Your Real Estate Agent Matters

Buying or selling a home can be a long and difficult process. Sometimes there's a snag in your financing or the entire sale falls through due to some minor detail. Dealing with lenders, inspections, and all the paperwork involved in the purchase of a home can also be confusing, especially for those who have never bought a house before.

During the entire process, though, you should always have an ally by your side. Your real estate agent is someone who will guide you through the process, answering every question you have and assisting you with every task that must be done before you're a new homeowner. Working with your agent should help to alleviate stress, but if you're working with someone you're not comfortable with, it can actually increase the amount of stress you're dealing with.

Working with a Realtor who seems to intuitively understand what you need makes the entire buying process much, much easier. Sometimes the process is made easier just by them displaying common sense. For example, if you have several children, seeing homes that only have one bathroom or only two bedrooms may be a waste of your time. Good agents will highlight homes that have good-sized backyards for kids to play in or that offer plenty of space for families to grow. Any agent can take your list of needs and match it with some houses, but not all of those properties are going to be right for you. A great agent is able to tell from your personality which ones will work.

You also need to find an agent that knows the type of house you're looking for. For example, there are some Realtors who specialize in older homes. If you want to purchase a house in a historic neighborhood, you may want to seek out one of these experts. They have often spent time researching the history of the area. They can give you information about what particular regulations apply to owning a home in a neighborhood that has been declared historic. Many of these agents even live in older homes themselves.

If you're looking to live in a specific neighborhood, you also want to have an agent who understands that neighborhood's particulars. One way to determine if your agent does, is to drive the neighborhood looking for Realtor signs. If you see several with the same name on it, chances are that the agent does a lot of business in the area. They're likely to know more about it than an agent who doesn't have a single house for sale in the neighborhood. For example, these knowledgeable agents will often be able to tell you where the local schools are, what traffic is like, and answer any other questions you might have.

If you're selling your home, having a great agent is just as important. You want an agent you know is going to go the extra mile to sell your home. Your agent should be willing to be honest with you about the state of your house. You want someone who will look at all of the small issues with your home and tell you exactly how they will impact its selling price. You need someone who is going to honestly tell you when he or she thinks your listing price is wrong.

You also want to work with an agent who has a great eye for detail and creativity. He or she can point out places where your home could be improved or staged differently in order to bring in more interested buyers. He or she should point out spaces that are too dark or look too crowded and work with you to determine how to best present those areas.

If you're a member of the LGBT community, working with a Realtor who identifies as gay or lesbian can help put you at ease. These real estate agents understand the specific needs of the LGBT community and can help you find a home that meets those needs. Finding one of these real estate agents to work with is very easy due to www.GayRealEstate.com. It features a list of LGBT Realtors across the country, so you can find a professional no matter where you live or want to move.

Working with a great real estate agent makes buying or selling your home a much easier process and, in some cases, can even make it a fun process. On the other hand, working with someone who seems disinterested in your needs or who simply doesn't understand what you want can make everything much worse.

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