Home Buyers… It Pays to Work with a REALTOR®!
Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions regularly exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 tax problem, would you handle it without the assistance of a CPA? If you were involved in $100,000 lawsuit, would you go to court without an attorney? The same rule applies to your real estate transaction.
A REALTOR® will help you navigate the complex legal and financial world of real estate. A REALTOR® will represent your best interests and help you negotiate a winning deal. From the day you enter the market until the date of closing, a REALTOR® is on your side! A REALTOR® will do all of this while adhering to the superior standards set forth in the REALTOR® Code of Ethics (pdf).
Still not convinced? Here are just a few more reasons why IT PAYS TO WORK WITH A REALTOR®:
- Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power — i.e. your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity — through his/her network of lenders best qualified to assist you. Your REALTOR® can also help you understand the various financing options.
- Your REALTOR® has MANY resources to assist you in your home search. Your REALTOR® may even be aware of property that has not yet hit the market, but is coming soon.
- Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property.
- Your REALTOR® can assist you in locating community information (utilities, zoning, schools, etc.) that will provide the most ideal environment for your home or investment.
- Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate a myriad of factors, including, but not limited to: price, financing, terms, possession, repairs, title, etc.
- Your REALTOR® can advise you as to which investigations or inspections are recommended or required, and will then help you identify a qualified, responsible professional to perform those inspections/investigations.
- Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process.
Not All Real Estate Agents Are The Same:
Only real estate licensees who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® may use the term REALTOR®. REALTORS® proudly display the ® logo on their business cards and other marketing materials.
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT? REALTORS® are committed to treating all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics (pdf). The Code of Ethics establishes obligations that, in many cases, are higher than those mandated by state license law.