As someone who’s bought or sold a house before, you know just how much hiring a real estate agent can cost. The service comes with quite a hefty price tag but there is a good reason why, despite the amount of money it costs, a lot of people still hire them no matter how many times they’ve bought or sold a house before.
Still contemplating on hiring one? Here are 4 reasons to hire a real estate agent anytime you’re thinking about buying, selling, or even renting a home.
Connections
Real estate agents know people in the industry; people who can make the whole process of buying, selling, or renting a home so much faster and easier. If you’re selling your current home, they can recommend cleaners, stagers, and even movers to come and help you. For people who are buying a home, a real estate agent can recommend trustworthy lenders who won’t take advantage of you, especially if it’s your first time doing so. And if you thought scouring Craigslist to look for a home to rent is a good idea, think again! A real estate agent may cost more but they will be able to show you places that are a great fit for your preferences and your budget. Even future landlords can count on real estate agents to manage their rental properties to avoid dealing with hassles and headaches.
Tools
If there’s one thing real estate agents have ordinary homeowners and renters will never have access to it’s their tools. They have all kinds of apps and computer software with the most recent listings, updates on the market, and more that can help make buying or selling a home faster, easier, and more convenient. How do you think they’re able to make and close sales even when they’re in a different country or a different state?
Knowledge
Real estate agents have been in the game for so long, they have tricks up their sleeves that only they can pull off. They can help buyers buy their next home below the asking price and they can help sellers make a few thousand dollars more than they were hoping to make, depending on which side they’re working for. They can negotiate prices to give you the best bang for your buck and they can certainly give helpful suggestions and insight about any decisions you have to make regarding buying/selling your home.
Expertise
This is something that first-time home sellers and buyers would especially benefit from when they hire a real estate agent. The whole process of buying and selling a house is a tedious and taxing one, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. Luckily, with a real estate agent, all you need to do is wait for updates and submit all the documents the agent asks from you and wait for the sale to come to a close. No running around like a headless chicken necessary; just leave everything up to your agent. They have a checklist of the whole process ready so they know exactly what needs to be done and in what order. Of course, you’ll still be doing minor things like signing important documents and giving your approvals on certain things but, other than that, all you really need to do is wait.
Selling a house you’ve outgrown or finding your new dream home can consume your patience and your energy. The good news is it doesn’t have to be that way for you. You can enjoy every step of the way to your next house; just leave it up to a trusty real estate agent.