1) Pricing - Setting a fair market asking price.With access to voluminous data on recent market activity, real estate agents will prepare a comparative market analysis on a home to ensure the home is priced properly and sold at the best price, in a timely manner with minimum hassle. Setting a fair market price is critical especially for those who need to sell their home quickly for job relocation purposes or some other reason. Real estate agents have access to up-to-date information on market activity regarding prices, financing, terms and conditions of competing properties to avoid the dangers of overpricing a home.
2) Marketing - Realtors® work with the widest audience of buyers to sell the home and can offer helpful tips to prepare the home for sale.Realtors® act as the marketing coordinator for the property, disbursing information about the home to other real estate agents through the Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses, and other means. Essentially this means multiple agents are working at the same time to find a buyer to help sell the home. In many markets, over 50 percent of real estate sales are cooperative sales. Real estate professionals also understand how best to show a home and can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability and/or sale price of the property. Realtors® also understand the importance of different advertising mediums and will pay for all advertising costs to market the home. The choice of media and frequency of advertising depends a lot on the property and specific market.One common mistake sellers can make is overexposing the home. Overexposure of a property in any media may give a buyer the impression the property is distressed or the seller is desperate. Realtors® know best when, where and how to advertise residential properties. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate; however NAR studies show that 82 percent of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, personal contacts, or family and friends. 3) Disclosures and limiting your liability.All real estate agents licensed in Massachusetts receive on-going education on relevant state and federal law and regulations related to property rights, fair housing issues, and contract and environmental laws to name a few. By meeting state-mandate continuing education requirements for licensure, real estate agents will be familiar with the proper disclosures that must be made to buyers when selling a home. Without the use of a licensed real estate practitioner home sellers can expose themselves unnecessarily to legal liability.4) Negotiations.With no emotional attachment to the property, real estate professionals are better positioned to objectively evaluate each buyer's proposal without compromising the homeowner's marketing position. This includes not only addressing the initial agreement or offer to purchase, but how best to respond to buyer contingencies, timetables for appraisals, inspections, financing, etc.5) Security issues.Real estate agents and brokers are trained to properly screen buyers to deliver only qualified buyers to view your home. By meeting beforehand with buyers to ensure they are serious buyers who possess the financial resources necessary to purchase the home, real estate professionals have the unique ability to protect your privacy and limit the likelihood of strangers entering your home for motives other than viewing the home for a potential purchase. |