No.
(Ends blog)
I’m kidding, of course.
Probably! You’re amazing! You are smart, fearless, strong and obviously brilliant since you are reading this:) But, why would you?
Let me ask this: Your car needs an oil change. The auto supply store sells oil. They probably sell those lift things to pull your car up onto and I’m sure you can find a good video on YouTube. But, would you change the oil in your car yourself? Most likely not. You leave it to the experts to get their hands dirty and in 30 minutes you are on your way where as it may have taken you hours t do yourself. Heck, cleaning my own house can take me three days. I am learning that the hard way while being banished home durning the Covid-19 pandemic. (Apologies to my most amazing housekeeper…it’s temporary!) My point is, when there is an expert available, it just seems smart and you are SUPER smart. (See above)
Let’s break it down a little.
You decide it’s time to buy a home. (Congratulations) This is a big step. A huge step! It’s your first time, so you start online, of course. That’s where everyone begins. You spend your evenings after work perusing one of the hundreds of real estate websites for the perfect home. Maybe you take a few peeks on your lunch break. You get an alert from some site you were on, take a quick look while at you desk. Wait, what site was “that one” house on? You thought you saw it on Zillow but now you don’t see it. Hold up, now you see another possibility. This one looks good so you send the inquiry in. Your phone rings, and rings again, and your text pings, and again. Sound at all familiar? Suddenly it’s overwhelming and you stop answering and responding altogether.
Scary, isn’t it?
When you are dipping your toes in the water but not sure what lurks below it can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be.
It should be fun.
And exciting!
Enter stage right: The Expert.
Having an expert guiding and coaching you, managing the transaction and ensuring all parties are communicating and working together you will save you a lot of time, wasted stress and energy. Do you know what the best part is? As a buyer, having a real estate agent represent you and look out for your best interests doesn’t cost you anything but possibly a small broker’s administration fee. (This varies across the county and usually runs between $250-400, for example, paid when you close on your home.) (*Unless you are party to a rather uncommon transaction where you wish to have representation when buying directly from an owner who is not paying a real estate broker to list their home, you may be choose to pay your agent’s broker’s commission for said representation . Feel free to pop me a question if you would like clarification on this.)
Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life, if not THE biggest. This is serious business. Purchasing real estate is also one of the BEST things you can invest your money in, if not THE best. That’s a lot of “bests”!
Sounds pretty important, doesn’t it? That’s because it is.
There is so much information at our finger tips, constantly accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It’s what we’ve become used to as a society. Choosing a home online in the comfort of our own space that has pretty pictures is the easy part. Getting to the closing table is another story. There’s no reason for it to be a scene from a 1930’s wild wild west movie, trails blazing and guns slinging.
Don’t be afraid of The Expert.
Sure, there are thousands of real estate agents out there vying for your attention and commitment, but once you make a connection with someone who you feel comfortable with, you’ll realize that most have a very strong passion for you and this business. Connecting clients with the home of their dreams, looking out for and protecting their best interests and negotiating on their behalf is our goal and commitment to you. There are a lot of moving parts cranking along, working simultaneously to reach the final goal: handing you the keys to your new home. How great is that??
Trust The Expert.
Buying a home, whether it’s your first, second, third, or last, vacation home, upgrading, downsizing, whichever it may be, is a BIG decision. A very important decision. YOU are important and your real estate agent should make you feel that way. Don’t be afraid to interview agents to see who you connect best with. A homeowner who is selling their home often does and buyers should, too. One size doesn’t necessarily fit all.
For a homeowner selling, it is just as important to have a trusting relationship and connection with their agent. Selling a home takes a lot of work from both. Preparing their home for the market is not easy and can take days, weeks and even months to get it ready. Having an agent to consult with, guide them on what is most important in preparing the property and ultimately getting the best possible price is invaluable, not to mention ensuring that legitimate buyers are only entering their home with a licensed agent. Going at it alone has a lot of risks and statistically they end up selling for less than market value simply for pricing incorrectly. There are many balls to juggle at one time and that can make sellers very vulnerable.
Take a deep breath and let the professional change the oil.
So what are you waiting for?! Let’s get to it! The perfect home for your needs is out there and you can have your very own personal tour guide.
Your own private detective.
Life coach.
Guidance counselor.
Mother bear.
EXPERT.