Most real estate services fall into two categories - property management for rentals and investment properties, and sales for people who want to buy or sell their properties. Here’s what you can expect from specific services when you find a real estate agent to help you:
Property inspections
Property inspections are a huge part of real estate, whether you own an investment property that needs regular inspections, or you’re planning to buy a property that’s listed for sale. Rental inspections are scheduled ahead of time so your tenant has plenty of notice to tidy up. Your property manager will do a walk-through and take photos of each room and outside areas so you can check your home is in good condition. If you’re considering a property and need it inspected, a local real estate agent can inspect it on your behalf, taking photos and asking key questions to give you more information on the property and help you decide whether it’s a good potential purchase, or not.
Property management
Aside from regular inspections, your property manager deals with a range of other services on behalf of you, as the landlord. This includes managing property repairs and maintenance issues, communicating with tenants, handling disputes, collecting rent, and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws. Your property manager will usually collect a percentage of the rent as part of their contract to cover the time spent managing your investment property.
Property valuations
If you’re planning to sell your property, you might be curious about its current value. Or if you’re planning to buy, you might want an independent expert opinion on the value of a property you’re considering. A local real estate agent with expertise in the local property market can assess a property and give you an accurate value based on similar properties that have recently sold in the area. That way, you can confidently buy or sell a property, knowing the price is fair and realistic for a speedy sale and negotiation.
Property sales
Need to sell a property? A real estate agent can help make this process go much more smoothly (and quickly) by helping to market your property with photography, online listings, flyers, descriptions, direct marketing, and more. They’ll set up a for-sale sign outside your home so it catches the eye of any passersby. And they’ll conduct open homes at set times to show people through and answer any questions. Depending on the method of selling, they may host an auction or list your property with a price guide. They’ll handle the contracts and negotiations, ensuring the sale goes through smoothly.
Property negotiations
Whether you’re buying or selling, you should expect some degree of negotiation in the process. A real estate agent can help negotiate a price between two parties to help close the deal at a point where everyone’s happy. They act as a middleman between the seller and potential buyer, presenting offers and counter-offers until everyone reaches an agreement. You can hire a real estate agent to ensure the best price possible for the seller, but a fair and reasonable price for the buyer.
