Hiring a Real Estate Agent to Help Sell Your Home

Selling a home is a challenging process, even for experienced individuals. In order to sell a home successfully, one must understand market trends, be able to devote substantial time to the process, and have solid negotiating skills. When you choose to sell your home, you may be tempted to sell it on your own – especially with thoughts of saving money in the process.

Real estate professionals like Jonathan Perea and realtors across the country know that hiring a real estate agent is a smart financial move. An agent has the skill and the experience needed to complete the sale, reducing the challenges a homeowner might face if he or she should try to sell it on their own. In this guide, top reasons for choosing a real estate agent will be discussed.

Should I Hire a Real Estate Agent?

The real estate market is filled with challenges. Regional market variations and trends influence pricing of homes, requiring those interested in selling their property to have extensive knowledge of local market conditions. The truth is that most homeowners don’t have this specialized knowledge, making the home selling process truly daunting, even under the best of circumstances. For example, the Rancho Cucamonga real estate market may be very different from the Fontana market in Southern California in terms of pricing, sales volume, and availability. Individual sellers are at a disadvantage when it comes to local conditions.

Real estate professionals, on the other hand, are specially trained to handle this complex process. Real estate agents are familiar with local market conditions and have the experience needed to list, market, and sell the home at the right price. Realtors across the country study market trends, equipping them with timely information they can use to complete sales for their clients.

Selling a home on your own could potentially save money – a typical real estate agent charges a commission averaging about 6% of the home’s sale price. Few individuals have the skill needed to successfully negotiate a completed sale, and any errors in the process can result in steep out-of-pocket expenses that eliminate any potential savings. It is clear that the benefits of using a realtor over doing it yourself is worth the extra expense.

What Does a Realtor Do?

As a real estate agent with many years of experience, Jonathan Perea performs many tasks during the process of selling a home. Many homeowners may ask what a realtor does. In simple terms, the real estate agent lists, markets, shows, and negotiates to get the best sale price possible. Let’s break the individual components of the process down:

• Listing – licensed real estate professionals have access to many listing tools, not the least of which is the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®). Only licensed brokers and their agents may use this service; individuals selling their own homes cannot list the property on this database. The benefit of the MLS is that it provides a nationwide listing, allowing potential homebuyers to view details of the home in question. In other words, it connects buyers with sellers, and the real estate agent is there to assist during the transaction.

• Marketing and Showing – a good realtor has many tools and techniques to showcase a property’s best features for sales purposes. A technique called “staging” makes the home look its very best, attracting potential homebuyers. High-resolution photographs, descriptive details in the listing, and showing the home during open houses and private viewings are also marketing techniques that realtors use to sell homes. Showing the home allows potential buyers to get a feel for the property in question; a talented realtor will point out the benefits of the property and help potential buyers imagine a life in this new home.

• Negotiation – the process of selling a home has many steps. Perhaps the most complex part of the process is negotiation. A potential homebuyer will make an offer, then the seller will either accept the offer or make a counter-offer. As might be imagined, this back-and-forth is challenging, even for realty professionals. Real estate agents advise their clients on the best offers, such as whether to accept a current offer or to counter with a new price. Of course, the realtor tracks all the paperwork involved in the process.

• Completing the Sale – when an offer is accepted and an agreement is made between buyer and seller, the realtor is there to provide guidance every step of the way. The real estate agent schedules the closing, arranges for paperwork (titles, deeds, surveys, legal documents) to be transferred to the new owner, and guides the process with an experienced hand.

There are many more aspects involved in selling a home, and a realtor is trained to handle all of them. Talented realtors can point out areas that need improvement, helping the home to look its best prior to listing. Spotting potential code violations, arranging for home inspectors, and fielding calls from interested buyers are all part of the daily operation of realty offices. When one takes into account all the roles a realtor must take on, the 6% average commission seems like a bargain.

Selling a Home Takes Time

What most homeowners don’t understand is that the process of selling a home takes time. While many hope for overnight success, the reality is that the sale can take months to complete. On average, homes take about four months from listing to completed sale, according to the National Association of Realtors. Most homeowners don’t have the time in their busy lives to schedule showings, handle the paperwork, or speak to potential buyers. However, this is exactly what real estate agents specialize in. Agents have the time and the understanding needed to make the process go as smoothly as possible. And, with a professional realtor on your side, the timetable is often shortened; homes listed on the MLS by realty professionals generally sell faster, even in cities where the real estate market is slow.

Consult a Real Estate Agent Today to Sell Your Home

Real estate agents have one purpose: to help home sellers connect with potential buyers. By listing the home on the MLS and showing it to buyers, homes tend to sell more quickly. The end result is a process that goes smoothly from start to finish, eliminating many of the headaches individual sellers may experience when they try to sell on their own. A real estate agent charges a commission for their services, but the quality and ease of the experience makes this expense well worth it. Talk to a qualified real estate agent today to get started on selling your home.