Many times people wonder whether they should use a Realtor or not when buying a home or selling a home. This is a great question and depends on the clients situation. As a Realtor I obviously see the benefits of using a Realtor on both sides of a transaction, but can understand the financial situation of a seller that is upside down on their mortgage or just needs to save some money. Let's approach each situation.
If you are a buyer and are only buying(you have no house to sell), it is imperative that you have representative to walk you through the process of negotiations, contracts, inspections, and the appraisal process. Unless you are an attorney or are knowledgeable of the process, you need to have a Realtor assist you. There is a lot of stress that comes along with buying a home, plus, there is no fee to use the Realtor as they are paid their fee from the seller. If the Realtor is charging you a fee, then you need to be smart and ask questions about where this fee is derived and why is it necessary.
If you are on the selling side, using a good Realtor, will give you peace of mind knowing they have a fiduciary duty to assist you and work to your best interest. An agent has the ability to work up a market analysis to compare your property to other 'like' properties. This market analysis will help the agent to decide the best listing price to sell the home quickly. Sometimes, and depending on the current market, prices can be higher or lower depending on how many homes are available. If the supply is high, the price has to be competitive if you stand a chance of selling it quickly. Unless you home is unique and has many upgrades such as hardwood floors, granite countertops, neutral colors, updated appliances, or has a pool, it needs to be priced on the lower side. If there was no agent involved, a seller may not have known how to correctly price their home.
Each situation whether on the buying side or selling side will vary but it is usually safe to use a great agent that you trust or one that came highly recommended. Please visit my website to receive more great information.
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