Do You Need a Real Estate Agent? Here Are Some Benefits to Consider

Real estate is a stressful business. If you are selling a property, you have the stress of trying to get the best possible price for it. As a buyer, you probably want to find a deal on a new property that fits within your budget. 

In either case, you have the option of going through the process alone and doing it all yourself. But you also have the option of hiring a real estate agent to help you and work on your behalf. Here are some benefits of hiring a real estate agent as a buyer or a seller.

Buyers Agents Can Find the Right Properties

Approximately 5.64 million homes were sold in the United States in 2020 alone. Sorting through the endless real estate listings available in each area can take a lot of time. Often, you may think you found the perfect property only to find it is not quite right for you. 

A real estate agent has access to different sets of listings. He or she also has working knowledge of available properties in your target area that fit your criteria. You may be able to find the right home for your family much quicker when you work with an agent.

Buyers Agents Work as Go-Betweens

As a buyer, you may have interest in several homes. It can take a lot of coordination and phone calls to schedule initial viewings of each property. You may also want to see certain properties more than once. Setting up each appointment can be a time-consuming process. 

A buyer’s agent can work as a go-between for you and call homeowners to make those appointments. They can also handle ongoing negotiations for you to save time.

Buyers Agents Are Networked

When you are house hunting, you may need certain services. You can look for each service provider individually, but that often takes time. It also requires you to try to verify the reputations of those service providers.

A real estate agent typically already has a list of trusted service providers, such as:

• Home Inspectors
• Law Firms
• Mortgage Companies

Sellers Agents Can Promote Properties Properly

One of the main duties of a seller’s agent is property promotion. Creating the listings and advertisements needed to sell a property is an often tedious process. The same is true of coordinating and hosting open houses for properties. A real estate agent can handle those chores for you if you are selling your home. He or she also typically knows exactly how to stage a property to make it appealing in images or during open house events.

Sellers Agents Limit the Emotional Reactions Involved in Selling a Home

Selling your home can potentially be an emotional process, especially if you have lived in it for a long time. You may not wish to deal with comments made about the property directly. Setting a good price for a “for sale by owner” transaction may also present difficulties for you. A real estate agent can tell you exactly what your property is worth and handle buyer complaints or comments for you.

Buyers and Sellers Benefit from Agent Knowledge of Red Flags

As a buyer or a seller, it is important to make sure the transaction is fair. That means identifying any major problems with the property and negotiating the best ways to correct those problems. A real estate agent can often spot those potential red flags for you. 

For example, he or she may point out water or mold damage. A real estate agent can also easily spot evidence of insect damage. Such issues may require the seller to make repairs before selling or reduce the price of the property to give the buyer a fair deal.