Benefits of Using an Agent

When buying or selling your home, especially in a competitive market, some people are inclined to ask "why do I need an Agent? Can't I just buy or sell my home on my own?" While this may seem like a good idea, one should at least consider the benefits of using an Agent. These include:

	1) Experience in dealing with large, complex transactions Your home is most likely the largest purchase you will ever make. While buying or selling it may sound simple enough at the beginning, the maze of legal paperwork, loans, and disclosures that need to be made for a sale to be completed can be at the very least daunting, and at the worst, paralyzing. A mistake made on a disclosure, or on a part of the purchase agreement could end up being much more costly than the commission an Agent would ask.
	2) Removing the pressure from showing your home When your home goes on the market, multiple parties will want to see it. Your Agent is trained to assist in this process. From prescreening applicants by your specifications to determine if they can afford the home, to making appointments for showings, to actually bringing people to your home (and having other Agents do the same); your Agent takes an enormous load off of your mind and time by doing this work for you.
	3) Knowledge of how to make a home show well While this may seem like common sense, there is a good chance your Agent has seen literally hundreds of homes. This person is trained in what makes a home sell, and what doesn't. Your Agent may be able to help you improve and prepare your home for sale with simple, inexpensive fixes that you wouldn't have thought to execute - thereby ensuring the highest price possible for your residence
	4) Achieving the highest possible price takes achieving the maximum possible exposure Your Agent is most likely a member of an MLS (Multiple Listing Service). This is a "marketplace" of sorts, where Agents go to expose your home to other Agents, who have buyers. This allows your home much more exposure than if you were to attempt to sell your home yourself. This, in addition to your Agent being able to put your home on "broker caravans" and other publications, ensures your home will get the most exposure, and hence the highest possible price.
	5) Being knowledgeable about the market, with timely information Real Estate can be a very fast business. Homes put on the market today can literally be gone tomorrow. If you are trying to purchase a home, your Agent can stay on top of the market, checking the local Multiple Listing Service literally several times a day to ensure that the right home for you is yours, as soon as it becomes available.
	6) Your Agent is a dispassionate, objective party Real Estate transactions can be stressful. In addition to the packing and moving, purchasing a new home if you are selling, and paperwork, there is the art of negotiation. This can include much more than merely price. This can include the terms of sale, which items are to be repaired, or which items are to be included in the sale. In the midst of this storm of paperwork and emotions, your Agent is a neutral, objective participant - able to provide you with stability and logical advice.

In summary, there are many reasons to use an Agent when buying or selling your home. A seemingly simple mistake in the mountain that is a Real Estate transaction could be incredibly costly for you and your family. If you would like more information about how I can be of service as an Agent for you, feel free to contact me, and I'll be happy to help you in any way I can.

Jane Scrima
Stirling International Realty
201 E. Central Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone:
407.581.5550
Cell Phone:
407.718.3358
Fax:
407.581.5551

jscrima@stirlingrealty.com