Texas Real Estate: Don't Replace Your Agent With The Internet

With the influx of new technology and web based solutions, it isn't a surprise that everything is moving fast into the era of the internet. From sites like Uber to Grubhub, we generally can pull up our phones or laptops to order what we want with ease. And with every industry being revolutionized by technology, the same methods are "attempting" to be applied to the real estate industry. 

We could all agree that the simplification of the process through paperwork would be much appreciated by agents and buyers/sellers alike; but the attempt of replacing the agent by sites like RedFin, OpenDoor, Amazon is now getting into Real Estate and other third party resources that I just can't keep up with, can lead to a snowball affect of disaster. Think about real estate being smack dab in the middle of fast food and a doctor. You can use your mobile device to quickly place your order for a $20 meal, but when it comes to getting a surgery, you'll want to put that phone down and visit a professional. Now think of your real estate agent being in the middle of all of that. You can use your devices to look for a home, look at market data the way you look at WebMD, knowing not to take it too seriously because you need a real professional's input, but it's fun and gives you a general idea of what to expect. But there in lies the issue, the data online is an oversimplified version of what goes into the process of buying and selling property. The same way it oversimplifies medical diseases and surgeries, you'd still expect to get a professional's diagnosis. In order words, don't replace your agent with the internet. I promise you it not the same.

Although a real estate agent isn't quite like a doctor or even a laywer, the industry in it's legalities, contracts, and processes is similar in the sense that it needs to be taken seriously and all play a crucial role in there industry. Looking for a house online and wanting to put an immediate offer on one can be exciting and fun, but the issues that require a professional's guidance comes during the initial contract is being written up, the option period phase where all your inspections take place and then ordering the appraisal only if the buyer accepts the initial inspections but wait we have just begun. Don't know what I'm taking about? Good! That's why you hire a professional to explain all this real estate jargon to you. You see, you have agreed to a price but now what? Same for sellers, if you decide to put your home on the market and want a website that will give you an automatic offer, how do you know you're not being taken advantage of in the price? But most importantly, how do you know you're not being taken advantage of in other aspects of the contract? Because there is a lot more to the sale of the home than just agreeing on a number. You think the appraisal district is a great resource to value your home? Wrong! Hire a professional. You are already starting with the wrong info. What about the contract? What are you really being charged for? You know how to read but do you REALLY know what you are reading and the meaning behind it?

The next time you're digging through public sites for homes for sale, and getting instant home valuation estimates, keep in mind that this is a simple process to give you an idea of your market. A very general idea. But after you've found the perfect house, or after you've decided that the numbers make some sense for you to sell, call your favorite real estate agent and make sure they give you a more detailed look into your specific market and assist you through the full process, not just the exciting first parts. Because it's going to be in the middle of a contract when the lending is falling apart, or negotiations can't be made on repairs and emotions are at an all time high, that you are going to wish you had put down your laptop and had an agent fighting for you by your side. An agent who is knowledgeable and resourceful because those are the ones who will make miracles happen when everything around you seems to be falling apart. Use the internet, have fun with it's amazing resources, but don't let it replace your real estate agent. We aren't in an age, just yet, where technology can do everything a professional can. 

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