An estate agent is more than just a “sales person.” They act on your behalf as your agent, providing you with advice and guidance whilst helping throughout the process of buying or selling a home. This involves the intricate task of pricing, marketing and promoting your property correctly in the first instance, therefore mitigating any unnecessary delays.
The Internet has opened up a world of information that wasn’t previously available to home buyers and sellers. The data on listings available for sale is almost current – but not quite. There are times when you need the most current information about what has sold or is for sale, and the only way to get that is with an agent.
If you’re selling a home, you gain access to the most buyers by being listed in the Multiple Listing Service. Only a estate agent who is a member of your local MLS can get you listed there – which then gets you automatically added to some of the major estate agency websites, such as Rightmove and On The Market. If you’re buying or selling a home, the MLS is your agent’s best tool.
However, the role of an agent has changed in the last couple of years. In the past, agents were the only way home buyers and sellers could access information. Now, agents are evolving, because today’s home buyers and sellers are far better informed than in the past. Expertise and ability are becoming more important.
The estate agent is becoming more of a “guide” than a “salesperson” — your personal representative in buying or selling a home.