When you think of a Real Estate Agent what do you think of? Commission, negotiator, home expert?
There is SO much that goes into buying and selling a home I can’t even begin to paint the entire picture for you. But I will try my best to share a day or two in the life…
BUYING
When a potential client (or current client) reaches out to view a home or start the process of searching for a home we get to work right away. We usually set them up on the MLS portal so they can receive listings right to their email on a daily basis or the minute something hits the market- your choice!. We get an idea of what our client (or potential client) wants and needs. We listen, we offer advice and we begin the search for their new home. When you find a home you’d like to view we look the home up, gather as many facts as possible and get a list of comparable properties that have recently sold so you have a better idea of what this property may sell for. We do much of this behind closed doors, for many hours at a time ensuring the best service possible to you. Sometimes we work alongside your mortgage specialist crunching numbers, discussing options and ensuring an offer is put together properly. We can also recommend third party professionals to you such as a lawyer, home inspector, general contractor or landscaper. It can be a stressful time and throughout this process you’ll really become close with your agent. It’s important to work with someone you can connect with, build a relationship with, talk to and trust. You’ll have someone beside you when you don’t win that deal and have someone to celebrate with when you DO!
SELLING
Selling your home can be exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time. You’ve built memories, you’ve put hard work into your home and now its time to move on. Choosing who you will list your property with is so important! When an agent is first approached about a property one of the first questions they get is “what do you think my home will sell for”. This answer takes time. We will usually come to you home and do a tour- we check out EVERYTHING (style, roof, kitchen, bedrooms, bath, furnace, pluming, electrical and much more). We then begin to gather facts- square feet, age of home, age of roof, improvements, yearly taxes and more). It’s then time to pull those comparable properties again to come to an approximate market value and list price. This work can take hours and you may see your agent once or twice during this time for about an hour and the rest is done behind those closed doors. We can also suggest some staging techniques or even refer you to a professional stager who can help you get your home show ready! Once your property is listed the real fun begins. We answer calls daily about your home, share features, set up showings, help with lockbox issues, market your property online and become that go to expert on your home. Once an offer comes in an agent will help with negotiations, ensure you understand the contracts and conditions that have been added and help you make an informed decision about which offer to accept if any.
LEASING
We also help people lease their properties or find a property to lease. Did you know that you can be set up in the MLS portal for rentals as well? We can send you a personalized email daily of all new rentals that have hit the market within your desired criteria. Its an amazing tool and ensures your don’t miss something. When you do see a property you like we schedule a showing and take you for a tour of the home. We share information about the location, what is and isn’t included in the rent and we’ll even help you get your rental application together to submit! When listing a rental we can take the stress off the landlord by dealing with the paper work, showings, screening etc.
There is a lot of time and dedication that goes into these three areas. Agents work in the best interest of their clients and we strive to make you happy! We love to connect with people, we are great negotiators and we don’t stop until you are happy in your new home!
I hope this helped to paint a better picture for you; Realtors work hard and need to be educated in a wide variety of areas. We usually learn a thing or two on a daily basis and use it to better the services we can offer to our clients.
The next time you see a Realtor on a sign or see a “just purchased” announcement I hope you can remember this blog and know how much hard work that agent put in to get to that point.
I also hope you know that Realtors LOVE to help and want you to reach out with your questions! We study the market and enjoy talking about it. Until next time! -EB
