The true real estate agent is a professional who is dedicated to the task of matching listings to buyers. This person studies the area and knows all the neighborhoods in that area. A professional agent keeps up on the local news and is aware of what's going on not only in the real estate market, estate agents digital sign but also in the school districts, issues at city hall and higher crime areas, just to name a few.
Of course, an agent's main focus is on real estate. Keeping an up to the minute tracking on all listings is obviously essential and with the computer technology available now has become much easier. However, it still takes time and unless that's all you do, the average person does not have that kind of extra time. That's why a real estate agent is an asset to have on your side.
In addition to tracking listings, the agent is up to date on what is selling and at what price. Listing your house at the correct price to start with is absolutely essential to a quick sale. Your agent will know exactly what that price should be. As sellers, we become emotionally attached to our homes, which tends to distort our ability to be realistic about our home's actual worth. The real estate agent has no bias toward your home and so can give you a fair market value evaluation. Remember, this is all this person does.
When it comes to selling property, advertising is huge. The real estate agent already has the advertising tools available including the signage, the newspaper spots and the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). The agent probably has a hghly visible office in a high traffic area and a list of buyers already looking. A real estate office is generally equipped for taking phone calls and receiving walk-in clients. They will take the stress out of screening buyers and setting appointments for showings.
Choosing the right real estate agent is essential to a quick sale. Do your homework before hiring an agent. Interview several agents and have each of them tour your home. Determine which one is best acquainted with your neighborhood or area. Don't be afraid to ask tough questions about their knowledge of the market. After they go through your home, have them sell your house to you. Make sure they noticed the unique features and assets your home has.
There are some negatives for hiring a real estate agent. The most obvious is, of course, you will have to pay this person for these services. An agent will take a certain percentage right off the top of your final sale price. Many people feel this alone is reason to try to sell their homes themselves.
There is nothing wrong with listing your home for sale by owner. It just takes a little more homework, but in the end it will save you a lot of money. The most important thing to remember is to detach yourself emotionally from your home.
Many people are intimidated by the thought of selling their own home because of the paperwork involved. It's really very easy - you just have to do a little homework. If the paperwork still seems daunting, call your attorney's office and have them draw up the papers for you. You will have to pay for it, but it will still be much less than you would pay a real estate agent. There is also a new trend in the real estate agents digital sign market whereby agents are willing to assist home sellers with the closing aspect of the sale.
Even though a sale by owner will save the cost of the agent, be prepared to have out of pocket expenses. As mentioned before, advertising is essential to the sale of your home and advertising isn't cheap. Your first necessity will be a highly visible lawn sign. If you're serious about selling your house, I don't mean a $0.99 paper sign off the rack at the hardware store. I am talking a large professional looking sign that can withstand wind, rain, hail and snow. It will also need a very sturdy letter size box with a lid to hold the flyers you will be creating.
Because most households have a computer or have access to a computer, printing sales flyers is a pretty simple process. The digital camera really makes it easy to produce professional looking material. Be sure your flyers include indoor pictures of your home's best features. There are many free flyer templates available on line or stop at a home that's for sale and grab a flyer out of the box.