Benefits of Having a Real Estate Agent

Selling your home yourself might seem like an excellent strategy to save a lot of money. After all, the regular real estate agent's commission is 5% to 6% i.e., $12,500 to $15,000 on a house worth $250,000. Given this fee and the availability of platforms such as Trulia, Redfin, and Zillow, you might believe that working as your own seller's agent will definitely be worth the savings.

However, the truth is that a real estate agent can add a lot of value to your transaction. If you wish to sell your property, here are some reasons why you need to use a well-reputed local real estate agent for a seamless and smooth transaction.

Benefits of Using a Real Estate Agent to Sell

1. Real Estate Agents Can Help Price Your Home Correctly

As the seller, your main objective is to sell your home as fast as possible at the best possible price. However, a major factor in making a sale quickly is making sure your home is correctly priced for the market. You might think you know what your house is worth, but there's likely some subjectivity that goes into your estimate.
 
On the other hand, a real estate agent uses a fact-based process that entails using recent comparable home sales within a particular radius and analyzing your house against these to determine an appropriate asking price. If they are a professional, they can help you set a competitive price for the real estate market in your area.

2. They Have a Database of Prospective Buyers

Real estate agents specializing in a specific area will have several properties for sale within your suburb and surrounding areas. This means that they will continuously be connecting with homebuyers who are looking for a house in your area. They will meet prospective buyers at other open houses and understand the kind of property they're searching for.
 
Moreover, real estate agents will have information about buyers who missed out on other local properties and are still searching for a property like yours. They will be able to match your house with homebuyers in their database and invite them to visit the property before it's even advertised.

3. Improved Home Presentations
One of the most important elements when selling a house is its presentation. This can significantly impact whether the prospective buyer will buy the house and at what price.
Real estate agents make sure that the property presentations go seamlessly and have plenty of experience in home staging.
 
For instance, they can advise on how to rearrange furniture or style your dining room table to make your house more visually appealing.

4. Steer Clear of Unqualified Prospects Who Waste Energy and Time

A real estate agent can figure out if someone who is interested in visiting your home is actually a qualified buyer or simply a curious neighbor. It's plenty of work and a significant interruption each time you need to put your whole life on hold, make your home presentable, and show your house. You need to control those inconveniences to the presentations most likely to lead to a sale.
 
Professional real estate agents are well-trained to identify qualified and motivated buyers. They know how to ask questions to figure out the qualification, motivation, and seriousness of a prospect. For instance, they ask questions regarding how long buyers have been searching for homes, whether they have looked at any other houses, if they have been prequalified for a mortgage, what schools they're looking for, etc.
Thus, they can move a motivated and qualified prospect to the point of purchase. People who sell their houses themselves rarely have this skill set and training.

5. They Are Skilled at Negotiations

The negotiation process can be very challenging if the buyer has an agent you're handling the sale on your own. The buyer's agent will work for their client and take every possible step to get the home at the lowest possible price.
 
Additionally, you might have to negotiate with cash purchases, low-ball offers or bidding wars, all of which can be tough for someone who has emotional attachments to a house. When you use a real estate agent, they will be familiar with all the various scenarios that can come up and handle the entire negotiation process on your behalf. This way, you can ensure that you're satisfied with the final outcome.

6. Review Contracts and Paperwork 

There is a lot of paperwork that goes into a house sale. State contracts often contain over a dozen pages. In fact, depending on the kind of loan the buyer has, it can simply go over 50 pages, all of which have fine print, legalese, plus the tax documents, disclosures, addendum, and more.
 
If you aren't familiar with the entire process, you can easily make mistakes that can lead to legal penalties, fees, etc. Real estate agents are knowledgeable about the legal terminology, and when you work with them, they are responsible for going through the contract and understanding the fine print.

7. Real Estate Is a Full-Time Job
Is it possible for you to come home from work every time a prospect wants to view your house? Can you get out of a meeting each time a prospect calls you?

You might have answered no to these questions, but an agent will always respond to them with a yes. Additionally, by using an agent, you will get a lockbox for your home's front door that lets your agent show your house even if you are not available.

Last Few Words

Navigating the path of selling your house yourself can be unnerving. Using a real estate agent will help guide you through the process while avoiding major hassles, making the process faster and easier. Ultimately, you can sell your house for a higher price through a real estate agent.

If you need assistance with selling your home, contact The Wall Team today!