When it comes to home or apartment sales, the buyer and seller stand on opposite sides of the fence with opposing intentions. The buyer wants to buy the property at the lowest price possible while the seller wants a top dollar possible for the same. Both parties stand to benefit from using the services of a real estate agent also referred to as a realtor. 

A real estate agent is a licensed professional who acts as a spokesperson between sellers and buyers in housing or property transactions. These agents are compensated by a commission earned when a deal is sealed between the buyer and the seller. Today, Sagicor real estate professional Nancy Wilson-Walker shares the top benefits you can enjoy by hiring a real estate agent:

1. They are experts in the field.
Realtors are experts in the field of real estate. They have day to day hands-on experience and will be able to help their clients avoid pitfalls which sometimes are very costly - both financially and otherwise.

2. They are extremely knowledgeable.
Realtors have extensive market knowledge and will help their clients save a lot of time and money. They know about specific issues with particular properties and locations and save the buyers having to find out about these the long or hard way.

3. They provide price guidance.
Realtors help buyers to spend economically and help vendors to get a better return on their investment or property sale.

4. They have off-market access.
Realtors have their ear to the ground and will often be aware of new properties before they hit the market.

Nancy also shared that, when it comes to house or apartment hunting, the following considerations are very critical: 

1. Ascertain what price is affordable by doing a pre-qualification interview with your mortgage provider. You can then look for properties within that price range.

2. Ensure that you consider future plans when buying.  For example, you may need an apartment but considering that you expect to start having children in a year, the cute one bedroom may be good, and you may not be able to re-sell it until after a few years.

3. Always think about resale potential when buying. Get something that you will not have a challenge selling later if you decide to liquidate some assets.

As our list shows, there are numerous benefits of hiring a real estate agent. Consider too that agents and realtors depend on referrals to grow their business. This means they’ll make all their efforts to ensure you’re happy and satisfied with their service so you can recommend them to your friends and family. In addition, the agent you hire is going to be around for the long run and will be there for you when you need to sell or buy another property. This is a bonus benefit and one more reason why you need a real estate agent.

Andre' W. Reid
Events/Communications Consultant
Andre Wayne Enterprise (A.W.E.)