Real Estate Agents Are More Than Just Door Holders!

Real Estate Agents do more than just hold the door open when you’re selling your house.  Think about it this way, how do these people find your house when it is on the market?

What causes the influx of people to visit your house when you’re doing a public showing, and is there something in particular that gets potential buyers to make an offer?  There are also times when potential buyers want to see your house, but you’re at work.  Guess who is there to let them in, sell your house for you, and helps to make sure the potential buyer doesn’t go through your things while you are working.  

Your Real Estate Agent is your partner when you are selling your home.  They are not just opening doors, they’re working hard to ensure you get a good offer, reading the market to find out what is a fair asking price, and your agent uses their connections to bring the right people to you so you don’t have to worry.

The job of a Real Estate Agent is to:

• Price your house against the market and find ways to increase the value so you get more money.
• Stage your home based on what they know moves houses and condos in your area. 
• Create an open house with every detail from snacks to waste baskets in the right places.  Real estate agents are experts when it comes to to creating a welcoming feeling for potential buyers.
• Market your home with their own money and connections to bring potential buyers to you.
• Attend networking events with other agents to find colleagues with clients looking to purchase houses like yours.
• Show your house when you’re at work, spending time with your family, or enjoying your life.  
• Negotiate with the buyer to get you as much money as possible.  
• Help you have a quick and trouble free closing, as well as understand all of the legal documents.  Without an agent, you have less protection from an aggressive buyer who may take advantage of you, or require you to cover fees that they would normally be responsible for paying.  

Real Estate Agents work around the clock, on weekends, and when you’re at your day job.  They are the masters at marketing properties and they use their own money to advertise your home.  The best part is they do this all on commission.  You only pay when your house sells.  Try getting that kind of deal somewhere else!

If you’re wondering why you can’t sell your home without an agent, well technically you can, but it isn’t recommended.

Real Estate Agents have assets that you as a consumer do not.  These assets can include:

• Custom deals with home buying magazines for premium ad space.
• Websites with active home buyers in your city.
• Networks of other agents who have home buying clients.
• Experience in finding competitive and comparable prices with a tool called the MLS.  This helps ensure you’re being competitive and realistic.  These insights are what can help you to get a higher price by knowing the history of your neighborhood with comparable properties.
• Lists of home buyers, investors, and likely home buyers that they can email to bring you more leads.
• Graphic designers that create postcards and mailers to send to their lists of homebuyers.

Without having a real estate agent, you can still sell your house, but it isn’t advised.  Yes, a Real Estate Agents commission is expensive, but they are working around the clock on your behalf so that you don’t have to stress.  

If it seems like all your agent is doing is holding a door open and saying hi, just remember those people only found your house because you have a Real Estate Agent working hard for you.  Real estate agents are more than just someone who holds a door open, they are your 24/7 marketing machine with the connections, experience, and ability to sell your home and get you the money it is worth.