Honestly, this has been a question on our own minds lately. (yes, even as real estate agents) In a world where everything is becoming more automated and the internet is becoming more jam packed with answers to every question imaginable and people are becoming more independent, why hire a real estate agent?
First of all- our message is not that every single person needs a realtor to find the space of their dreams. And this coming from a real estate agent, shocking isn’t it?
Perhaps the bigger question is what kind of home buying journey you are looking for.
Going it alone means that you spend far more time and energy searching for the perfect space. It means you are responsible for all the paperwork and you run the risk of encountering sketchy scams along the way.
Hiring a real estate agent makes the whole process more streamlined.
On the other hand, going it alone means you have greater flexibility. And you may have more control and independence throughout the whole process. Before going it alone, though, you need to ask yourself:
- Am I ok with reading fine print and paperwork?
- Can I tolerate massive amounts of research?
- Can I negotiate a price?
If you can’t say yes to these questions, then hiring a real estate agent is a much better option for you.
We’ve found that the most difficult steps in the home buying process are:
“Perhaps the bigger question is what kind of home buying journey you are looking for.”
With a realtor you’ll have liberty to look for homes on your own, but you’ll also receive recommendations from your realtor. They know the neighborhood really well and can give “insider” knowledge that places like Zillow or Trulia cannot. Some realtors even offer location-specific searches (like our little search tab above) to save properties and searches in the area. Finally, hiring a realtor will not cost you anything. As all the expenses are covered by the seller.
Without a realtor you’ll still have the liberty to look for homes, but you’ll also be dependent on the internet instead of mls systems that realtors have access to. And while systems like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com and others are not bad options- the more localized search engines can be far more specific to your needs.
In conclusion, buying a home is a journey that you go on. You may be ready to jump into this with internet savvy, an adventurous spirit and a flexible take on life. Or you may choose to hire a real estate agent to guide you through the whole process. (Chris does a pretty stellar job by the way).
Either way, we are here to support you in your home-finding, home-making endeavors. And we created this amazing 8 step Home Buyers Guide– for both our clients and for our do-it-yourself home buyers. We call it the Home Finders Compass. And if you click the link above and fill out a quick form, we’ll send you the link and password for the guide.
We’d love to walk through this process with you.
But whatever avenue you choose- we’ll be here cheering you on!
Sincerely, Claude
thank you
to the lovely Kinna Shaffer for her stellar photography skills
We’re so grateful to sell homes under Kingsway Realty- a truly stellar agency serving Lancaster and surrounding counties. Shout out to the support system they provide so we can keep doing what we love doing- getting you home. 🙂
