Why hire a professional to sell your house?
Source:  www.fotocasa.es​

When it comes to putting a property for sale, there are many who think they can do it on their own. The process seems simple: four photos, write an ad, choose the price they want and sit and wait for calls. The reality is usually very different, but still the price of a commission remains a mental obstacle when it comes to contacting a professional.

What are the main reasons why you should hire a real estate agent? Is it really worth it? Can professional help mean savings at the end? We have spoken with a couple of experts in the field and these are the advantages of having the help of a professional.

Marketing plan

A real estate agency is not limited to publishing an ad, but "makes a marketing plan for each home and invests decidedly to highlight it through the most appropriate media, with the aim of finding the best buyer for that property," says Jesus Duke, vice president of Alfa Inmobiliaria. "The agencies have various marketing tools: their own websites, virtual visits, professional videos and a strong presence in real estate portals and specialized media."

They know how to do their job.

Real estate agents know their work and are up to date with everything that involves a real estate sales process, which goes far beyond the advertisement and visits. “The professional can help with tax issues, such as knowing if with the current regulations that sale will be exempt or not from the municipal capital gains tax,” explains Mayka Delgado, trainer and sales coach and collaborator of Academy by Fotocasa. “It is also important to be able to make the proper documentation at home step.

For example, when drafting a contract or signal contract that complies with all guarantees, both for the seller and the buyer, which clearly stipulates the consequences if either party backs down at some point. The consequences go even beyond the economic: if a contract has not been properly resolved and the house is put back on sale, a double sale crime may be committed. ”

Knowledge of All factors is a fundamental point. “A professional real estate agent is constantly trained and updated on the different aspects surrounding the sector and can advise with a high level of specialization in issues: legal, tax, marketing, how to present the home, can help you in the search for financing and even in all those subjects after the contract of earnest, such as notarial issues, the registration of housing, and all the legal procedures that must be carried out in its final phase, ”says Duque. 

They know the market

Real estate professionals "know each area well, have databases with real sales prices and know how to differentiate perfectly between sale and sale prices," they say from Alfa Inmobiliaria. "In many cases, it is they who document in detail about why they put a market price and advise the owner not to lose a sale."

That is, real estate agents help to mark a realistic price according to the market situation, beyond what the seller thinks his property may be worth, what he paid at the time or for how much something similar was sold a few years ago. You have to know how the market is working here and now.













 

​More customers

The real estate agencies not only expect direct response to the advertisements they have published, but also have buyer databases: very favorable information to find the perfect buyer. In addition, they can also get customers by crossing this data with those of other offices in the same network.

MLS (association of several real estate agencies at your service)

There are real estate partners under the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system which increases the number of buyers because the client only has to deal with a single real estate agent but he is in charge of dealing with the rest of the associates and thus increase the possibilities for more people to get to know your property in the case of selling and expanding the number of homes that meet the requirements of a buyer. All this without increasing the fees for work done between all real estate to sell or compare a home.

They filter the curious visits

"The real estate agent prevents us from wasting time with visits from curious people or people who cannot afford the house we have for sale," says Delgado. The visits that arrive to the house have been previously filtered to guarantee that they are really interested in a property of these characteristics, and always accompanied by the professional. "We must be aware of the risks involved in letting complete strangers into our home," adds the trainer.

And concludes: "Sell your house without risk, hire a real estate agent and do not play it."