When talking with a client about selling their home, talking to them about the value you bring to them and why they should avoid the “For Sale By Owner” route simply to save money should be on your to-do list.
After all, for some sellers, the standard real estate agent's commission of 5% to 6% can seem like a large sum to pay an agent to represent a client for the sale of their home.
However, there are several benefits to choosing an experienced real estate agent over FSBO that you may want your client to consider.
It goes beyond merely telling them what you do and how you can make or save them money. You need to show them what value you’ll bring them through real-world examples.
One way to show them is my system to win a listing before you arrive.
In it, I put information in front of potential sellers about selling their homes even without having a place to live, making them more comfortable to sell.
And for buyers, understanding the local market, negotiating a price and reasonable terms, and giving your client the best value on your purchase can be challenging.
That’s where the experience of a real estate agent comes in handy.
In other words, real estate agents play a crucial role in the home buying and selling process.
Not only do we help conduct research on properties, but we also ensure that transactions go smoothly, from start to finish, and we are often considered experts in their field and know the local market inside out.
As real estate agents, we are more than just an extra pair of helping hands. From providing invaluable advice for buyers, sellers, and investors in today’s competitive housing market, real estate agents guide clients through complicated transactions to achieve their dreams.
Many transactions involve complex negotiations and contracts, legal considerations, and financing options that can be difficult for those who need to become more familiar with the process.
Real estate agents help navigate these obstacles by advising on how best to proceed in any given situation while advising on potential pitfalls to avoid, such as overpaying for a property or missing out on certain tax benefits.
For buyers and sellers, it’s their advantage to work with a real estate agent to find the perfect match for their needs.
Real estate agents are essential to any successful transaction and can make a massive difference in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals by providing knowledge, resources, and expertise.
Working with a real estate agent can be invaluable for finding and buying the right home.
Not only will they have access to listings you may not see yourself, but they are also highly knowledgeable about market dynamics, pricing trends in your area, and much more. Having a professional on your side gives you an advantage when negotiating deals and making intelligent decisions.
Working with a real estate agent is beneficial for many reasons, including their all-encompassing understanding of the industry from a local perspective. In addition, they have the tools, contacts, and resources available to which most buyers usually don’t have access.
Another thing you do in your role as an agent is the amount of dedication and time to researching homes for sale to classify them accordingly. You’ll be knowledgeable enough to educate your clients to consider any special considerations for specific properties, such as price points or being able to match a home to your interests and needs.
Furthermore, agents handle contracts and paperwork during the closing stage, which allows clients peace of mind knowing that things are being handled efficiently by someone who knows what they are doing.
With an experienced real estate agent on your side throughout the entire process, they can help make it run smoothly while providing client advocacy throughout negotiations until the completion of the transaction.
Overall, there are numerous reasons why real estate agents are essential when buying or selling a home.
8 Reasons to Choose a Real Estate Agent
Hiring a real estate agent is vital for your transaction to succeed in buying or selling real estate.
An experienced professional real estate agent will assist you in finding a home that fits your budget and needs, negotiate a great deal for you, and help keep organization regarding paperwork timelines for the transaction to succeed.
First, an agent understands the local market conditions and what buyers want in your area. They also have experience negotiating contracts and can help protect you from potential legal pitfalls throughout the process.
Another significant benefit of a client choosing to use a real estate agent is your ability as a professional agent to reduce stress by keeping track of paperwork, deadlines, and other details throughout the sale process.
Agents also have established relationships with title companies and lenders which helps ensure a smoother transaction for everyone involved.
Finally, hiring an experienced real estate agent gives you access to their broad network of contacts- service providers such as inspectors or contractors—to buyers just waiting for their next dream home. This invaluable resource could potentially lead to more offers on your property at higher prices.
- Agents Understand The Local Market
One of the main benefits of sharing with your clients about working with you as a real estate agent is that you understand the local market and can provide essential information on properties in the area.
It’s also true that as an agent, you have access to a wealth of knowledge and resources that buyers and sellers don’t that can help them make informed decisions about buying or selling property.
As an agent, part of your responsibility is to research past sales data, prices, zoning regulations, schools, and other essential factors that can help educate your client’s decision.
Agents can give clients insights into market prices that would otherwise be inaccessible, such as knowing if the furnace has seen better days or if there’s some strange history with a home. It also indicates how valuable the privileged information they bring to customers is.
Similarly, buyers and sellers greatly appreciate any first-hand advice and guidance throughout their process. A deep understanding can ease any tension or stress while transitioning between properties.
- Agents Avoid Emotional Sales
For clients, selling a home is an emotional process. But your expertise as a real estate agent makes it easier to navigate the sale of your home without getting too emotionally involved. In addition, your services can be a buffer between your client and any potential buyers or agents who may say something that could be seen as unfavorable about the home.
Often, homeowners can get so emotionally tied up in selling their homes that they refuse to counter a low offer or give in too easily when faced with a deadline for selling.
As an experienced real estate agent, you’re better able to handle these situations objectively and calmly without letting emotions cloud your judgment and prevent them from getting the best price possible for your house.
Finally, sellers that don't have an agent may have a more challenging time dealing directly with rejection whenever someone isn't interested in your property. Having an experienced third party to interpret feedback and put a positive spin on any negative comments can make the process less stressful for everyone involved.
Overall, having your expertise as a real estate agent can be invaluable during home selling.
- Real Estate Is a Full-Time Job
As an agent, you are a professional specializing in understanding the local market, negotiating selling prices, and purchasing real estate.
Extensive knowledge of current market trends, local laws, and regulations will help you provide crucial advice and guidance to your clients throughout the transaction process.
Real estate is a career that requires focus, dedication, and hard work.
You’ll be working around the clock to answer inquiries and file the paperwork correctly, which is the key to a successful and stress-free home buying or selling experience.
As an agent, you’re handling marketing, understanding local market trends, financing options, legal risks, current design and renovation trends, and so much more.
Also, as a professional, you’re working around other professionals, learning more about the industry and craft daily. For agents willing to hustle even more, finding a mentor and hiring a coach will let you add even more value for your clients.
A mentor will teach you systems and ways that have been effective for them over the years, and those experiences are ones you can apply to assist your own clients.
Hiring a coach will give you a boost in your organization, productivity, and accountability. In addition, these skills will do the best to help your clients, improving your knowledge as well.
Being in real estate is a full-time profession, and being a real estate agent is incredibly valuable for your clients when it comes to selling a house because of their experience and dedication to the business.
- Agents Access Large Networks
You’ll have access to an extensive network of clients, other agents, and real estate agencies as a professional real estate agent that your client won’t have access to.
This means you’ll be able to market and share information regarding your client’s needs that will be exposed to the largest pool of potential homes and buyers available.
What you provide to your clients is that your network can translate into more demand for their property and a quicker sale at a higher price. For buyers, you’ll have more insight into homes as they come on the market, giving your buyers an edge with viewing and making their buying decisions earlier than others.
With an extensive network, as an agent, you’re better able to help your clients with their needs and help them navigate the real estate market.
- Weeding Out Unqualified Buyers
The worst thing for your clients is to put their homes on the market, have a ton of offers, and then those offers fall out from the no-fault of the seller.
Homes that go back on the market are often perceived as having something wrong with them, making it harder to negotiate with future buyers.
Using your experience, you can help your clients navigate different offers and quickly and easily determine whether someone who wants to view your house is a qualified buyer, a dreamer, or a curious neighbor.
You’ll be able to ask questions that will help determine a prospect's seriousness, qualification, and motivation. These questions may include how long they have been looking if they've seen any other homes that would work for their needs, if they are paying cash or have been prequalified, what schools they are looking for etc.
This weeding-out process will save your clients from unnecessary showings and put your life on hold each time to make your house look perfect for viewings.
- Price Negotiations Take Skill
Price negotiations can be an intense and emotionally charged part of home selling, and as a real estate agent, you are a professional negotiator.
With your experience, you can help guide your clients to navigate a real estate transaction making a better deal for them than they might have without your skills.
Also, as an experienced negotiator, you’ll provide level-headedness during the negotiation process so your clients don’t feel any need to make rash decisions.
One thing you provide your clients with is your experience and knowledge of all the tricks and games buyers might try to pull to get a better deal.
Finally, you’ll provide an objective view of any negotiation, which can be invaluable when emotions run high. You’ll be able to tell when it's time to stand firm and when it's time to compromise to ensure you get the best deal for your client.
- You Ignore Your Home's Flaws
Clients are naturally going to be attached to their homes. They have memories, maybe raised a family, and it may have been their first home they purchased, so they’ll naturally be emotional.
And those emotions can lead your clients to overlook a flaw or some other issue affecting the home, and as a real estate agent, you’ll be able to take an objective look and help them see the property from another viewpoint.
For sellers, you will be able to point out things that you may not have noticed, like flaws or changes that could help attract more buyers. So often, homeowners don't even realize they need to make these changes because they're so used to their environment.
You’ll also get feedback from other agents and be able to offer this advice to maximize the chances of selling your client’s home.
For buyers, your professional perspective can highlight the strengths and issues that a home may have that buyers may not be able to see on their own.
- Exposure to Legal Risks
By providing expert advice, you are providing your clients added protection from any potential issues if a deal goes south or there is some undisclosed issue with the home.
As an agent, you can help guide your clients through all the necessary disclosures that need to be correctly completed and filed timely so that potential legal issues are avoided.
The Benefits Outweigh The Costs
As a real estate agent, the benefits you provide for your clients far outweigh the costs when it comes to a person buying or selling a home.
Just some of the benefits you offer include:
- being knowledgeable about local markets to find the right house that fits your client's budget and lifestyle
- having access to information on current listings, pending sales, market trends, and more
- plus knowing how to write or review a real estate offer so that they can get the best deal possible
You also provide a guiding hand in understanding the paperwork involved with real estate transactions which can be daunting for those unfamiliar with the process. And you help draw up contracts and ensure that an attorney reviews them to ensure everything is in order.
Because of iBuyers like Zillow and Redfin and the allure of FSBOs, people undervalue the role a real estate agent can play in a transaction when truthfully, an agent is crucial for a successful sale.
