Five reasons why you need a REALTOR®

A real estate transaction is complicated and actually can be very difficult — or the purchase or sale can swim along as easily as you might have hoped. The complication comes because of the time, negotiations and legal steps it takes to complete the transactions.

Buying or selling a home requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents — paperwork to do it right and negate any problems.

Unless you are familiar with the needed documents, signatures needed etc., it might be wise to find yourself a knowledgeable guide to help you through the complexity and avoid delays or costly mistakes.

Enter the REALTOR®!

•Selling or buying a home is time-consuming. Even in the strong market that we still have in the Inland Northwest, homes can stay on the market longer than owners expect. When the home finally sells, it usually takes another 60 days or so for the transaction to close after an offer is accepted.

You can probably save time by using professionals who have done it before. This is certainly true if you are buying or selling a home — unless you know how to make it through the process.

•Real estate has its own language. If you are not comfortable with the problems or opportunities involved and you don’t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it’s important to work with someone who speaks that language and knows how to solve problems that need to be solved for the client.

Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change. That’s why having an expert on your side is important — to update your knowledge of real estate rules.

•REALTORS® also provide objectivity. Since a home often symbolizes family, rest, and security, not just four walls and a roof, home selling or buying is often a very emotional undertaking. And, for most people, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll ever make.

•Having a concerned, but objective third party working in your behalf will help you keep focused on both the business and emotional issues most important to you.

•REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS®, a trade organization of more than 1 million members nationwide who subscribe to a code of ethics that helps guarantee the highest level of service and integrity.