Agent can properly prepare the necessary real estate purchase contract, disclosures and associated forms that are required to be fully executed by the buyer and seller. The odds of missing something, not initialing a page or failing to check a box, can substantially decrease when you’re working with a professional who knows the paperwork.

FINDING AVAILABLE HOMES. Homes for sale can be viewed on the Web. Often times, great properties are not widely publicized because Sellers have health or financial problems, divorce factors or choose not to advertise their sale during the holidays. Working with a Realtor® gives you access to homes you might otherwise miss seeing.

REQUESTING REPAIRS. Request for repairs can make or break a deal. The touchiest part of a real estate purchase often involves requesting repairs. An agent may be able to identify trouble that you may not see and recommend a good independent home inspector who can provide a detailed report on problems with the house. The agent will have a good sense of what’s reasonable to request and what’s excessive.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION. Real estate agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) agree to abide by a code of ethics that requires Realtors® deal with all parties of a transaction honestly.

Holly Schuler
VP, Business Development
Holly.Schuler@Title365.com
512.913.9098  :  Mobile