Why Use a Realtor ?

Realtors are real estate licensees who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Their membership comes with strict compliance to the Code of Ethics, expectation to maintain a high level of knowledge of the real estate business and regulated practice. Realtors will deal with you honestly and fairly.

FACT: Real estate purchases involve several to hundreds of thousands of dollars and are usually the biggest financial investment people make in their lifetime.

With that being said, wouldn’t you want a professional guide you in your transaction?

A Realtor would be able to assist you through out the home buying process and listed below are some of the services your Realtor can provide:

1. Determine your buying power and refer you to lenders best qualified to help you.
2. Help you in your home search. Your Realtor would understand your home needs and preferences and has access to most of the homes available in your area and will review homes that suit your needs.
3. Provide you with objective community information you would want to know before you decide on a house. A Realtor can access resources like property appraiser’s office, utilities, school zoning, flood zone status, home owners association, etc.
4. Help you negotiate your offer on a house. A lot of factors in the contract affect its negotiating power such as price, contingencies, inspection periods, closing dates, loan approval date, repair amounts and so on.      
5. Note all important contingency dates on a contract to make sure you are within your time frames. Time is of the essence in the contract and if the buyer fails to meet a contingency within the time specified, it constitutes default and may involve forfeiture of your binder deposit.
6. Recommend qualified home inspectors and other inspectors for necessary inspections which may include termite, structural, radon, energy-efficiency etc.
7. Assist you in understanding different and complex financing options and your closing statement.
8.  Make sure that the closing process goes through smoothly.

As a Seller, a Realtor would be able to assist you with the following:

1. Provide you with a comprehensive market analysis of your property and help you understand that analysis alongside current market conditions and active, pending, expired listings to come up with an effective pricing strategy.
2. Assist you with effective pricing and marketing strategies that are in line with your main objective. Do you need a quick sale or do you want a better price for your property?
3. Estimate your seller’s closing costs and pro-rations for property taxes and home owners’ association dues.
4. Know how, to whom, where and when to market and advertise your property.
5. Market your property to all Realtors and to the public.
6. Showcase your property during open houses.
7. Inform you of all documents you will need to ready for a sale such as title policy, restrictive covenants, seller’s disclosures, any pertinent documents relating to your house.
8. Help you stage your home for a good impression and help you identify areas that may need touch-ups and/or repair for better showcasing.
9. Guide you in evaluating an offer as a whole, in accepting an offer or making a counter-offer without compromising your position.
10. Coordinate with Buyer’s Realtor (if any) meeting of contingencies, inspections, time frames and status of Buyer’s financing (if any).
11. Recommend actions for repair requests and make sure the house is ready for a final walk-thru.
12. Make sure the closing goes through smoothly.
13. Assist you with your relocation needs.