Good agents are not simply go-between messengers who are delivering buyers’ offers to sellers and carrying counteroffers back and forth. They are professionals who are trained to advise their clients on options and consequences, then present their clients’ case in the best light. They agree to hold client information confidential from competing interests. The real estate agent can be a buffer between seller and buyer, keeping the transaction professional and “at arm’s length.” This is important in the negotiations phase, when emotions are liable to be at their highest. The real estate agent can further filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere, including bargain hunters and real estate shoppers. Having a real estate agent available when the home is being shown is a distinct advantage for a few reasons. The agent will field the scheduling calls, arranging them for the seller’s convenience. The agent will show the home, saving that seller time, and also field the follow-up questions. In short, having an agent will lessen the seller’s investment of time and bother, while inciting serious buyers to immediately write an offer. Handling real estate transaction paperwork is also a big boon to the seller. When I started in real estate, the purchase and sale agreement was one page. Today’s purchase agreements run 10 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state- mandated disclosures, nor disclosures dictated by local customs. Most printed real estate files' average thickness is from one to three inches of paper. A mistake or omission in paperwork could land you in court or cost you down the road. Professional agents are always investing in the specialized technology to process, organize and store all this paper work and catch costly mistakes or omissions of addendums, disclosures, initials and signatures, etc.
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