When buying or selling a home, working with a REALTOR® can be one of your greatest assets. As you make one of the most important transactions of your lifetime, it's wise to take advantage of the expertise of a trained, licensed real estate professional. It's also important to understand that not all real estate agents are REALTORS®.
A REALTOR® is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® as well as their state and local professional trade associations. Each member has pledged to uphold a strict code of ethics and professional standards approved by the National Board of REALTORS® (NAR). The code assumes that people conducting a real estate transaction must adhere to a higher set of standards than those people working in other business arenas. According to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, REALTORS® are "zealous to maintain and improve the standards of their calling." The REALTOR® designation and logo are trademarked and use is restricted to members of the NAR.
Fairness, honesty, integrity, and competency are just a few of the values upon which the Code of Ethics is based. It also requires REALTOR® to abstain from any plan or agreement which would discriminate against anyone based on their race, sex, religion, handicap, familial status or nationality. Each member has access to educational programs, research, and additional resources to keep them at the top of the field.
As REALTORS®, we have dedicated ourselves to the highest standards of service and professionalism. REALTOR® status shows an agent's commitment to being the best representative for their profession and their clients.
The buying of real estate is the largest financial investment many people make. Whether buying for the first time or selling a family estate, REALTORS® take a complicated maze of requirements and, with knowledge of the local real estate market, simplify the process. They also maximize the profit.
REALTORS® uniquely understand legal issues that affect real estate transactions, and they're trained to negotiate the best possible prices and terms in the contract. Perhaps more importantly, they offer professional advice and objective insight into a process that, for many, is very emotional.
On the nuts-and-bolts level, REALTORS® have a complete list of area homes for sale, as well as all the data buyers need to know; they stay abreast of changing market conditions that can affect local real estate prices. REALTORS® can also recommend reliable local lenders, real estate evaluators and insurers to help the transaction process proceed smoothly.
Pricing your property to sell involves more than just comparing it with other houses that have recently sold. The uniqueness of each property and its own values are based on location, condition, financing, amenities and other marketing factors.
There is no exact price on any property, but there is a range in values that are influenced by other marketing considerations. Before you price your property, consider the value of having total market evaluation completed by a specialist in your area:
Advertising can be very expensive, especially if you continue daily for a sustained period of time. REALTORS® know that most prospects do not buy the advertised homes about which they inquire. The majority, after seeing such properties, are interested in something else. The professional marketing approach used by our firm is based upon the motivations and needs of the prospect. Effectively marketing your property requires more than just writing the ad.
Selling your home can be a time-consuming assignment. You are literally married to the property, waiting for the phone to ring or for someone to drive by and knock on your door. You have to stay close to the property or you may miss the one buyer you're seeking.
When you leave, even just to go to the store, you are temporarily out of business. And accepting unescorted strangers at all hours can play havoc with family life. Your representative will show only by appointment and take full responsibility for the management of the property so that you can enjoy life and not have to be chained to the house until it sells.
When prospects inquire about your property and you are tempted to enter into a purchase agreement, how can you protect yourself from non-productive involvements? Professional counselors do a thorough job of qualifying the prospects to whom they show your property, and by protecting your interests in writing the agreement to purchase, and in obtaining the financing for the buyer.
Your For Sale By Owner sign is an open invitation to all types of people and it is difficult for you to question their motivations. To protect your loved ones, your property and your peace of mind, it is best to give the management of your property to a professional who can qualify the potential buyers and see that only those who should be inside your home ever gain access to it.
Buyers who shop For Sale By Owner are on their own and you have no control or influence over them after they leave your property. They drive around, see other homes and other properties, make their own judgments without your presence. Our trained representative can perceive and point out values in your property and can answer the questions that a buyer must have answered about prices that other properties have sold for, and how your property compares to others in the community.
Many buyers must sell or finance their present homes before they can buy another one. Your best buyer may well be someone who already owns a home, and whose decision to buy another property is premised on selling their present one. Through your representative, interim financing can usually be arranged or a guaranteed sales agreement executed on the existing property.
In most urban markets in America today, the transferee represents a major factor in total housing sales each year. Studies show that transferees seldom buy from For Sale By Owners because they do not know the market, do not trust their own judgments, and are usually referred to professional counselors before leaving their hometown, or by their employers. These are the most motivated buyers, but they stay with the professionals who can assist them.
Financing is very frequently the key to a successful housing transaction. Buyers without the right advice and information may not see their way clear to buy your particular property. There are many ways to finance real estate and your representative is trained to help your buyer to structure the right financing to meet his objective and yours. Once you've agreed to sell, there's the matter of clearing the title, obtaining the financing, arranging for insurance, working with lawyers and other agencies involved. You can avoid costly mistakes by relying on professionals who control and safeguard your housing investment.
It is difficult to negotiate your own position, or to counsel with the buyer on all the things that have to be discussed for them to see the values you really have in your property. As a real estate professional, I can prepared to counsel both yourself and the potential buyer, so the differences can be bridged and a transaction successfully consummated.
What is your home worth in today's market? I will furnish you with a complimentar Comparative Market Analysis on your home! Ask me for a FREE In-Home Presentation. I will come to your home or office, and present you a plan that details exactly how I will market your home. There is absolutely no obligation so don't let this opportunity pass. It is part of my job as a professional real estate agent to offer you this service.