It should come as no surprise that the majority of the clients we work with at HOPE4USA are working toward achieving better credit reports so that they can ultimately purchase a home. In truth, nothing gives our team of credit experts a greater sense of fulfillment than when one of our clients completes the HOPE Program and has credit reports ready to qualify for a mortgage. Talk about a great feeling!
As credit experts and credit restoration professionals we have a very unique perspective of the home buying process. We have seen homebuyers and sellers try to struggle through the complicated process of buying or selling on their own and, while it is not impossible for the savvy consumer to buy or sell without a Realtor, it is certainly a much more difficult and time consuming endeavor. In fact, for the average person making the decision to buy or sell without a Realtor is usually a recipe for disaster. Here are 3 reasons why working with a Realtor is almost certainly going to be in your best interest.
1. DIY Vs Professional Help
Sometimes it truly pays to hire a professional. Of course you have the right to buy or sell a home on your own, but if you are being honest with yourself then you know that you really should not expect the results to be the same. For example, it is also your right to cut your own hair, pull your own teeth, fix your own credit, or repair your own car. However, unless you have extensive training in the aforementioned areas then your hair, teeth, credit, and car would all likely be in much better shape if you left them in expert hands instead. The concept of working with a Realtor is no different.
Experienced Realtors are involved in home buying/selling transactions hundreds of times throughout their careers. Even if you have purchased or sold a few homes on your own in the past you still do not have the same level of experience that even a new Realtor would have. Having an expert working on your behalf pays.
2. Someone In YOUR Corner
Whether you are selling a home, buying an existing home, or building a new home it can be extremely beneficial to have someone in your corner during the process. If you are selling a home your Realtor will work to ensure that you get the top possible dollar for your property. (After all, the more you make the more commission your Realtor earns so there is a big monetary motivation for your seller's agent to do a great job for you.) If you are purchasing a new or existing home your Realtor can help to make sure that you get the most house possible for your money. Plus, as a buyer, having a Realtor is a practically a no-brainer due to the fact that your Realtor's commission is being paid by the seller of the home in the majority of cases.
3. The Contract
Whether you are selling a home our purchasing a home the real estate contract can be a tricky proposition to navigate without professional assistance. Contracts can serve the purpose of protecting buyers and sellers alike - allowing either party to walk away from the offer if certain conditions are not met. In extreme circumstances failure to properly draw up a real estate contract could even leave you vulnerable to a lawsuit.
How It All Boils Down
Even if you are a self sufficient, internet savvy, and extremely bright individual having a qualified professional represent you during the home buying or selling process can still be very valuable. Unless you have the time to become a real estate professional yourself (a very tall order to try to squeeze into an already busy life) then it is probably best to hire someone to represent you. Buying or selling a home can be an emotional and complicated ordeal not to mention that it will probably be among the most expensive financial transactions you make over the course of your lifetime. Having a reputable and experienced real estate professional in your corner is simply a smart decision.
Michelle Black is an author and a credit expert with over a decade of experience, the credit blogger at HOPE4USA.com, a recognized credit expert on talk shows and podcasts nationwide, a contributor to the Wealth Section of Fort Mill Magazine, and a regularly featured speaker at seminars up and down the East Coast. She is an expert on improving credit scores, credit reporting, correcting credit errors, budgeting, and recovering from identity theft. You can connect with Michelle on the HOPE4USA Facebook page by clicking here.
