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 First thing to remember is all
real estate agents are not REALTORS®.
 Only real estate licensees
who are members of the NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly
display the REALTOR "®" logo on their business card or other
marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all
parties in a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict
code of ethics, and are expected to maintain a higher level of
knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An
independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same
REALTOR® again.
Real estate
transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most
people experience in their lifetime. Today in Calgary
transactions usually
exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you
attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a
$100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an
attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside
risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without
the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.
But if you're still not
convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons
to use one (hopefully this one :-)
1. As your REALTOR® I
can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your
financial reserves, plus your borrowing capacity. If you give me some basic information about your available savings, income and
current debt, I can refer you to lenders best qualified to
help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer
limited choices.
2. As your REALTOR® I
can provide various resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes
the property you are seeking is available, but not actively advertised
in the market, and it will take some investigation by me to
find all available properties.
3. As your REALTOR® I
can assist you in the selection process by providing objective
information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have
access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide
local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There
are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide
the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the
property have resale value when I am ready to sell?
4. As your REALTOR® I
can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors,
including, but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of
possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and
furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a
period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and
investigations of the property, before you are bound to complete the
purchase. As your
REALTOR®, I can advise you as to which investigations and
inspections are recommended or required.
5. As your REALTOR® I
am obligated to provide due diligence during the evaluation of the
property. Depending on the area and property, this could include
inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof
condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. As your
REALTOR® I can assist you in finding qualified responsible
professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with
written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the
title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can
be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The
title to most properties will have some limitations; for example,
easements (access rights) for utilities. Myself, title company
or attorney can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a
later date.
6. As your REALTOR® I
can help you in understanding different financing options and in
identifying qualified lenders.
7. As your REALTOR® I
can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything
flows together smoothly.
8. When selling your
home, as your REALTOR® I give you up-to-date information on what is
happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and
condition of competing properties. These are key factors in
getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum
hassle.
9. As your REALTOR® I
market your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often,
as a REALTOR® I can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will
significantly enhance the salability of your property. As your REALTOR®
I market your property to other real estate agents and the public. In
many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are
cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours
brings in the buyer. As your REALTOR® I act as the marketing
coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real
estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service, or other cooperative
marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of
Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships
when they benefit their clients.
10. As your REALTOR®
I know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a
misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82% of real estate sales
are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals,
friends, family and personal contacts.
11. As your REALTOR®
I can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without
compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is
only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and
financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. As your REALTOR® I can help
you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more
likely to make it through the process.
12. As your REALTOR®
I can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales
agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For
example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a
cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is
overwhelming for most sellers. As a REALTOR® I am able to objectively
help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or
settlement).
View Testimonials for this
Calgary Realtor
Copyright © TALKCalgary
2000 - 2010
Photography, &
copy
writing by Steve Kelly or as credited.
Calgary Real Estate consultant Diane Kelly, Discover Real Estate Ltd,
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