Have you ever wondered what your real estate agent is really doing behind the scenes?
They shop property online : Their real estate research goes beyond infatuation of just looking at houses. Realtors can spend an estimated two hours each day researching potential properties. Listings come and go fast in the real estate world, so agents need to check their multiple listing service database constantly, or else they could miss out. Sometimes the process of matching up properties with clients can take a very long time.
They go prospecting : There’s nothing like seeing a house in it’s full glory, which is why most realtors worth their salt spends tons of time driving around checking out new listings. It’s a good way to preview properties, and it’s a good time to network with other agents and talk up your listing.
They attend pitch sessions : Agents don’t spend all of their time sizing up homes. They also spend tons of face time with other pros at pitch sessions (gatherings of local agents where they swap listing information to spread the word about your property).
They spend their own money on marketing : In addition to not getting paid until the deal is done, selling agents also spend their own money on marketing, which includes magazine and newspapers ads, etc. Agents can spend thousands of their own money on marketing a property.
They write up offers and counteroffers : Offers and counteroffers are an extremely important part of the transaction, as they can save you or net you thousands of dollars on a sale. Getting to the right price requires written offers and counteroffers every step of the way. It’s time consuming to be writing them up, explaining to the client how to counteroffer and the ways to do so, and just keeping track of it all.
They stick around for inspections : You might not be present when it’s inspection time, but a good agent will be. This gives the agent an immediate knowledge of what’s going on. Anything from termites to an iffy foundation can be relayed to the buyer immediately.
They smooth bumps in the road : Not every sale goes smoothly – buyers and sellers get difficult all the time – but good agents try to shield their clients from the high drama unless there’s a reason to fill them in.
They keep you calm when the pressure is on : Good agents don’t just buy you a house. They can also act as a therapist, making your sale a lot less stressful. People can get emotional. You have to be a problem-solver and keep a positive approach and come up with a positive solution. It might not take a lot of time, but it takes emotional energy.
