A Realtor is a professional who has obtained a real estate agent license and joined the local board of realtors and usually the national board of realtors. You may know that a Realtor can help you buy or sell a home, but do you know what other services they can provide?
Realtors often are underutilized and have such a wide range of capabilities that are often forgotten about. Realtors are in a people business and by nature they usually know a lot of people. This gives them many soft skills and many connections that could benefit you.
Buy and Sell homes and land
The best Realtors are proficient in organization, communication, listening, negotiating, presentation, problem solving, and resourcefulness. When buying or selling a home with a Realtor these skills are critical to a successful experience. Organization is key to ensure paperwork is accurate and communication to ensure all parties stay well informed. Negotiating will help you when making an offer to get the best price, but also when it's time for the unknown that often results from due diligence. Problem solving and resourcefulness come into play usually when addressing the unknown from due diligence. Looking at ways to fix problems and creative ways to find solutions, while usually having a time constraint, will be skills that will absolutely make or break a transaction.
Build a tailored plan or strategy
Have you ever thought, 'I want to become a real estate investor?' or 'what does it take to buy my own home?'. Realtors are an ideal resource to answer these questions. Their experience seeing these situations play out in many ways gives them the advantage to discuss your situation, your goals, and build a plan to achieve them. Everyone's situation is unique and takes careful planning, but there are also a lot of similarities and tools to leverage that will allow you to customize a strategy.
Educate about the market
Realtors live and breathe the market. They are often the first to see the trends happening from increased buyers and sellers, to construction, and legislation that will impact real estate. Most realtors are subscribed to many news sources and instead of you having to read all that information, have a conversation with a Realtor who already has.
Refer agents in other areas or states
Planning to move to a different side of the state, or a different state all together? Have a friend or family member looking to do the same or sell their home in a different area or state? Realtors have large networks they can tap into, all around the globe really, that will help find a local Realtor. It's important to get connected to someone that's been vetted, perhaps has some affinity or credentials that are important to you, as well a good fit for you overall.
Refer repair and improvement trades
The more you use something the faster it wears out, this is true for houses as well. Plumbing fixtures need to be replaced, rooms need to get painted, and leaks need to be repaired. You may also be thinking about remodeling that bathroom with that horribly ugly tile, or have some landscaping done to freshen up that curb appeal. A Realtor can provide a referral to someone they've worked with before and know they will get the job done. Many trade businesses are motivated to stay connected with Realtors as they will keep sending business their way and share with clients and other Realtors about their experience.
Analyze home values with comparables
Day in and day out, the conversation is always about value, terms, & price, except for when it's about location, location, location. Being aware of your homes' value gives you the information needed when you're considering remodeling, refinancing, or selling. Realtors have quick estimating tools as well as in-depth analysis tools that allow you to stay informed and up to date so you can make an informed decision.
Comments