Having a real estate agent when the home is being shown is a distinct advantage for a number of reasons. The agent will field the scheduling calls, arranging them for the seller’s convenience to the best of their ability. The agent is also the one to physically show the home, saving the seller that time-investment. The agent fields the follow up questions. In short, having an agent will lessen the seller’s time and energy investment, while encouraging serious buyers to immediately write an offer. Handling real estate transaction paperwork is also a big boon to the seller. One-page deposit receipts were prevalent 40 years ago. Today’s purchase agreements run 10 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state-mandated disclosures, nor disclosures dictated by local custom. Most real estate files average a thickness of between one and three inches of paper. A single mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you after- the-fact. Speaking of after-the-fact, even a smooth closing without complications can come back to haunt you. For example, tax authorities that collect property tax assessments, document stamps, or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, resulting in a snag. These may be hard to handle without knowledge of the system. A good real estate agent will deal with these issues. Questions often arise that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. A proficient agent will be there to assist.
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