“You should consider using a real estate professional,” says the real estate professional. This sounds obvious, ironic, and too on the nose, right? It is akin to a tax professional enumerating the benefits of filing your taxes with a CPA or a personal trainer telling you that it’s preferable to lose weight and get healthier with their help. Certainly, you could set out to do any of these things on your own, but the question is, “Should you?”
There are significant advantages to relying on the training, expertise, and resources from a trusted professional. Here are the top reasons you should add to the “pro” column when deciding to use a real estate professional for buying or selling a home.
Access to the MLS and Networking.
Real estate professionals have access to the Multiple Listing Service which is a must for making sure your house gets seen by other realtors and buyers. As a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), you can pay a fee to gain access yourself, but there are features of this system that real estate pros know how to use to their advantage, that they then pass along to you.
Experienced insight into gaining and formulating a plan with market research goes far beyond simply posting an active listing on the MLS. Real estate pros also have access to a Buyer’s List. If you are trying to sell your home on your own, you are likely missing an entire market of buyers who don’t seek out FSBO listings. In short, by going your own way, you could potentially miss out on lots of eyes and clicks for your listing.
Networking between agents to find a buyer for your house can mean the difference in a quick contract, sale, and closing versus you waiting around for someone to find your listing. For military families who may have shorter than average timelines to sell one home and purchase another at a new duty station, time is often of the essence.
Legally Bound and Legitimizing Your Purchase.
There is a term called “Fiduciary Responsibility,” and it is a legal term that means when you hire a real estate professional, they are legally bound to work on your behalf and in your best interest. In addition to a binding legal interest, a professional real estate agent will help buyers to approach a home purchase as a true business transaction and help to alleviate the tendency to mix emotional ties with sound judgment based on facts.
A real estate professional can help to avoid potential pitfalls, understand code issues, navigate a sometimes complex paperwork system at closing, and allow you to see the investment potential of the home-based on market research. A home purchase is likely one of the greatest financial investments most people will ever make in their lifetimes. The peace of mind in getting professional, trusted assistance could save you tens of thousands of dollars (or more!) in the long run.
Marketing vs. Listing.
There is a big difference between LISTING your home on the market and MARKETING your home to sell. Most real estate professionals have a systemized way of marketing your home and helping to show it in its best possible light. From professional photography, staging, and video walkthroughs to actual marketing strategies like paper or digital flyers and email blast campaigns, real estate pros will make every effort to promote and sell your home effectively and efficiently.
Along with marketing efforts, using a real estate pro can help to alleviate the personal burden of scheduling showings, being present for open houses (which could prove awkward if you were to host your own), and keeping up with follow-up communication for interested buyers.
Leave the heavy lifting to the real estate pros…there’s plenty else to deal with during a PCS or home selling transition without the extra steps and worry of trying to market and represent yourself for such a monumental investment.