If you haven’t bought or sold a house before, you may not be familiar with what exactly Realtors do – and that’s okay! In fact, even if you have worked with an agent in the past, you might not have a full understanding of what a real estate professional does and why it’s important to choose the right one when you head to the market.
Realtors wear a lot of hats. While many of their skills and value-adds will be evident, some perks may be a little more subtle.
In this blog post, we’re going to cover five things you (probably) didn’t know Realtors do, and why they matter to you as a buyer or seller. Let’s get started.
1 Scope Out the Competition
On both sides of a real estate transaction, it’s important to be strategic. As a buyer, you want to stand out with an attractive offer that maximizes your value. As a seller, you want your home to outshine other listings in your area, drawing in as much attention as possible.
This is where your Realtor comes in. As an industry insider, they know what’s going on in your local market. More importantly, they know what your competitors are doing and can help you get a leg up on them.
If you’re interested in buying a particular home, they can find out how many other buyers have expressed interest – helping you craft an enticing offer. When you list your home, they’ll do a comparative analysis (CMA) that dives deep into similar for-sale properties in your area.
On the hunt for more home buying advice? Check out these blog posts next!
- What Conditions Should You Include in Your Buying Offer?
- Can You Buy a Home Without an Agent?
- Is it Time to Stop Renting and Buy Your First Home?
2 Unlock More Buying Options
House hunting can sound simple on paper. You set up listing alerts, explore for-sale homes online, and let your agent know when you’d like to schedule a showing. However, you won’t be able to find every last available property on your own.
Not many buyers know that a great Realtor can actually unlock even more buying options than what you see on MLS. This includes homes that aren’t even publicly listed at all.
Rather than working in a silo, an experienced, well-connected real estate agent will have a far-reaching network of prospective buyers and sellers, other Realtors (and their clients), and industry experts at their disposal. Leveraging these connections, they may come across private or not-yet-listed properties that match your needs.
3 Keep You in the Loop
Making your home market-ready is no small task. However, the work doesn’t stop once it’s officially listed.
From the moment your house hits the market, your Realtor will keep you informed and up to date on its performance. From online traction to showing requests and buyer feedback, they’ll share key insights to help you determine whether your strategy is working or if it needs adjustment.
4 Connect You to Industry Professionals
Your Realtor plays a big role in your real estate journey, but they aren’t the only ones involved. Whether you’re buying a house, selling one, or both, you will work with a handful of other industry professionals throughout the process.
As a buyer, some of the specialists you may need to work with include a mortgage broker, real estate lawyer, home inspector, and even contractors (if you wish to make changes to your new house before moving in). You’ll likely work with one or more of these specialists during the selling process too.
Dealing with each individual separately can be challenging, especially when you’re in the middle of buying or selling. That’s where your real estate agent comes in.
No matter what professionals you need to hire, your Realtor can act as a central coordinator. Not only providing recommendations and referrals to trustworthy specialists, but also communicating with them on your behalf to make the process easy and efficient.
Thinking about selling your house? Check out these related blogs for more advice.
- How to Prepare For Your First Home Sale
- Where to Start When Downsizing Your Home
- How to Choose the Right Agent When Selling Your Home
5 Go Above and Beyond
There’s a lot that goes into buying or selling a home, and there’s truly no limit to the value that a great Realtor can provide. Sometimes agents will go above and beyond by employing creative and unexpected ways to help you reach your goals.
For example, let’s say you’re at work and get a last-minute showing request. Your agent may offer to take your dogs on a long walk while the potential buyer and their agent tour the property. In other cases, a Realtor can offer compassionate emotional support during a tough transaction following the death of a loved one, divorce, or other major life change.
At the end of the day, a great Realtor will be dedicated to your goals and know what it takes to get the deal done.
Buy or Sell With Bosley
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, work with us – Bosley Real Estate. Serving Canadians since the 1920s, our multigenerational team has perfected the real estate process, all while raising the bar of client support and satisfaction.
Making real estate moves? We can help! Send us an email at info@bosleyrealestate.com or call 416-322-8000.
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