Five reasons to use a realtor when listing your home for sale
As you prepare to sell your home, it is an incredibly busy, overwhelming and sometimes emotional time. Having a professional who is well versed in current housing trends in your corner can greatly reduce the amount of time and energy. A real estate agent who is knowledgeable, competent and speedy can be the best investment in ensuring that you can sell at top dollar for the current market
- Efficiency – You can absolutely list your own home and field offers while packing up your memories and looking for your own dream home. What is the next best thing? Delegating some of that work to an expert and focusing on what you can do best. Two heads are better than one.
- Expertise – Your agent is constantly required to get education about the real estate industry and all the things involved. They dedicate time to expanding their knowledge of trends, getting to know mortgage lenders and attorney’s offices. You get to benefit from the friendships and relationships they have built to serve you.
- Negotiations – Right before you go under contract, there are a number of negotiations that take place that could severely impact your bottom line. Your agent knows that and the buyer’s agent also knows that. You could be agreeing to things at the beginning that look very different at the end. You want experience on your side in those negotiations.
- Pricing – The housing market changes every month as world events, economic factors and opportunities change. Even if you sold or bought last year, it’s a brand new market today and your agent has stayed on top of it. They can properly assess your home and make sure that all your upgrades are included, and that your property is priced correctly for your neighborhood.
- Protection – The real estate industry can have some sneaky people and agents are trained to read the red flags. Outside of negotiations, they can protect your interest in the property, ensure that the buyers do not overreach and assist the attorney’s office in making sure all your paperwork is in.
John C. Bennett is a real estate closing attorney and owner of Origin Title and Escrow, Inc.. Since 2003, Origin Title has handled real estate transactions – purchases, refinances, reverse mortgages – quickly and professionally. There will be no surprises, nothing misunderstood. Title searches are thorough and well-reasoned, to avoid unpleasant surprises later down the road. Calculate your closing costs in Georgia or Florida using our calculator or contact Origin Title using this form.