Home Hunter, February 10, 2013

7/29/2019 Home Hunter, February 10, 2013

1/16

Sunday, February 10, 2013


2/16

Sunday, February 10, 2013 Home Hunter


3/16

Home Hunter Sunday, February 10, 2013 | 3

S d F b 10 2013 H H


4/16


H H | 5


5/16


Sunday February 10 2013 Home Hunter


6/16


Home Hunter Sunday February 10 2013 | 7


7/16




8/16


Home Hunter Sunday February 10 2013 | 9


9/16




10/16

y y H Hu t



11/16

y, y , |



12/16

1. Education & ExperienceYou dont need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if you hire

a real estate professional who does. Henry Ford once said that when you hire people

who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. The trick is to

find the right person.2 For the most part, they all cost about the same. Why not hire

a person with more education and experience than you? Were all looking for more

precious time in our lives, and hiring pros gives us that time.

2. Agents are BuffersAgents take the spam out of your property showings and visits. If youre a buyer of

new homes, your agent will whip out her sword and keep the builders agents at bay,

preventing them from biting or nipping at your heels. If youre a seller, your agent will

filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere from lookie loos3 and try to induce

serious buyers to immediately write an offer.

3. Neighborhood KnowledgeAgents either possess intimate knowledge or they know where to find the industry

buzz about your neighborhood. They can identify comparable sales and hand these

facts to you, in addition to pointing you in the direction where you can find more data

on schools, crime or demographics. For example, you may know that a home downthe street was on the market for $350,000, but an agent will know it had upgrades and

sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow.

4. Price GuidanceContrary to what some people believe, agents do not select prices for sellers or

buyers. However, an agent will help to guide clients4 to make the right choices for

themselves. If a listing is at 7%, for example, an agent has a 7% vested interest in the

sale, but the client has a 93% interest. Selling agents will ask buyers to weigh all the

data supplied to them and to choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand

and the conditions, the agent will devise a negotiation strategy.

5. Market Conditions InformationReal estate agents can disclose market conditions, which will govern your selling

or buying process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. Data such as the

average per square foot cost of similar homes, median and average sales prices,

average days on market5 and ratios of list-to-sold prices, among other criteria, will

have a huge bearing on what you ultimately decide to do.

6. Professional NetworkingReal estate agents network with other professionals, many of whom provide

services that you will need to buy or sell. Due to legal liability, many agents willhesitate to recommend a certain individual or company over another, but they do know

which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing.

Agents can, however, give you a list of references with whom they have worked and

provide background information to help you make a wise selection.

7. Negotiation Skills & ConfidentialityTop producing agents negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, they

can remove themselves from the emotional aspects of the transaction and because

they are skilled. Its part of their job description. Good agents are not messengers,

delivering buyers offers to sellers and vice versa. They are professionals who

are trained to present their clients case in the best light and agree to hold client

information confidential from competing interests.

8. Handling Volumes of PaperworkOne-page deposit receipts were prevalent in the early 1970s. Todays purchase

agreements6 run 10 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state-

mandated disclosures nor disclosures dictated by local custom. Most real estate files

average thicknesses from one to three inches of paper. One tiny mistake or omission

could land you in court or cost you thousands. In some states, lawyers handle the

disclosures, thank goodness!

9. Answer Questions After ClosingEven the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back

to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc

stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call toyour agent can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that were

overlooked in the excitement of closing. Good agents stand by ready to assist. Worthy

and honest agents dont leave you in the dust to fend for yourself.

10. Develop Relationships for Future BusinessThe basis for an agents success and continued career in real estate is referrals. Few

agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up

new business. This emphasis gives agents strong incentives to make certain clients are

happy and satisfied. It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there

for you when you need to hire an agent again. Many will periodically mail market

updates to you to keep you informed and to stay in touch.

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Agent



13/16

Your search for the perfect homebegins and ends with The

Somersville Press. Every Saturdayand Sunday, our weekend Real

Estate section delivers the latest

li i d Fi d

The InsidersGuide to

Local RealEstate

Scan the QR code to look for

YOUR new home!

aikenstandard.com/realestate

We Were OneBedroom Short of

Comfortable.

The Aiken StandardHome Hunter made it

possible for us to nd the

perfect new home.



14/16

Home Hunter Sunday, January 6, 2013 | 15


15/16

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are

members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS are properly called

REALTORS. They proudly display the REALTOR logo on the business card orother marketing and sales literature. REALTORS are committed to treat all parties

to a transaction honestly. REALTORS subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are

expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling

real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the

same REALTOR again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most

people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If

you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without

the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it with-

out the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downsiderisk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional

assistance of a REALTOR.

But if youre still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR, here are a dozen

more reasons to use one:

1. Your REALTOR can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your

financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR some

basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she

can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mort-

gage companies -- offer limited choices.

2. Your REALTOR has many resources to assist you in your home search. Some-

times the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the mar-

ket, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR can assist you in the selection process by providing objective

information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS have access to a vari-

ety of informational resources. REALTORS can provide local community informa-

tion on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things youll want to know. First,

will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second,

will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors,

including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the

inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agree-

ment should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and

investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your

agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or

required.

5. Your REALTOR provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property.

Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry

rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to namea few. Your REALTOR can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals

to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also

want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership

of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access.

The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements

(access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR, title company or attorney can help you

resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.

6. Your REALTOR can help you in understanding different financing options and

in identifying qualified lenders.

7. Your REALTOR can guide you through the closing process and make sure

everything flows together smoothly.

8. When selling your home, your REALTOR can give you up-to-date information

on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition

of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the

best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

9. Your REALTOR markets your property to other real estate agents and the

public. Often, your REALTOR

can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that willsignificantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR markets your

property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the coun-

try, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent

other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR acts as the marketing coordi-

nator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through

a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for

agents, etc. The REALTOR Code of Ethics requires REALTORS to utilize these

cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

10. Your REALTOR will know when, where and how to advertise your property.

There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSO-CIATION OF REALTORS studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result

of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal

contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR, you do not

have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR will generally prescreen

and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

11. Your REALTOR can help you objectively evaluate every buyers proposal

without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the

beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pit-

falls. Your REALTOR can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that

will be more likely to make it through the process.

12. Your REALTOR can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial

sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unex-

pected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered.

The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR is

the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction

to closing (or settlement).

Why use aREALTOR?



16/16

Home Hunter, February 10, 2013

Documents