Questions You Wouldn't Think to Ask, but a Real Estate Agent Would
You hear it all the time from those in the Real Estate industry, “You should use an agent!”. But how hard could buying or selling a home really be? You decide on a price, sign some paperwork, and then the deal is done, right? It can seem silly to hire someone just to help you make a purchase, something you do easily enough on Amazon all the time.
If you think harder, though, you will realize you do pay Amazon to help you purchase those items quickly and simply. Once you click that button, Amazon handles all the details of letting the seller know you want the product, they give you up to date information on when the product will arrive at your door, they handle the transfer of the money from your account to the seller, they calculate the tax and applicable shipping cost, they handle issues with a damaged product, the list goes on and on. The fee Amazon charges seems like a small price to pay for the convenience and professionalism for the purchase. So why when it comes to buying and selling a home, the largest purchase people will make, do people suddenly think paying a professional isn’t worth the expense?
Real Estate Agents are like the Amazon of the Real Estate industry. They provide expertise for the benefit of the buyer and seller. They connect the buyer with the available product, and help to create a smooth purchase. Need some more convincing? Check out some of the questions below that you wouldn’t think to ask regarding a Real Estate transaction, but a Real Estate Agent would.
- Is this the right form or contract to use? And did I sign in all the places I needed to? – Transferring ownership of a home is all about the paperwork. The average person doesn’t spend day after day checking off required paperwork, staying up to date on the newest version of the purchase agreement, and making sure every box is checked and line is signed. Not working with an agent leaves you open to a contract that isn’t legally enforceable.
- Is my property reaching as many interested buyers as possible? – So you stuck a sign up in the yard and shared a post on Facebook, and called it good. Word of mouth may be a powerful tool, but a majority of the home buyers in your area aren’t your friends on Facebook and don’t spend time driving through your neighborhood. You could be missing out on a majority of buyers who could give you the best offer.
- This seller isn’t willing to negotiate at all, now what? – Not everyone selling their home is “Midwest Nice” and willing to do some friendly negotiation. Other sellers are not willing to look at the reality of the market and understand what their home is actually worth, demanding a price well beyond market value. An agent is able to give them data that the average buyer doesn’t have access to, and can advise when to walk away from a difficult seller.
- I may have fallen in love with this home, but am I ignoring some red flags? – Sometimes the wow factor of a home can be enough to make even the most experienced home buyer miss some serious red flags. Agents aren’t distracted by imagining their nights on the deck in the summer or enjoying the cozy fireplace. They are there to help you take off the rose colored glasses and consider those red flags.
- Our contract fell threw, what do I do now? – Agents are there to negotiate for you and help the transaction go through with the best solution for everyone when a problem comes up, but contracts sometimes fall through. Agents help you navigate the right paperwork to make sure you aren’t still under contract and make sure you get any earnest money back you are due.
- Am I missing any required disclosures? – Did you receive all the documents from the seller showing things like any damage they had to repair? Did they made additions with the proper permits? Is the roof one year old, or 20 years old? Making sure you receive all the disclosures as a buyer, and making sure you cover your bases when disclosing items as a seller is something an agent is proficient in. Disclosing is a major factor in buying and selling that you want to be sure is correct.
Want to get connected to an agent?
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.