What do REALTORS® do, anyway?
We get asked every now and then something like, “What does a REALTOR® really do?”
The short answer is the REALTOR® does plenty. The longer answer will, of course, take a bit more time and cover the ground the agent covers while working for his or her client.
We are living on this planet today in which real estate marketing knowledge is probably the best it has ever been, at least in the United States. Correct market information needed for a buyer or a seller to make a decision can be had from the from the Spokane Association of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service by a REALTOR® 24 hours a day via computer connection to the data desired.
With the facts on hand, an informed decision about property can be made.
From the MLS information, a REALTOR® can check the number of homes available citywide or targeted in certain areas of town. After interviewing a prospective buyer or seller, an agent can supply information the client is looking for and what the availability is for the home criteria that they wanted.
An agent with this information source can tell a buyer how much similar homes in certain areas of the city will cost, how many are for sale, where they are located and so on. A REALTOR® will source from data the homes available that fit the prospective buyer’s desires.
With the current market knowledge, both the buyer and the seller can be on solid “ground.” Once the agent taps into the information, much of the availability picture becomes clearer. Facts do count.
All members of the MLS can get property information because all real estate information listed with one real estate office is available to all of the members. The customer benefits with this knowledge of what the “market” is doing. In addition, this information is invaluable when your special house has just been listed for sale.
And, when you find that perfect or almost perfect place just as you had pictured and you decide to make an offer, you will have someone with marketing expertise with you. It has been written that both buyers and sellers need someone to rely on in negotiations. It is often more productive to have the REALTOR® at the table during negotiations when the offer is presented. After all, how many homes have you purchased before you may have learned the best way for you to operate with success?
Today’s market is swift because of the demand being placed on record home sales. And because it is swift, timing can be everything in making your dream come true.
Negotiating savvy could make the difference between getting your desired home or failure to do so.
As was once said wisely, if you were going to have brain surgery, most certainly find the surgeon with the best record to do the job Home sales and buying do not have the possible consequences a surgery may have, but the concept of getting the best person for the job is the same.
Get the best help you can. It pays.