5 Benefits Of Hiring A Real Estate Agent

If you’re getting ready to buy or sell a house, you might be weighing the pros and cons of hiring a real estate agent. Some people will avoid working with agents or realtors because they think real estate agent fees are too high. Others wouldn’t hire one because they’ve had bad experiences in the past. However, this only emphasizes the importance of having a good agent to work with.

In addition, if the only reason you’re not working with an agent is to save money by not paying fees and commissions, then you’re overlooking the main benefits of hiring a real estate agent. The chances of a better offer, a faster sale, and experience of the whole real estate process are a few of the most important answers to the question: What are the benefits of hiring a real estate agent? 

In this article, we’ve outlined the main benefits why you should hire a real estate agent to help you in one of the biggest transactions of your life. 

1. Agents Know What to Look For

A real estate transaction is likely one of the largest financial transactions you’ll ever make, and it makes sense to leave the ins and outs to a professional to help ensure all goes smoothly. Agents do more than just bring in potential buyers and show up to have documents signed. 

An expert agent who knows your area will be well-acquainted with the current housing market, knowing what is motivating buyers in your area, and come prepared with a comparative market analysis from similar houses that have recently sold nearby if you're looking to sell your home. 

If you're on the other side of the transaction, the agent will also guide you through the buying process, making it smooth and stress-free for you. They know exactly what to look for when viewing homes. Furnace issues, leaks, roofing problems, mold, and insect issues can all be easily identified by an agent, which can then be raised during negotiations to reduce the overall cost of the house. They typically know every house on the real estate market and it’s their job to find the one that fits your needs and budget.  

2. Agents Have Extensive Market Knowledge

Real estate agents know how to navigate the market better than anyone else out there. Top agents are well-versed in all aspects of the housing market, especially how different factors like mortgage interest rates and the unemployment rate can affect it. The type of real estate data they possess includes the median and average sales prices, ratios of list-to-sold prices, and average price per square foot of similar properties. 

They can also identify real estate comparables and hand this information to you, so you can make an informed decision quickly. Other market knowledge that only a local agent will know includes which neighborhoods are near great schools, which neighborhoods saw the greatest increase in market value over the years, and what are the most promising projects in a given area. 

When you’re considering whether or not to use an agent you really do need to consider how their experience can help you along the way.

3. Real Estate Agents Have Superior Negotiating Skills

One of the trickiest, yet most important, aspects of the real estate process is handling negotiations. Real estate agents are skilled negotiators as they have years of negotiation experience under their belts. They handle negotiations day in and day out, so you can feel confident in their ability to look out for your best interests. 

4. Real Estate Agents Save Your Time And Energy

“Things are time-sensitive so you need that expert to think outside the box and say, this is the paperwork we need, these are the phone calls we need to make, and we are closing on time.” If you have a job or a family, it will be challenging to manage the entire process. The things that are extra for you are the day-to-day life activities of an agent. They do this job multiple times a day and they do them well. 

Working with real estate agents takes all those responsibilities out of your hands and allows you to focus on other things that require more of your focus and attention, thus, making the process easier for you. 

5. Agents Have Access to Off-Market Listings

While you can always search online for available homes for sale, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) discovered more than half (53%) of American homebuyers experienced the most difficulty with finding the right property when beginning the process on their own. Also, there are cases in which sellers don’t want the fact that they’re selling to be widely publicized. So, they don’t list their homes or put a “For Sale” sign on their yard. In those cases, only agents are aware that the homeowners are looking to sell and try to find buyers.

Hence, for buyers, one of the best ways to find off-market properties is by working with real estate agents, since they have access to internal resources with a list of homes that have yet to hit the market. From the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to “off-market” listings, they can find homes that match your criteria in a faster time. 

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, an agent is your ally. As you have read in the article, there are numerous benefits to hiring a real estate agent. But always keep in mind that it's important to hire the correct agent who knows the geographical area or the neighborhood as well. 

In need of a real estate agent? Feel free to contact me today for a free consultation. 

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