Working with a Real Estate Agent

Should I use a real estate agent to help me with the sale of my home? Why should I use a real estate agent to help find a home? What homes should I look at? There are so many in different areas and price ranges. These are good questions. When it comes down to buying or selling, everyone may need some help, from first-time buyers or even experienced investors. Let's discuss these questions.

If you are interested in selling your home, by listing it with a real estate agent you will benefit from the many marketing services they provide. The Multiple Listing Service is the best exposure for your property. As well as this tool you have a REALTOR® working on your listing 24 hours a day. Your real estate agent is not only trying to sell your property but is also pre-screening potential buyers to save you time and hassle. A REALTOR® is trained in this field and is always upgrading their education. They are licensed professionals. You may want to interview a few real estate agents to see which one you feel comfortable working with. Other marketing tools are real estate tours, local advertising, networking with other real estate agents, and the local real estate newspaper which is the most sought-after single source for resale real estate. Also, a real estate agent can help you prepare your home with some valuable tips that you may overlook.

When looking for a home, a real estate agent can help you. They have at their fingertips a huge database of listings. A good real estate agent should be knowledgeable about the city or rural areas and be able to help you find ones within your price range. Some agents specialize in certain types of properties and areas. By entering your search criteria into a computer, a real estate agent can narrow down a short list of potential properties for your viewing. This can save a lot of time, energy and money. They set up the appointments and handle the negotiation process for you. You decide what price you offer.

There are so many real estate agents. How do you find the right one for you? I remember before I became a real estate professional, I called a lot of these agents. You see the more agents that I called; I figured I would get more results. I thought that if I had more agents looking for me I would have better chances of finding a home. Well, out of using all those agents I found out that I only needed one. You only need one agent to write an offer and they all have the same access to the local real estate database. What it comes down to is personal service. A good real estate agent will get back to you right away and answer your questions. With all the technology today, real estate agents not only have pagers, but cell phones, text messaging, assistants, and voice mail... There are so many ways to get a hold of them. In an active market if your agent is on the ball they will get you into a property ASAP. Tomorrow may be too late. When you meet your agent, do they take time to listen to your wants and needs? Are they genuinely interested in helping you? Do they have the time for you? It's nice when you get a call or email from your agent letting you know they are still working for you. Make sure they stay in touch. Ask yourself, "What do you want in a real estate agent?" Service? Communication? Negotiation? Privacy? Honesty? Peace of Mind? Results?

As licensed professionals, real estate agents have strict codes of ethics. Agents are obligated to protect and promote the interests of their clients as they would their own. Their duties include loyalty, obedience, confidentiality, reasonable care and skill, full disclosure and full accounting. An agent should sit down and explain the agency relationship before going to work for you. When you find a house that is listed or for sale by the owner, pass the information on to the agent you have chosen. They will be able to check out the property for you. If an agent shows you a property, that agent is entitled to a commission, regardless of whether you want to use them or not. This can cause frustration with your chosen agent and often leaves them out of the picture. Choose your real estate agent and stick with them. If you are not getting the results you want, let them know. It pays to do your homework upfront and be completely honest with your real estate agent.

For questions about real estate, contact Ed Black today at (403) 830-8510.

Ed Black
REALTOR®

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This is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with a broker.