When You Make the Sale
A vital part of any sale is title insurance. Lenders usually require a loan policy to protect their interests, and buyers need an owner's policy to protect their equity. Be sure to ask your agent or broker for protection from a reputable Title company.
If You Are Buying a Home
For most of us, a home is the single biggest purchase in our lives. The enormity of the financial transaction aside, finding the right home to fit our particular needs and wants is no easy undertaking. Just as you wouldn't buy a car, computer or camcorder without doing some research into various models and prices, you shouldn't consider purchasing a home without some expert advice and guidance. Though some people may think of using the services of a REALTOR® only when selling their homes, a REALTOR® can be invaluable when buying one as well. For instance, a REALTOR® can help you determine how much home you can afford based on your financial situation, help you get prequalified for a loan, and even inform you about available financing options. A REALTOR® also is an expert on the neighborhood, and can provide detailed information about schools, transportation, local taxes and community characteristics. Using a REALTOR® also means gaining access to homes listed in Multiple Listing Service (MLS), an important marketing tool used by REALTOR® to inform other REALTOR® about available properties. That means a REALTOR® can give you information about a wide range of available homes from which to choose. When it comes to finding out if you're paying too much, a REALTOR® can provide you with market analyses comparing asking and selling prices of homes in the neighborhood. Finally, a REALTOR® can serve as the liaison between you and the seller, bringing to the table negotiating expertise and knowledge about required disclosures and the housing market.
If You're Selling a Home
Here's a Quick Read on How a REALTOR® Can Help You Realize Your Goal. You probably know that working with a REALTOR® is an indispensable part of selling your home. For one thing, your REALTOR® can list your property in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), providing your home with incomparable exposure and ensuring you have as many REALTORS® as possible helping to find a buyer. But that's not all a REALTOR® does to market your home. He or she knows how to specifically target advertising to reach buyers for your home, and uses all the marketing tools available to ensure that your home is sold expediently. Additionally, a REALTOR® conducts a variety of other marketing efforts on your behalf, from holding open houses and handling phone inquiries to showing your home to the prospective buyers. What does a REALTOR® do for you besides find buyers? Plenty. A REALTOR® provides information on local market conditions to help you price your property realistically and fairly, and keeps you abreast of changes in the market which may affect your property. And let's face it: buying or selling a home means paperwork, lots of it. When it comes to closing escrow, a REALTOR® can be invaluable, leading you through the paper trail with a steady hand, and familiarizing you with escrow, insurance, property disclosures and inspection procedures, to name a few.
So, Where Do You Find a REALTOR®?
Like finding any good professional, the best way to locate a REALTOR® is through recommendations from friends or those who have bought or sold homes recently. Ask for references and check each thoroughly. Also, interview several REALTOR® before you decide on one.
It's important to find a professional who is a REALTOR®. Why? A REALTOR® is someone who, as a member of the local, state, and national trade associations, adheres to a strict code of ethics. Recently, the National Association of REALTORS® commissioned a nationwide survey to determine whether REALTORS® were doing their job professionally. The results were impressive: 97 percent of respondents indicated they received "excellent" or "very good" service from their REALTOR®. |