Last week on our blog, we made the argument for why it is incumbent upon you to hire an F.C. Tucker Emge Realtor when you are selling a house.
As promised, we will now discuss the other side: purchasing.
Can’t you just call the person listed on the sign? Well, sure, you could do that. But are you really going to call 5 different agents to look at 5 different houses? If that is your plan, you will be late to the party. Buyer’s absolutely need agents, EVEN IF you decide to buy a house that is being sold FOR SALE BY OWNER (FSBO), because a dedicated agent can get you in the door of that new listing quickly. And in a tight market, you have to be the first person in the door if you want to be competitive.
Before we go on, let’s talk a bit more about FSBO (pronounced FIZZ-BOW).
In a market that is short on inventory, a lot of seller’s try to sell their homes on their own, without the professional guidance and expertise of a licensed realtor. We get it. People want to save money. Even we want to save money. But selling your house on your own is not necessarily the best way to save money, and in fact, as a seller, you might leave money on the table if you try to go it alone.
Some sellers, in a tight market, might just think “Oh, what the heck, let’s pick a price (any price) , throw a sign in the yard, slap some pics on zillow, and see what happens. What can it hurt?”
Admittedly, some very nice homes enter the market this way. But just because someone is selling their home without a realtor, does NOT mean that you can’t use a realtor to help you buy that FSBO down the street. You absolutely can. If you see a FSBO that you are interested in, your first call MUST be to your realtor who can help get you in the door and learn more about the house before you see it…like if it is priced correctly.
Not all agents are the same. Like the rest of the world, the community of realtors is filled with people who have had previous professional lives, cultural backgrounds, diverse personalities, various hobbies, different ages, heights, weights, hairstyles, etc. Finding an agent can be as simple as asking a trusted friend, colleague, neighbor, family member who they have used in the past. It is important you feel comfortable with your agent both personally and professionally, because you are going to be spending a lot of time with them looking at homes and making decisions.
- While you yourself can scroll through listings on-line, a well trained and connected agent often learns about listings before they become active, which in a competitive environment, can be a differentiating factor in getting the right home at the right time.
- A trusted agent will know what is important to you in a home and can help you make educated decisions about the process and considerations.
- When you find THE house you want to make an offer on, your agent can advise you about how the house is priced compared to other similar homes on the market and can help you craft a contract that protects your interests.
Additionally, an agent can put you in touch with other important trusted professionals that you will need to get you through the transaction: mortgage lender, inspectors, other contractors, home warranties, etc.
Once you have a signed contract, the agent is an EXPERT in all the timelines and hurdles that have to be executed between contract and closing: mortgage, inspections, appraisals, closing fees, title work, etc. The agent is there to protect you from missing out on key opportunities.
And again, an agent is key to help coordinate logistics if you are buying and selling at the same time.
And did you ever think about this: many real estate transactions are part of a long chain. If something goes awry in part of the chain, it can put a kink in your deal. But all agents are skilled at talking to all other agents and getting to the bottom of what is going on, to make sure that your purchase doesn’t become a fatality. Agents keep all the cogs greased and moving.
Besides being a good fit with your personality and interests, the other important asset you want to look for in a realtor is someone who is well trained. Realtors at F.C. Tucker Emge are CONSTANTLY being trained to keep current with local and national market trends and tools that can help them help you. From new agents to seasoned ones, the agents at F.C. Tucker Emge are well-supported and well-trained to allow them to spend more time on YOUR transaction.
And guess what? In a few years, when you need to sell, you already have an agent in your back pocket to help you sell your house the right way.
The beautiful circle of real estate.
