Understanding the value
of a REALTOR®
All
real estate licensees are not the same.
Only
real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the
REALTOR "®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales
literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to 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.
Is your real estate agent a
REALTOR®
or just telling that they are? Truth is, less than 50% of all
licensees in Colorado are REALTORS®.
Some agents are illegally using the REALTOR® logo
on their business cards & print materials, but are not actually paid
members of these organizations.
Click here to verify if your real estate agent is a Colorado Realtor.
Real estate transactions involve one of
the biggest financial investments most people experience in their
lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $200,000. If you had a
$200,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it
without the help of a CPA? If you had a $200,000 legal question,
would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Of course
you wouldn't! 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®.
If you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®,
here
are a dozen more reasons to use one:
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
Rael
will help you determine your buying power -- that is,
your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give
Anthony some basic information about your available savings, income
and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified
to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer
limited choices.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will many 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
your agent to find all available properties.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will assist you in the
selection process by providing objective information about each
property. Agents, like Anthony Rael, who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of
informational resources. Anthony 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?
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will 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. Anthony can advise you as
to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony provides 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®,
Anthony will 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. Anthony, the title company or attorney can help you
resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will help you in understanding different financing options
and in identifying qualified lenders.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will guide you
through the closing process and make sure everything flows together
smoothly.
When selling your home, Anthony can 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.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will market your property to other real estate agents and the
public. Often, Anthony will recommend repairs or cosmetic work that
will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Anthony
will 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. Anthony acts 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.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony will 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. When a property is marketed with the help of a
REALTOR®,
like Anthony, you do not have to allow strangers into your home.
Anthony will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects
through your property.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony
will 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. Anthony will help you write a legally binding,
win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the
process.
As your REALTOR®, Anthony will 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. Anthony is the best person to objectively help you
resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or
settlement).
REALTOR® Code of Ethics &
Standards of Practice
