Home Buyers
When buying or selling a home, it may be tempting to handle the process on your own rather than working with a real estate agent in order to save on fees. Your past home buying experience may fuel this decision, but this only showcases just how important it is to have a good, reliable agent to work with throughout this journey. There are many benefits to working with an agent that will ultimately outweigh the commissions and fees that most buyers are weary of. So, what exactly does a real estate agent do and how can they make your transaction stress-free? Here are the top five reasons why you need an agent.
Real Estate Agents Understand Your Wants and Needs
Individuals who are looking to buy a home or investment property typically have set requirements on what they want. From the number of bedrooms and bathrooms to property location, a set of must-haves is always established first. You are putting a great amount of your time, effort, and finances into a new home; helping you find what you want and desire is very important to our HomeHunt team. However, it can sometimes be challenging to find a home that is in your desired location and within your budget, that also includes your required amenities. This leads to the question: which house will be able to suit your needs and budget?
Working without an agent means that you must do all this research yourself, sifting through the various options and taking on the daunting task of what available properties fit the bill. This time-consuming task can quickly become overwhelming, especially if you’re moving to a new area that you’re not familiar with or are a first-time home buyer. Do not put yourself through this stressful and tedious task. An experienced real estate agent can efficiently and quickly tackle this process, shortlisting properties based on your provided wishlist. An agent is aware of all the available houses on the market and can find options that fit your needs and budget. They can help streamline the home buying process and take stress away from you during an exciting time in your life. Your hired agent will ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Agents Have Comprehensive Real Estate Market Knowledge
Real estate agents have the best understanding of current market trends and can provide great benefits to home buyers and property investors. They also have significant knowledge of the street-by-street housing market, which is crucial for both buyers and sellers. Having this convenient wealth of understanding when it comes to the ins and outs of the housing market proves useful when compared to the information found on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
Working with the right agent can provide you with access to important information including:
- Median and average sales prices
- Average price per square foot of similar properties
- Ratios of list-to-sold prices
- Comparables to help you make the most informed decision
- Neighborhoods with the greatest increase in market value over the years
- Neighborhoods located by great schools
- Most promising properties in your desired area
Agents Gain Access to Professional Networks
Real estate agents have extensive professional networks and know everyone involved in the process of buying and selling a home. Numerous agents often have a list of preferred providers that they’ve compiled from past business interactions. This significant benefit is important for anyone looking to buy or sell a home.
Home buyers will need to find trustworthy professionals, including appraisers, inspectors, mortgage professionals, and more. Taking the time to research these individuals can be time-consuming and stressful, especially if you end up working with someone less than ideal. Tapping into your trusted agent’s network can save you a lot of time and stress.
Professionals can Spot Potential Property Problems
When it comes time to sell a home, property owners need to ensure that it’s in optimal shape in order to attract more buyers and help speed up the selling process. Home buyers are also looking for properties in great condition to limit their budget for repairs and renovations. However, in both cases, there are often problems you might miss that could lead to serious issues and hazards.
Professional agents have a trained eye for helping identify potential problems like roofing issues, furnace problems, leaks, and pest concerns. Your agent will have a home inspector assess the property and give you a detailed report on the problems with the home. A buyer’s agent will be able to help give you a good sense of what repairs you can request in the contract. A seller’s agent can help you find the best approach options for fixing these concerns. Either way, your real estate agent is responsible for protecting your best interest which can save you a lot of money and stress in the future.
Real Estate Agents Provide Important Pricing Guidance
Let’s face it, money is normally at the forefront of all decisions made by home buyers and sellers. It is important to stay within your budget when buying a home and being realistic with what your home is worth when selling. While you may have a ballpark idea of how much you think your house is worth, there are other factors you’ll need to consider. Emotions can cloud your judgment, leading to overestimating the actual value of your property. However, others can undervalue their homes due to poor research or lack of understanding of the local market. You are not alone as this happens to everyone going through this process. The only way to really determine your home’s worth is by learning the real estate comps which confirm that you’re in the right range. This will help individuals determine the optimal price for selling or buying a house. However, the easiest way of calculating comps is by working with an agent.
Most real estate agents will have the ability and knowledge to properly price a house with a quick property walkthrough. Anyone can take the time to gather the required information on sales of comparable homes online; but our agents will have the experience to know if these figures were overpriced or underpriced. They can also provide a comparative market analysis to help evaluate all the different factors that impact home values. This crucial benefit helps sellers create an accurate and realistic listing price for attracting more buyers. It also helps buyers in making the right choice when it comes to putting in an offer on a house.
HomeHunt provides leading support for home buyers, sellers, and property investors. For more information regarding what our team can offer you, please contact us!