The Value of a Professional Realtor

Hiring a professional Realtor adds value to your transaction and its value sellers and buyers cannot add on their own. A professional Realtor works the intricacies of a transaction daily, maintaining a responsibility to the transaction that is necessary to make buying and selling property successful. For example, I am not a plumber. I do know where the water shut-off valve to my house is, and I know how to approach that in the event turning off the water to my house is needed. I understand how indoor plumbing works, basically. I use the plumbing in my house every day. Nonetheless, I am not qualified to fix a leak in my home. I would not expect that my limited experience and knowledge would replace that of a professional tradesperson who practices the trade of plumbing. If I had a problem with the plumbing in my home, I would call a professional plumber to help me correct the problem and I shudder to imagine the drama and mess that would ensue if I attempted it myself. Seriously, it would not be good. By the same token, most homeowners and homebuyers are not professional Realtors. They live in their homes, they bought their homes, they’re shopping for homes, working toward obtaining a property, etc. They may have even owned and sold other properties before. None of those experiences qualifies the average person to represent themselves through the intricacies of a real estate transaction. Some people, i.e. real estate investors, attorneys familiar with contract law, people buying and selling several properties per year, etc. might be in a group with more knowledge than the average buyer or seller. For the average buyer or seller, Realtors are irreplaceable, professional tradespersons, working with experience, education, and skill, bringing great value to a real estate transaction.

Some of the things a Realtor adds to a transaction are:

Structure Your Realtor is maneuvering multiple scenarios and unpredictable circumstances throughout your transaction and facilitating the paperwork, the steps, the process, the most up-to-date forms, the deadlines, and the communications involved. This takes place while the parties to the transaction are at work, asleep, on vacation, at family events, at dinner, you name it. The transaction takes on a life of its own and needs to be managed. Professional Realtors offer the necessary structure to the time demands and help to guide the parties to the transaction through the process by using their time, knowledge, and skills.

Relationship It’s important not to overlook the relationships of a local Realtor. Local Realtors work every day with city and county departments, officials, boards, regulators, tradespersons (contractors), lenders, title companies, attorneys, and more. When there’s an issue, a question, a problem in need of a solution, a deadline to be met, or a hurdle or obstruction to the transaction, we pick up the phone. We seek advice from our colleagues, we get answers, and when needed, we get instructions to foster a successful transaction, we put in the effort and the work. The local Realtor you hired brings with them the relationships they have forged and associations they have made over the years working locally with others in real estate adjacent careers and positions to get things done.

Navigation Your local realtor works to navigate their clients' expectations, fears, and concerns, as well as the dynamics of each person’s unique circumstances when buying or selling properties. This navigation involves the mental and emotional side of the real estate transaction, and your local Realtor is navigating this while also navigating the paperwork and details of the transaction. This is a value that can rarely be measured. We’ve all heard the jokes about a Realtor being a housekeeper, handyman, shoulder to cry on, counselor, friend, and confidant who somehow manages to get the parties through the transaction with confidence, professionalism, and expertise. This joke, by the way, is rooted in truth.   If you’re considering buying or selling a property, I urge you to seek the advice of your local Realtor. Your Realtor will advocate for your interests and put your goals first, utilizing every resource to help you achieve them. Professional Realtors are always educating, networking, and working on ways to make your goals achievable. We watch the market closely and make it our business to help you every step of the way.

If you have questions about the home buying or selling process or the state of the market in your neighborhood, contact a local Realtor for guidance.