Why Using a Licensed Realtor is Important

One of the biggest financial decisions that a person makes in their lifetime is buying or selling a home. This is true for one’s family home as well as for a vacation home. The average home price continues to rise with every passing year. In May of 2017, the average price for a new home was $340,800. A year later, this price had risen to $406,400. (1) Of course, there are also a lot of variables that come into play when computing the price of a home, such as location, size, and type of construction. There’s been a lot of people hawking seminars, infomercials, and self-help books lately that proclaim that it’s much better for a person to buy or sell a home on their own, thus saving the commission that a licensed Realtor will charge. However, this advice can actually rear up and bite the buyer/seller in the rear, causing a great deal of anguish and remorse. There are some very compelling reasons why using a licensed Realtor, such as Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate, is vitally important.

While the purveyors of self-help books and late night infomercials say that buying or selling a home without the benefit of a licensed Realtor is commonplace, the reality is that such is not the case. In 2012, a full 88% of sellers used a real estate agent as did 89% of buyers. Even using the internet to look for a home has not mean the end of Realtors. A full 91% of buyers who used the internet to search for their perfect home used a real estate agent to purchase the home. (2) There are some very important reasons why people continue to seek out and use licensed Realtors, such as Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate, when buying or selling a home.

For those looking to sell a home, using a licensed Realtor puts more money in their pocket. Homes that are sold using a real estate agent sell for more than those who don’t. The average sell price for homes sold in 2012 without a real estate agent was $174,900. By comparison, a home that was sold by a licensed Realtor, such as Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate, sold for an average of $215,000. (3) That’s a whopping difference of $40,100. Another important reason to use a licensed Realtor when selling a home is to separate the wheat from the chaff. Realtors sell and buy homes for a living, so they’re always on the job and willing to discuss and show a home to prospective buyers. The same cannot be said for the average seller as they have their own job and family life to contend with. It can be highly inconvenient for a seller to always be available to those interested in checking out their property for sale or to answer questions. Experienced real estate agents can weed out buyers that aren’t really serious or attempt to only make a lowball offer. Licensed Realtors are important, which helps to explain why there’s an estimated 394,400 real estate agents in the United States. (4)

On the other side of the equation, it’s also important for the buyer to use a licensed Realtor, such as Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate. One reason is that they can do all the legwork that a person looking to buy a home has to do. The real estate agent can call other agents who are listing homes, set up appointments to check out the homes, and help determine which properties fit within the buyer’s criteria. There’s no reason for a buyer to spend days playing phone tag when they can have someone else handle such duties for them. Another reason why a buyer needs a licensed Realtor is that the real estate agent knows the local area, which is vital when one is purchasing a vacation home in a resort area like Breckenridge, Colorado. The local real estate agent can point the buyer to areas that suit their needs, such as a quiet neighborhood for retirees or a neighborhood with a younger demographic and nearby schools for families. A person looking for some peace and quiet would not be thrilled by buying a home online and finding out it’s next to a major retail store or high school. A licensed Realtor could steer them away from such problem areas. The local real estate agent also knows all the local laws and ordinances that are in place, which could catch the unwary buyer by surprise. They can also inform the potential buyer of needed improvements to bring a home back up to code if such a circumstance happens by actually physically inspecting the property. Real world interaction is far superior than just checking out pictures on a website.

Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate notes, “Not using a licensed Realtor when buying or selling a home is a major mistake. Many people have been told that they can save money by cutting out the real estate agent, but the truth is that we provide an invaluable service that takes out the stress of the transaction and provides security for both parties. For those selling a home, using a licensed Realtor makes them more money. For buyers, we do all the work to find a pool of homes that meet their criteria, and we can let them know if the price is fair or not as we know what the current real estate market is. In addition, we make sure that the property holds no surprises, such as work that needs to be done to make the home suitable. The most important reason why someone should use a licensed Realtor is that we work solely upon their behalf. We represent only our client, whether they’re a buyer or seller, and make sure that their interests are fully represented. We know all the local laws and contract details, so we can make sure that a client is fully protected. Another important consideration is that we act as a dispassionate middleman between buyer and seller. People can often get very emotional about a property transaction, and we can step in to keep things calm and collected in case one party feels that they are being slighted. A buyer may want to change some features, such as the living room flooring or totally renovate the kitchen, but the seller may consider those features sacrosanct as their spouse or parents may have chose that decor. Instead of both parties getting into an argument, we can step in and be the fall guy, if necessary. The one thing to remember about a licensed Realtor is that our job is to represent you in an honest and forthright manner. You know that you’re getting the whole truth when you use a licensed Realtor. As a member of the National Association of Realtors, we are bound by a code of ethics and standards of practice, and there are serious consequences if we don’t live up to them. Overall, our job is to have your back and protect your interests. It makes no sense to have no one looking out for your best interests when hundreds of thousands of dollars are on the table.” (5)

As one can see, it’s quite important to always use a licensed Realtor, such as Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate, when buying or selling a property. They provide a great deal of valuable services and work to protect the financial interests of their clients. For buyers, a real estate agent can do all the necessary legwork in finding the perfect home and making sure that the deal goes through for a fair price. For those selling a property, the licensed Realtor can deal with the flood of buyers and less-than-stellar offers that always crop up. Of course, the best reason for why a seller needs to use a real estate agent is that the home will sell for more money. Whether a person is selling a home or looking to buy, a licensed Realtor acts as their advocate and makes sure that their interests are protected.

References:

1) https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/pdf/uspricemon.pdf

2) https://www.nar.realtor/news-releases/2012/11/nar-survey-of-home-buyers-and-sellers-shows-dual-income-couples-fueling-market

3) http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/why-use-a-realtor-6-important-reasons/

4) http://realestateagentu.com/number-real-estate-agents-united-states/

5) Quote from realtor Ron Shelton of Breckenridge Associates Real Estate