Why You Should Never Buy or Sell Without an Agent

Birmingham Real Estate Podcast

Many people who think they don’t need an agent underestimate how complicated a real estate transaction can be. Not only should you hire an agent, you should hire an expert agent.

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You should never buy or sell a home without a real estate agent. I think there are a lot of people out there who get taken advantage of because they are unaware of what can happen during a transaction or because they work with an agent who is not an expert. Some agents are simply inexperienced or only working for the sale. These agents will not look out for your best interests.

There are four things you should look for when hiring a real estate agent:

1. Expertise: Look for someone who knows a lot about the market and will take the time to find out what you’re looking for. A real estate agent should act as your consultant and advisor, not a salesperson. A good agent invests their time in finding the best transaction for you. They are not just trying to sell you a house so they can move on to the next deal.

2. Search power: Real estate agents who treat this as our profession are networking constantly. We talk with sellers and other agents to find out exactly what’s going on in the market. A lot of the time, we even have the ability to match up a buyer and a seller before the seller even puts their house on the market. Not all agents can do that.

Your Realtor should act as your advisor and consultant.

3. Negotiating skills: A lot of Realtors may not be trained in negotiation. On my team, we take negotiating very seriously. In fact, we are all getting certified as negotiation experts so that we can provide extra value to you during your transaction.

4. Connections: We are networking every day to find you the best lenders, home inspectors, pest inspectors, and contractors. No matter what you need for your home, we want to be able to connect you with someone who can take care of you and your property.

Real estate transactions can be complicated, so it’s incredibly important that you find the right agent to work with. Don’t just go in alone. If you have any questions about buying or selling a home, give us a call or send us an email. My team and I would be happy to help you!