It’s soooo tempting. You scroll through all the gorgeous homes for sale online and fall in love with more than half of them. So many of them are right in the sweet spot of your price range, too. You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Why should I hire a professional real estate agent? I can find a house on my own!” Right?
Well, I’m here to tell you why that’s not the case. There’s not only more to buying a home than finding a property; there are also more properties for sale than you’ll find listed online.
In fact, hiring a professional real estate agent isn’t just important; it may be the smartest thing you can do on your home-buying journey. Check out some of the reasons you need one on your dream team.
Unlocking the MLS
People assume all available homes for sale are found online thanks to the internet. But, in reality, many homes for sale never show up there. Instead, they’re only listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a digital listing site that only real estate agents can access.
To make it more complicated, some homes are sold before they ever show up as an online listing or on the MLS. This is a common occurrence in a competitive real estate market. Homes can be sold before making it onto the usual digital sites – usually as a result of real estate agents networking with other agents.
Since you likely care about finding the perfect home for your family, gaining access to everything available in your area is critical. Even in a less competitive real estate market, having a professional help you search for a home with all the features you care about can make all the difference.
My best advice is not to put all your house-hunting eggs in an online basket.
A Professional Real Estate Agent Networks
I mentioned that homes are sometimes sold before they even make it to the MLS or an online site, thanks to agents’ networking together. This can often happen with professional real estate agents, whether they’re representing a seller or a buyer. Let me explain how.
Most real estate companies hold weekly meetings where agents share information about the properties they’re listing for sale or the home their buyers want. Connections that happen during one of these meetings can result in a quick home sale.
Plus, agents will hold an open house exclusively for their colleagues to preview a new listing before holding one open to the public. Both circumstances offer an opportunity for agents to jump on the perfect home for their clients.
Agents continuously interact with each other, regardless of whether they work for the same company. The value of their ongoing networking shows up in other areas of the home buying process – especially when a sales transaction hits a snag. Shared experiences and relationships allow agents to find a solution that works for both parties.
A Professional Real Estate Agent Knows Their Market
Hiring a professional real estate agent is important if you’re looking for a home in an area you don’t know a lot about. Being familiar with the ins and outs of neighborhoods is a professional agent’s superpower. They either know or can easily access information about things like parks, schools, shopping, and resale values.
Imagine finding the perfect house for your family, if only it had one more bedroom, or the family room wall could be moved out for a little more room. You have no idea how easy it is to make these changes or if they’re even allowed. Consider how valuable it is to work with an agent familiar with the local building codes and ordinances.
While real estate agents aren’t licensed building contractors, they’re familiar with local codes and ordinances and can offer valuable input. Their advice might be enough to help you make a decision to buy the home – or keep looking.
Negotiations + Contracts
Finally, what I consider the most valuable aspect of working with a professional real estate agent is their knowledge of the legal aspects of buying and selling homes. Agents have extensive knowledge of real estate laws. They use their knowledge in nearly every transaction – even problem-free transactions.
The purchase agreement, the contract used to sell a home, contains multiple sections binding to the buyer and/or the seller. Agents guide their clients through the critical sections embedded in the purchase contract. For example, making sure the property inspection is completed within the time frame in the contract.
Then, once the property inspection report is available, real estate agents use their negotiating skills to work for their client’s best interests. Negotiating calmly on their client’s behalf, your agent will work with the other party’s agent to try and save you money if repair costs are significant.
Your agent will also know how to keep track of all the transaction’s loose ends and smoothly organize the closing process. From organizing a final home walk-through to making sure your mortgage is on track, your real estate agent focuses on every detail.
Whether this is your first or third home purchase, you can rely on your real estate agent to ensure nothing is overlooked before the transaction closes.
While you continue to work, arrange for your move, and take care of your family, your agent will make sure big and small issues don’t fall through the cracks. And their help won’t stop once they hand you the keys to your new home. You can continue to rely on your agent to help solve logistical moving issues and provide a warm welcome to your new neighborhood.
Get in touch if you would like a recommendation for amazing Mat-Su Valley Real Estate Agents! We have relationships with the best agents in the business!
Leave a Reply