For every hour an agent spends in your presence, he or she will spend an average of nine hours out of eyesight working on your behalf. Why? Because agents don’t get paid if they don’t close the deal! Unlike lawyers who bill by the hour, agents won’t receive a penny until (or unless) a sale comes through. It’s all a gamble, in which they could shoot snake eyes and come away empty-handed. This is the business.
- They Shop Property Online
- Don’t we all? And yet, their real estate research goes beyond oohing and ahhing over a few photos on a Saturday night. Research can include looking up flood zones, previews homes for out-of-state clients, or any other number of things. Plus as listings come and go fast in the current real estate wold, agents are constantly checking their MLS database, or else you could miss out!
- They Go Prospecting
- Of course, there’s nothing like seeing a house in all its brick-and-mortar glory, which is why most Realtors worth their salt spend tons of time driving around checking out new listings. These are sometimes called “caravan days” and involve spending hours touring properties prior to taking you there to ensure that they are using your time wisely to find you the best match.
- They Attend Pitch Session
- Agents don’t spend all their time sizing up homes. They also spend tons of face time at gatherings of local agents where they can learn about upcoming listings and houses new to the market that may not have hit the MLS yet. This is great for buyers who are hunting for just the right home, as well as providing some great time to spread the word about your listing.
- They Spend Their Own Money on Marketing
- In addition to not getting paid until a deal is done, selling agents also spend their own money on marketing: magazine and newspaper ads, fliers, hiring a photographer, glossy prints, and premium placements on listing sites.
- They Write Up Offers and Counteroffers
- Offers and counteroffers are an extremely important part of the transaction, as they can save or net you thousands of dollars on a sale. Yet getting to the right price requires written offers and counteroffers every step of the way. It can be time consuming for Realtors®, but worth but well worth it in the end for clients.
- They Stick Around for Inspections
- You might not be able to be present when it’s inspection time, or for the entire time, but a good agent will be. This gives the agent an immediate knowledge of what’s going on. Anything from termites to an iffy foundation can be relayed to the buyer immediately. These inspections can take up to 5 hours depending on the size of the home.
- They Help Smooth Out Bumps in the Road
- Not every sale goes smoothly—buyers and sellers get difficult all the time—but good agents try to shield their clients from the high drama unless there’s a reason to fill them in. Realtors® put out fires. It’s a lot of fixing issues and there are plenty of times that the buyer and seller may not even be aware of any glitches occurring.
- They Keep You Calm When the Pressure is On
- Good agents don’t just hand you a house; they act as a confidant and at times a therapist making your sale a minimal stress process. People get emotional in times of big change, and Realtors® are problem-solvers with a positive approach to always come up with a optimal solution.
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