What a Realtor Will Do For You

Some of the duties your REALTORS will perform for you include:

• Walk through the process of selling your home from beginning to end.
• Provide comparable information about the prices for which other properties have sold and analyzing data for you to gain a true comparison.
• Supply information regarding local customs and regulations you may want to consider.
• Share information about your home through the Multiple Listing Service and on the Internet.
• Place advertisements for your home.
• Field phone calls.
• "Qualify" potential buyers to make sure they would be financially able to buy your property.
• Negotiate the sales contract.
• Alert you to potential risks.
• Comply with the disclosures required by law.
• Provide you with an estimate of the closing costs you will incur.
• Help you prepare for a smooth closing of the transaction.
  

Who is A Realtor

The terms agent, broker and REALTOR are often used interchangeable, but have very different meanings. For example, not all agents (also called salespersons) or brokers are REALTORS. Learn who is a REALTOR and the reasons why you should use one.

As a prerequisite to selling a real estate, a person must be licensed by the state in which they work, either as an agent / salesperson or as a broker. Before a license is issues, minimum standards for education, examinations and experience, which are determined on a state-by-state basis, must be met.

After receiving a real estate license, most agents go on to join their local board or association of REALTORS and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, the world's largest professional trade association. They can then call themselves REALTORS. The term "REALTORS" is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics (which in many cases goes beyond state law).

It is the REALTORS who share the information on the homes they are marketing, through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Working with a REALTOR who belongs to an MLS will give you access to the greatest number of homes.

Courtesy of Charlottesville VA Realtor Richard Walden and the Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS.

Choosing A Realtor

The Top Five Things You Should Know...

- Look for an agent who is a member of the local board or association of Realtors.

- An agent should explain and disclose their role and who they represent at the serious first contact.

- The agent should advise you on how to prepare your home for the market.

- Be sure the professional shows enthusiasm, listens well, instills confidence and has a personality that is complimentary to yours.

- The agent should research your property and provide data on nearyb homes that have or have not sold recently.

Virginia Estates, Homes, Farms and Land