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Market Analysis of your home!

With so much information readily available online, clients sometimes ask me, "Why should we hire a real estate agent?" They wonder, and rightfully so, if they couldn't buy or sell a home through the Internet or through regular marketing and advertising channels without representation, without a a real estate agent. Some do OK, many don't. So if you've wondered the same thing, here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider hiring a professional real estate agent.

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Agent (Realtor®) 

1. Education & Experience

2. Agents are Buffers

Agents take the spam out of your property showings and visits. If you're a buyer of new homes, your agent will whip out her sword and keep the builder's agents and sales center at bay, preventing them from biting or nipping at your heels. If you're a seller, your agent will filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere from lookie loos and unqualified buyers and try to induce serious, well qualified, buyers to immediately write an offer for your home.

3. Neighborhood Knowledge

Agents either possess intimate knowledge of your area or they know where to find the industry buzz about your neighborhood. They can identify comparable sales, active listings and under contract homes and hand these facts to you, in addition to pointing you in the direction where you can find more information about schools, crime reports or demographics. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $360,000, but an agent will know it had upgrades and sold at $325,000 after 90 days on the market and after going under contract and then going back on the market.

4. Price Guidance

Contrary to what some people believe, agents do not select prices for sellers or buyers. However, an agent will help guide clients in making the right choices for themselves. If a listing is at 6%, for example, an agent has a 6% vested interest in the sale, but the client has a 94% interest. Selling agents will ask buyers to weigh all the information supplied to them and help you choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand and the conditions, the agent will devise a negotiation strategy.

5. Market Conditions Information

Real estate agents can disclose market conditions, which will govern the selling or buying process. Many factors are determine on how you will proceed. Data such as the average price per square foot of similar homes, median and average sales prices, average days on market and ratios of list-to-sold prices, among other criteria, will have a huge influence on what you ultimately decide to do. Their expertise will help you make a good educated decision.

6. Professional Network

Real estate agents network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you may need to buy or sell. Such as home ispectors, appraisors, title companies, etc.  Due to legal liability, many agents will hesitate to recommend a certain individual and/or company over another, but they should know which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing. Agents can, however, give you a list of references with whom they have worked in the past and provide background information to help you make a wise and educated decision.

7. Negotiation Skills & Confidentiality

Top producing agents negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, they can remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction. Experienced and educated agents are skilled negotiators. It's part of their job description. Good agents are not messengers, delivering buyer's offers to sellers and vice versa. They are professionals who are trained to present their client's case in the best possible light and agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests.

8. Handling Volumes of Paperwork

One-page deposit receipts once used in the early 1970s in now a thing of the past. Today's purchase agreements run 17 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state-mandated disclosures nor disclosures by local custom or bank owend properties. Most real estate files average thicknesses from one to three inches of paper. One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands of dollars. In some states, lawyers handle the disclosures, thank goodness! But the State of Colorado is all handled by Realtors and Title companies, unless you choose to also hire an attorney. Currently Colorado  is an Escrow State, and closings are not usally held by an Attorney.

9. Answer Questions After Closing

Even the smoothest transactions that closes without any complications can come back to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call to your agent can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that can easily be overlooked in the excitement of closing. Good agents stand by your side ready to assist. Worthy and honest agents don't leave you in the dust to fend for yourself once the home has closed.

10. Develop Relationships for Future Business

The basis for an agent's success and continued career in real estate is referrals from past clients. Few agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up new business. This emphasis gives agents strong incentives to make certain your, their client(s) are happy and satisfied. It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again. Many will periodically mail market updates to you to keep you informed of current market values and to stay in touch.

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Call Laurie King today
(303) 777-7435

Real Estate Vocabulary