Buying and selling property is not as easy as you may

think. There are many things that you have to consider

when purchasing a home, or when putting a home up for

sale. That is why there are real estate professionals

out there armed with the skills and knowledge needed to

make this process easier. Read below to see how a real

estate agent can help you in your real estate

transaction. The Benefits of a Sellers AgentWhen you list your property through a real estate

company, the individual with whom you list is known as

the sellers agent, or listing agent. The very first

thing that a listing agent has to offer a seller is a

comparative market analysis, or, a CMA. A CMA compares

your property to other real estate property listings,

preferably ones that have sold. The goal of the agent

is to compare apples to apples. In other words, they

compare MLS listings (a. k. a the multiple listing

service) with similar square footage, whether or not

the property has a garage, the types of flooring the

home has etc. In the end of this analysis, the agent

provides you with a figure for which he or she feels

that your property will sell. Once you have chosen a sellers agent, you enter an

agreement with them, often called an exclusive right to

list agreement. This simply creates a legal

relationship between your agent and yourself. Once

your house is listed in the MLS listings, there is

still much more your real estate professional can do

for you. Real estate agents advertise property within

their office and on their own personal websites. They

often send out news letters, flyers, post cards and

offer MLS bulletins for other realtors to see so that

your property gains maximum exposure. In addition to

advertisements, real estate agents also perform open

houses on your property, during which potential buyers

can see all that is good about your home. The Benefits of a Buyers AgentMany people feel that real estate agents are for sellers

and sellers alone. But this is most definitely not the

case. The first arena in which a buyers agent is helpful

is finding the perfect home. Real estate agents have

access to the MLS on a level that buyers do not. They

can search specific criteria and find the perfect three-

bedroom, two-bath home with a fenced in back yard and a

rocking chair front porch. In addition, they can narrow

real estate property listing searches by capping the

minimum and maximum prices that the buyer wishes to spend.

Once homes are selected for viewing, the agent then

ensures that appointments are set up with the sellers of

the homes to view the property. Next there is the negotiation stage where a buyers agent

comes in handy. The first part of this legal area is the

writing of a contract. Real estate agents can help a

buyer fully understand the ins and outs of an offer to

purchase and give them a sense of exactly what they are

getting into. Once a contract is created, presented, and

accepted, the agent then sets up appointments on behalf

of the buyer for things like the home inspection, pest

inspection and appraisals. Your agent can advise you as

to which investigations and inspections are recommended or

required. Buyers agents also have a sense of who is good at

these things and who is not, making these decisions easier

on the buyer. Then, when closing time comes, the agent is

there to help the buyer warm up their signing fingers before

signing all of the papers making their home ownership a

reality. Lori Osenbaugh is a licensed Realtor?associated with Keller

Williams - Cherry Creek, Colorado. Search homes in the greater

Denver area http://www. listwithcookie. myhomecards. com Includes

customizeable searches, e-mail alerts of new properties, local area statistics, news, tips and much more!

Author:
Lori Osenbaugh