Why You Should Work With a Realtor

When it comes to real estate, no one knows the industry better than a licensed and experienced realtor. Whether you’re in the market to buy or are interested in selling your home for the best possible value, you can’t go wrong with hiring a local agent to assist you throughout the process. This guide covers the benefits of working with a realtor and how they can help you save money in the long run.

A realtor is trained to know the inner and outer workings of real estate, and experienced realtors have an intimate familiarity with the market and how transactions work. They keep themselves up-to-date with local housing trends and how the market currently fares. They also know the necessary steps involved in buying and selling homes, and can advise both homebuyers and sellers.

Aside from providing real estate advice and education, realtors know a good property when they see one. This means they’ll point out any red flags or aspects where a property comes up short. They’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands, of properties—they know houses. Their attention to detail is unmatched thanks to their wellspring of experience.

An MLS is a Multiple Listing Service, a tool that connects a network of cooperative brokers to help their clients buy or sell homes. When selling a property, a realtor inputs specific details and information into a database shared across various websites. Other realtors with clients looking to buy can then access this information and find a home that suits their client's needs. An MLS saves a considerable amount of time during the home search, but can only be accessed by licensed real estate agents. They’re private databases that can’t be accessed by the public.

Today, there are over 800 MLSs across the United States. By working with a realtor, you can access hundreds of listings through a single person. If you’re a seller, this means you’ll be able to market your property to a broader audience.

Throughout their career, realtors build an extensive network of other agents and teams they’ve worked with. If their client is selling a home, they can reach out to their network to discover if any agents have clients looking to buy and vice versa. Realtors also rely on their network to market properties and spread the word, generating more and more exposure on their client’s behalf. Real estate is all about cooperation, and no realtor is without a network of their own.

Real estate is loaded with jargon and standards that may be unfamiliar to the ordinary layman. Realtors, however, know and understand the terminology and follow a code of ethics that ensures they cooperate and provide their clients with the best service to suit their needs. The code also sets a standardized procedure for all agents and brokerage services, and establishes a professional code of conduct for interacting with clients.

On top of this, every city and neighborhood has its own set of housing laws and ordinances that must be followed. A responsible realtor keeps themself updated on these local rules, and they’ll always inform a client if a patio installation requires a permit, or if an ambitious renovation goes against local housing laws.

When selling a home, knowing how to market is essential. Fortunately, any good realtor is equipped with exceptional marketing ability to not only generate more exposure, but sell your property for more money. They know what buyers look for in the current market, how to stage your home to maximize appeal, how to increase the value of your home, and how to garner buyer interest in your listing. They employ various marketing techniques such as word-of-mouth through their professional network, listing the property on an MLS, and physical and digital advertisements.

A realtor is a professional negotiator through and through. Most buyers and sellers hire a realtor to assist them and negotiate on their behalf, meaning if you’re in the market by yourself, you’ll more than likely have to contend against an experienced negotiator who specializes in bargaining. Unless you’re a skilled negotiator yourself, you’ll want to hire a realtor who can take care of negotiations for you. A realtor will always have your best interests in mind, including your budget, what you want out of a home, and what the home is worth to you. They’ll always strive to get you the best possible price on a home.

Without a realtor on your team, you’ll have to devote countless hours to researching the homebuying or selling process, the local market and trends, city ordinances and laws, and other information. The time you spend researching may be time you just don’t have, especially if you need to buy or sell right away. Hiring a realtor saves you time and trouble, guaranteeing a quicker and smoother transaction. They’ll also quickly take care of the necessary paperwork and documentation since they already know what to expect and look for.

Overall, there are many reasons why you should hire a realtor to assist you during any real estate transaction, be it buying, selling, or even investing in the real estate market. Save yourself the trouble—hire a realtor. They’re committed to your success and have the proven skills to achieve it.

If you’re looking for the best agents in the Pleasanton, Tri-Valley, and East Bay areas, reach out to the renowned team of 680 Doug Buenz Group. They’re among the top 100 agents as voted by Wall Street Journal and have made over a billion dollars in career sales. Whether you’re buying or selling, you can’t go wrong with their team. Connect with them today!