April 1, 2019

This paid piece is sponsored by The Tony Ratchford Group.

By Tony Ratchford

We hear talk around the words “value creation,” and I wonder what people think it means in relationship to either real estate ownership or a real estate agent. Can a real estate agent help create value when buying or selling a home?

Today, more than ever, agents need to deliver more for their clients than the clients can do for themselves. A great understanding of the market and processes can deliver better results in maximizing your dollars, saving valuable time and giving you peace of mind.

The internet has allowed the consumer to do much of what agents have done for years. Although the first steps to selling or buying a house may seem simple, it is the information that one doesn’t know or what questions to ask, that cause problems and even nightmares.

There are some things a consumer can do; for example, a seller can put up their house for sale by putting a sign in the yard, placing it on the internet, holding an open house and praying a buyer shows up. If a buyer appears and they want to purchase, the consumer can download a purchase agreement, fill in the blanks and take it to the bank or title company.

Why then should the consumer hire and pay an agent a fee for this service? The simple answer is that information that is easily obtained is not always as easy to decipher as one might think. Understanding what the information means and what to do with it is the key to maximizing the outcome.

Just because a house sold for “X” dollars three months ago doesn’t mean it’s true today. What about the season of the year, motivation of the seller or buyer, economic conditions, marketing methods applied, flexibility of timing and other homes for sale?

The true value of agents is their ability to analyze the market data, to counsel, advise and inject reason and experience into the process. Sellers can benefit from solid information of past sales, houses for sale now, staging advice, extended marketing systems, negotiations and the intangible skill of helping a person discover peace of mind as they move through the process.

My personal group focuses on helping our clients first find great clarity about why they are moving and then helping establish the right time for them to move forward based on their goals and where and what the new home will look like once their existing house is sold. We constantly take care of details so as not to cost them the sale, money or inconvenience.

Problems arise with every transaction. How one handles the issue requires good knowledge and resources to prevent a fallout or costly mistakes. Anyone can deliver a baby, but how many want to try? Too many complications may arise, and it’s good to have a professional by your side just in case. Now we all know delivering a baby is far more serious than selling a house, but the point remains: a professional with a process and great resources will deliver a better outcome in the long-run.

We invite you to call or text 605-359-4100.