With so many resources available online - from research materials, to tutorials, to vendor ratings - it's not uncommon to wonder whether or not you actually need a real estate professional to help you buy a home.
It's hard to argue with all of the quality traits that an experienced Washington, DC Metro area real estate agent brings to the table for their clients: savvy negotiating skills, a rich understanding of the local housing landscape, legal knowledge, and in-depth advice for homebuyers on how to approach the entire process. Here's a short list of 5 things you can (and should) expect when hiring a real estate agent:
Market Expertise
Everything from where home values are rising most, to the best ice cream shops and concert venues-- that's the kind of intricate knowledge real estate agents have about the markets in which they work.
Sure, anyone can Google housing statistics and local Washington, DC community information, but agents are constantly in the know; they spend an enormous amount of effort on building and maintaining their networks. Agents work hard to provide buyers with every last detail they need to know about the market.
Negotiation Skills
With a veteran real estate agent comes veteran sales techniques. Put your trust in an experienced buyer's agent who has proven to negotiate prices and the best terms possible for past clients. Especially in a seller’s market!
Legal Knowledge
Legalese is not something the average homebuyer knows a great deal about. Then again, it's not crucial, so long as you employ a real estate agent! Agents are well-versed in the language you'll find with home purchase agreements and other legal real estate documents. This means that you don't have to study up on real estate law just to have a successful home-buying experience.
Referral Networks
Buying a home entails a lot more than simply attending open houses, arranging private showings, and making bids. It also involves dealing with lenders, title insurers, appraisers, and other real estate professionals who have a huge role in handling sale agreements.
Real Estate agents work tirelessly to grow their vendor networks by nurturing relationships with reputable pros and firms who know how to conduct business correctly and efficiently. This saves you a bunch of time in two ways; first in finding a group of trustworthy pros and, secondly, in making sure everything runs smoothly the first time.
Administration
The administrative tasks of buying a home is so daunting that professional agents have hired staff, and employ software to do this, and only this. This admin also directly tied to the legal compliance of these forms to buy a home, which change regularly, and must be completed to the letter. Professional agents have administrative staff built into their business models, and provide this service to their clients as a part of every transaction they broker. Many self-represented buyers have underestimated the abundance, complexity, and implications of sales administration that comes with the territory, to their detriment and to their cost.
If you’re considering buying a home and lack the knowledge or resources to navigate these areas, it’s probably in your best interest to hire a real estate agent to help you get the best deal and best homebuying experience.
