We live in the information age. And, before you start, just because every article in the last ten years has started with a similar sentence does not make it any less true. The entire world is at our fingertips in the form of a phone or a tablet or a wristband. This accessibility has left numerous job titles and American institutions as casualties of the internet era. No longer can we meet a cute travel agent while we’re reading a newspaper at a bookstore. None of those things exist anymore. Such technological hubris has led to many an individual to take on projects that are best left to professionals. A prime example of one of these tasks is the purchase of a home. The advent of the internet has made today’s home buyer/seller more informed than ever, but even with this vast amount of knowledge there are certain aspects of Real Estate that are not as obvious as others. The use of a professional is the best route to take to prevent any colossal blunders from hindering the purchase or sale of your home and can help the whole process exponentially easier.

They’re Translators:

In today’s litigious society, documents that lead to the conveyance of hundreds of thousands of dollars and Real Property are saturated with extremely dense legal-speak to discourage the all-too-often lawsuit. This intricate legal-ese can make it difficult to understand just exactly what you are signing in a document that may commit you to the next 30 mortgage-paying years of your life. Realtors can help you wade through this mountain of paper work. It’s like having a Sherpa to help you scale Mt. Everest.

They’re Mad Men:

While some realtors might not carry the gravitas and masculinity of Don Draper, they will have a level of experience in marketing that will often exceed that of the layman. Realtors have access and hands-on knowledge to marketing techniques that may not immediately pop into the brain of the average joe who is looking to save a few bucks by not utilizing a realtor. The best marketing an individual can do is hire a realtor to to list their property because by listing with a realtor that have, in turn, hired hundreds of realtors to sell their property in the form of the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which can only be accessed by a licensed Realtor.

They’re Not You:

The purchasing of homes is an emotional process. Some people are selling off the family home to downsize because the kids have grown and moved on. Some are just beginning their family looking for the perfect home where their hypothetical children can play with their hypothetical puppy and open their hypothetical presents underneath the hypothetical  Real Christmas Tree (they don’t believe in the plastic trees). The point is that YOU may not be the best option to give an unbiased price on your home or a counter-offer on a soon-to-be home. Having a concerned but objective partner can help you do anything from pricing your house to sell to negotiating just the right terms so that you can move-in on 22nd instead of the 3rd so you don’t have to pay as much in taxes.

They’ve Done it Before:

The average american may go through just a handful of Real Estate transactions in their lifetime and even with these transactions it is very unlikely that will happen at a frequency that will give them any level of familiarity that can be useful. In what may be a surprising bit of information, Real Estate professionals deal with a prolific amount of Real Estate crises on a day-to-day basis. This level of comfort and familiarity is not only hugely beneficial but is practiced and experienced purely for the betterment of the consumer.

They’re Statisticians:

  • 87% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker--a number that has steadily increased since 2001 (69%)
  • 88% of buyers used their agents again or recommended them to friends
  • Among sellers who used an agent, 83% reported they would definitely or probably use that Real Estate agent again.
  • The share of home sellers who sold their home without the assistance of a real estate agent was nine percent. Forty-four percent knew the buyer prior to home purchase.
  • 88 percent of Home-buyers used a Real Estate Professional.
  • For Sale By Owners sold at a median price of $208,700 compared to $235,000 a 13% difference.

There are thousands of dilemmas and forms and professionals that need to be dealt with and sorted through. Utilities to be turned on, Inspectors to be chosen, Lenders to...Lend. Without an intimate knowledge of the problems that follow the buying and selling of property it can be hard to navigate the waters of Real Estate. When you have an expert working for you, you ARE an expert.

This week's post is by Realtor Mel Grassel.