Why do I need a Realtor When Buying a Home?

Professional real estate agents do much more than drive clients around to look at homes. In fact, that's only about 15% of the value buyers receive when working with a skilled Realtor. You want an agent that you trust and with whom you feel comfortable working; you’ll benefit from their experience, knowledge of the local market and negotiation skills. Check out some of the additional items below that an agent can help with during the buying process.

1. Guide. Before you tour your first home, your agent will take time to learn more about your wants, needs, preferences, budget and motivation. A good real estate agent will help you narrow your search and identify your priorities.

2. Educate. You should expect your agent to provide data on the local home market and comparable sales. The home-buying process can be complicated. A good agent will explain the steps involved – in a manner that makes them understandable – and provide counsel along the way.

3. Network. An agent who is familiar with the area you are looking to move can help you find property that may not be on the market quite yet just because they know other agents in that area. Your agent may also be able to refer you to trusted professionals including lenders, home inspectors and contractors.

4. Advocate. When you work with an agent, their fiduciary responsibility is to you. That means you have an expert who is looking out for your best financial interests, an expert who’s contractually bound to do everything in their power to protect you.

5. Negotiate. Your agent will handle the details of the negotiation process, including the preparation of all necessary offer and counteroffer forms. Once your inspection is done, the agent can also help you negotiate for repairs. Even the most reasonable consumers can become distraught when battling over repair requests; an agent can do “the ask” without becoming overly emotional.

6. Manage minutia. The paperwork that goes along with a real estate transaction can be exhaustive. If you forget to initial a clause or check a box, all those documents will need to be resubmitted. A good real estate agent understands the associated deadlines and details and can help you navigate these complex documents.

7. Look-out for you. Any number of pitfalls can kill a deal as it inches toward closing; perhaps the title of the house isn’t clear, the lender hasn’t met the financing deadline, or the seller has failed to disclose a plumbing problem. An experienced real estate agent knows to watch for trouble before it’s too late and can skillfully deal with challenges as they arise.