The Future of Real Estate Agents

Will real estate agents follow travel agents and disappear from the high street? A new company of estate agents believe they will in the next few years.

The company's business model is based on the results of a survey conducted by Hunters, a large chain of estate agents based mostly in the north of England. The survey interviewed buyers and tenants who had bought or rented property through them. The survey found that fewer than 5% of house buyers and tenants actually went into one of their high street premises, an astonishing figure. Instead buyers searched the internet and toured the local area to look for 'For Sale' and 'To Let' boards and compiled a short list of properties. They then telephoned the agents to arrange a viewing. Negotiations that follow once the buyer has found a suitable property can easily and conveniently be conducted by telephone.

So why have a high street shop or office? Or, more to the point, why should sellers and landlords pay for the cost of such premises through high fees?

High street shops and offices do have high running costs. By doing without such premises it is possible to reduce fees and still make a good income.

We do have an office - one office which copes with the paperwork of the company's franchisees throughout the country who all work from home. Bookings for viewings are also dealt with by head office, enabling the local agent to spend much of his or her time meeting sellers, landlords, and potential buyers and tenants. This means that anyone seeking a viewing or an appointment with the agent doesn't have to talk to an answer phone.

Sellers though are still wary. There is still a mistaken viewpoint that you get what you pay for and many sellers still prefer to pay high street agents' inflated fees.

Maybe these sellers are concerned at missing out on the fewer than 5% who actually do go into an agent's high street shop! Although if the shop did not exist this tiny minority would surely find a way to discover which homes were available to buy or rent.

Predicting the future with any accuracy is of course difficult or impossible. However, the ever increasing influence of the Internet suggests that our prediction has a good chance of happening.

Sell Home Quickly Without Real Estate Agent

When you need to sell a home quickly — and we mean quickly, as in days or weeks, not the months it can take today in many areas — consider selling it to property investors. These are the folks whom you see advertising in your town or city with an ad that goes something similar to: “We’ll, pay cash for your house immediately, no matter the condition.” This is a great way to get quick cash for a home.

Most people automatically think they must sign up with a real estate agent to sell their home. This whole process can take weeks, if not months. You must interview different agents, you need to get comparables (the prices of homes sold recently in your neighborhood so that you can get decide on a starting listing price for your home). Your agent probably will recommend that you fix up your property, inside and out and hold open houses. You’ll then more than likely wait (and wait and wait!) for an offer, then negotiate the sales price, complete the legal paperwork, and much more.

And then, don’t forget, home sales often do end up falling through (your buyers couldn’t sell their house, they couldn’t get approved for a home loan, they change their mind right before closing escrow) and so you’ll have to go through the whole process again!

Selling your home to a property investor is a simple and easy way to get quick cash for a home. Property investors will offer to purchase your home fast, regardless of its condition (which can save you a ton right off the bat because you won’t have to spend money on new paint, carpeting, grass, etc.).

This can really be a great deal for both you and the property investment company.

You get cash for your home in mere days and the company that gives you quick cash for a home buys the house at a discount.

The only possible downside to selling your home for cash to a property investor is that you might get less for your home than you would if you sold it the “traditional” way, with a real estate agent. However, considering the amount of money you’ll lose in Realtor commissions, the price you get with a quick cash for home buyer may not be that much different than the amount you’d receive after paying your agent his or her commission.

Obviously, the better shape your home is in, the more money a property investor will pay. In addition, depending on the reason you need to sell a home quickly — you’re in danger of going into foreclosure, or you need to move to another state fast in order to take advantage of a new job or job promotion — an investor has several purchasing plans to help you. The company can give you a lump sum, quick cash for home payment; it can take over your mortgage payments; it can give you an upfront payment and then pay you the remainder of any equity you may have in payments when it resells your home; among other plans.

You needn’t be “afraid” of selling your home without a real estate. Instead, doing so can be one of the smartest financial moves you could make if you need to sell a home quickly.

Rodney West is the owner of Sell Homes in AZ, cash for home buyer in Arizona. Rodney’s experience in selling homes for cash in Arizona comes as a valuable asset for homeowners looking to sell homes quickly.

Marketing For Real Estate Agents in 2009

People all over the country are looking for new ways to get some extra cash. Many people do not know how simple it is to get your real estate license. Once you have your license, you can then start looking for the right clients. Now, in order to get started the right way, you need to have the right marketing campaign. Marketing for real estate agents is not going to be as hard as you might think. Simply take a look at this guide in order to help you get yourself and your real estate business started.

Doing all of your homework is vital if you want to have the right amount of success. Those agents to take the time to sit down and think about their marketing campaign are more likely to sell homes. You need to have clients in order to make the money that you need. Find out what your buyers are looking for within the market and then run with all of that.

Knowing how the market is doing at all time is really going to help you out.

Buyers are looking for agents that are prepared and ready to go. You need to know where the hottest houses are on the market. You should also look into the neighborhoods. You can research crime rates, the schools, anything that your buyers might need to know about. Most buyers are looking to buy a home that they can raise children in. Make sure that you have this all included in your marketing campaign.

Using every marketing tool to your advantage will definitely help you. There are many tools that you should have at your fingertips. The most popular tools that you will come across is going to be your website, newsletter and even email lists. Having these tools will enable you to get in touch with your buyers and keep them updated on any changes that occur within the market. The internet has a lot to offer everyone that uses it. Make sure that you are using the internet to your complete advantage.

Having the right website is what is going to pull in buyers. Make sure that your website is very well laid out and easy to find. You can hire a designer to get all of the hard work for you. Keep in mind that may cost a little bit of extra money, but it will be worth it in the long run. After the website is finished, make sure that you are updating your site when any changes arise.

Creating a newsletter and an email list is a great idea. This is a direct way to get in touch with your buyers. When something changes in the real estate market, your buyers should be the first to know. Send out a newsletter once a month. This is a great way to make that extra money that you need to make.

The real estate market is on the verge of booming. Right now is the time to start planning your marketing campaign. Take the time right now to sit down and think about which direction that you want to go in. Once you get started, you will have all of the buyers that you need!

What is a Real Estate Agent?

Real Estate Agents assist people with buying and selling houses. In some states, a real estate agent is required to have a broker's license, and in other states, they only need a sales agent license. Agents can work on their own or for a real estate company. They can even specialize in particular type of property. Income received by an agent will normally be in the form of a commission. After a home is sold, agents will receive a percentage of the amount that the buyer purchased for the home. The commission amount will vary.

These agents will often work long hours that can extend into the evenings. To acquire a license, one must be a graduate of high school and complete a real estate course. Good agents will be personable and be motivated to sell houses and work for real estate brokers.

Because buying a house is such an important life investment, many people enlist the services of an agent and must be able to provide the following functions:

- They must know the value of a home
- The agent takes potential buyers to view homes that are for sale.

The buyer will have already discussed how much they can afford and what type of home they are looking for. For instant, the size of the home, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, amenities, and type of neighborhood.
- They must know what the neighborhoods in the town or city are like.
- They must know all of the laws that have to do with buying or selling a home.
- Agents can offer advice to home buyers about where to get a home loan
- The agent must fill out specific forms that convey to all involved that the house has been purchased. Both the buyer and the seller of the home sign these forms which will involve the services of attorneys.
- They help buyers submit an offer, and then will continue to negotiate a price if the offer is rejected.
- They must disclose any flaws that a home may contain.
- They help assess the price of a home and list it on the open market.

People will normally use one realty agent.

Using the services of a real estate agent can be of great benefit because they have many contacts with other professionals in the realty industry. This can include real estate attorneys, mortgage lenders, and home inspectors.

When people commence on buying or selling a home on their own, they will quickly realize there is much involved in the process. Because there are so many details and information to understand and steps to follow when selling or buying a home, it pays to have the services of a qualified real estate agent. Their knowledge and experience will take the aggravation out of the process so that you can focus on moving into your new home.