Brisk temperatures, orange and brown leaves, and an impending Thanksgiving holiday are surefire signs that November is well underway. As the bustle of the holiday season begins, remaining thankful for all that we have is usually at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
Real estate is no different. It never hurts to take a look around and be thankful for what you have. If you’ve chosen a consummate professional to work with in your real estate endeavors, be thankful for that! A real estate agent is not going to just guide you through one of the biggest transactions in your life, he or she may serve many other purposes as well.
Many questions come up while you’re navigating the real estate maze. If you’re selling, you’ll need to know how the proceeds from your home could affect you tax wise. While we are not accountants and wouldn’t want to mislead by giving any sort of tax advice, we’ll guide you in the right direction and provide you with any documents you need to get the correct answer from your tax professional. You’ll also need guidance on how to handle a simultaneous close, if you’re purchasing a new home directly after the sale of your current one. Maybe you need direction on movers, utilities, the lending process – whatever it is – a good real estate professional will assist with all aspects of your transaction.
Professional photography and eloquently written copy should be another thing your real estate agent does for you when you are selling your home. A full marketing plan should be delivered to you as the seller when you make the decision to list your home with a particular agent. You should know where your home is going to be advertised, for what length of time and why the agent is choosing the marketing avenues they are.
The buying and selling process can be quite a strenuous one. Your real estate agent will be there to help keep the calm, deliver you the facts of the deal in a very timely manner and give you advice on how to handle any obstacles that should arise.
If you’re a buyer, please choose your lender and title/escrow company wisely. Working with a local lender that has a good reputation and comes with a recommendation are definitely the way to go. Please also note that a lot of lenders can’t do their job until you (the buyer) provides them with certain documents. Please be responsive when they ask for something and get it to them right away. They aren’t asking to be nosy or to make your life unhappy, they are asking because it’s required of them. Also, choosing your escrow/title company is key. Make sure to choose someone who is local and will work seamlessly with the lender and agent you have chosen. These are usually open for the buyers to choose, so please do your research and make smart choices!
Realtors are there to make the transaction go as smoothly as possible. Their livelihood depends on it. They build their business based upon referrals so doing a good job is crucial to the scheme of things.
All in all, please don’t forget to include your hard working real estate agent in your “What I’m thankful for” list around your Thanksgiving table! FBN
By Sherri Monteith