Why hire a realtor? Well, for the same reason you would hire a doctor if you need medical help. Just as a doctor is a professional in the medical world, a realtor is a professional in the real estate world. Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions that we make, and to have someone that has put hours into education and training will prove invaluable. According to 01Realtor, there are 10 main reasons why buyers should hire a realtor. These 10 reasons are: (1) Realtors are real estate specialists, (2) Realtors lower your risk, (3) Realtors work for you at their own risk, (4) Realtors understand the current market, (5) Realtors have inventory, (6) Realtors have information you don’t have, (7) Realtors understand the transaction complexity, (8) Realtors work for you and the transaction, (9) Realtors offer flexible services, (10) Realtors are homeowner advocates. Along with knowing why home buyers should hire a realtor, it is also important to know what a realtor does and what they know. This is why the U.S. Department of Labor discusses the nature of work and the training & qualifications that a real estate broker and agent must go through to obtain their licenses.

So according to 01Realtor, there are 10 reasons why a home buyer should hire a realtor. (1) There are about 750,000 brokers and agents that belong to the National Association of Realtors, which all hold themselves to the Code of Ethics to a standardized professional behavior. These members have educational advancement opportunities presented to them so that they can always further their knowledge in order to help the buyer in the best possible way. (2) When using a realtor to buy a house the buyer is actually lowering their risk. Many states don’t have regulations set that protect buyers against certain faulty aspects when buying a house. With a realtor, they make recommendations and depending on the situation, can be held to certain legal aspects if the homes condition is not what was agreed upon. (3) With a real estate agent, they are working for you at their own risk. They are only paid when the deal is closed, which means they work quickly, diligently, and use all their resources available to get the buyer the right home. (4) Agents know the market and the swings that it can take. They understand how the pricing of areas works so that you can always get the best deal, in the best area possible. (5) Realtors already have a base of properties, which means they do not start from zero. The MLS (Multiple Listings Service) provides them with a resource that has access to many homes already on the market. (6) Realtors are able to network with their peers and use their resources otherwise not available to regular home buyers. With this networking, the type of home a buyer is looking for is much more likely to be found and in a much quicker fashion. (7) With the large amount of paper work involved, a realtor is a necessity in being able to interpret all the information that is going into the purchase. Not many people know and understand fully the documents they are signing, which is a big area a realtor can help with. (8) Realtors can also be used as a negotiator between the buyer and the seller, to help come up with an agreed price. (9) Realtors offer help in a flexible manner. The more help a buyer wants, the more it will cost them, and vice versa. This lets a buyer choose the realtors level of involvement and costs incurred. (10) The NAR helps keep homes affordable by regulating laws and being involved with the legislative decisions. Brokers and agents are homeowner advocates.

The U.S. Department of Labor also discusses valuable information to know about realtors. Mainly the nature of the work and the training & qualifications required.

Brokers and agents posses an extensive knowledge of the real estate market in their communities. Along with accomplishing the buying and selling aspect, agents and brokers also help accomplish the financing aspect. Since they deal with lenders on a regular basis, a buyer can benefit on the agents connections and knowledge. Everyday realtors see the prices that people buy and sell houses for. This knowledge has taught them how to price properties just by seeing what else is going on around that property. Agents and brokers are able to obtain information from the buyer so that they can understand the type of house and pricing that is available to the buyer. Once this is known the realtor can use their resources to match up a home with the buyer’s information. Instead of the buyer having to worry about all the paperwork and legal aspects, this duty is moved to the realtor, who is experienced and knowledgeable in this area.

Brokers and agents must be licensed in the state they are doing business. Requirements include: 18 years old +, high school diploma, pass written tests, and complete between 30 – 90 hours of classroom instruction. The written tests include basic real estate questions, along with laws affecting the sale of properties. State licenses are renewed every 1 to 2 years, with most states requiring continuing education. Most firms offer their own set of continued training in order to keep their associates up-to-date on current policies and statutes.

With all the information and knowledge required, it is a smart move to hire a realtor. Since realtors are professionals in the real estate industry, they are able to deliver the best possible situation available.