What are the advantages of hiring a real estate agent?
Home ownership is a long cherished dream for most of us. For an overwhelming majority of the population, a home the biggest ticket purchase item of our lifetimes! It is natural to be anxious and fearful, when making or divesting such a major investment and an informed choice made in the light of expert advice is always more comforting than a self-made decision, however thorough the research. A word of advice from a reliable source like an estate agent goes a long way in reducing post purchase or post sale dissonance. The need for appropriate counsel is further highlighted, when the other party involved in the deal has the benefit of such consultation to ensure that you do not get a raw deal.
A real estate agent comes armed with intimate knowledge of the locality in which a listing is sought to be made. As a corollary to this, he or she is also in the know of other details like prevailing market rates in the neighbourhood and of course comparable properties being listed at the time. Employees who are employed at these agencies are typically local residents and have first-hand knowledge of other residents, community matters and amenities like schools and shopping areas. They are also able to share data with other agents working in the area, often informally, and work out what is best for you as a buyer. In case of properties, where the seller is from out of town, estate agents are able to serve as a contact point for your questions. The agent is also in a relative position of strength when it comes to due diligence of legal documents and hidden aspects of costs, if any. If you would like to experience life in a locality before taking the plunge of buying a house, a real estate agent may be able to line up comparable properties for you to rent out and get a feel of the neighbourhood and communities. He is also in touch with local contractors to carry out necessary repairs and restorations to the property.
If you are a seller, then the real estate agent brings a different set of advantages to the table. He is able to keep your house on the radar of prospective buyers, leaving you to pursue your work. Showings of the property to potential buyers or to groups of buyers are best organized by an estate agent. This is because he or she comes equipped with an arsenal of selling and marketing materials, backed up by suitable professional training, to increase the probability of a successful sale. He also has the additional support of tools like photographs and virtual tools, while his focussed searches on the internet equip him best to deal with queries and sales objections which are the primary precursors to profitable deals.
A real estate agent can also help to fix quid pro quo deals and help with both selling your old house and buying a new one, simultaneously! Of course, like all important people in your life, exercise caution while selecting a reliable agent and rest easy!
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