What’s Job One for a skillful agent?

As most of our readers know, we’re continually running little polls among our clients, readers, and friends.  One of these ongoing quizzes concerns the very foundation of a Real Estate agent’s work:  “What,” we ask, “is the most important task an agent can perform for you?”

As you may have guessed, the answers have surprised us.  Most commonly, the response from sellers is the research that leads to a reliable market evaluation of the property in question.

And as a rule, buyers too tend to emphasize the role of research. They want Nikki to sift the market, rule out the “impossibles,” and show them through only the most promising of affordable domiciles.

Among past clients, both buyers and sellers, there’s sometimes  mention of secondary roles, which might include the aid a well-connected agent provides in recommending helpful lenders and other professionals in the complex business of transferring property.  However, it’s the recurring clients-- the ones who’ve been through more than a few acquisitions and unloadings-- who usually nail the answer we expected.  

 “Negotiating!” smiled one of our clients.  “Without your expertise, we’d have jumped at an offer loaded with problems, or the one that threatened a serious conflict. Once we’d have accepted unnecessary contingencies, wasted a bunch of time, and ended up feeling like total Babes in the Woods!”

The truth is that unless a buyer shows up with an all-cash offer and an elastic time frame regarding the closing date, almost everything in the deal is negotiable.  When a home inspection unearths unforeseen pitfalls, a veteran agent can sort them out handily.  If a buyer or seller backs out after tying up a property for a lengthy stretch, the agent’s well-constructed contract usually offers some remedy.   When loans fall through, when appraisals come up short, or surveys reveal a boundary conflict, a competent agent negotiates through the problem and helps reach a solution that satisfies all parties.

Whenever you find yourself ready to interview Real Estate agents, never hesitate to explore their background in negotiating.  Ask how they’ve dealt with some of the pitfalls cited above.  A true professional can offer plenty of examples and probably enjoy remembering them.

“It’s true,” said Nikki. “We may be good at research, and all the tasks that grease the wheels toward smoothing out a successful sale.  But if your agent isn’t a top-notch negotiator, you’re not getting your money’s worth.”

You can reach Nikki at HolmesTeam@GoldRushGroup.net