Looking to buy or rent property can be a pretty daunting task. In a country like Ghana which has a housing deficit of about 1.7 million units, it is almost impossible to go through the home buying process smoothly without coming out scarred.
Fortunately, there are real estate agents, also known as brokers in some quarters, with years of industry experience who can make the whole process hassle-free. There is a general misconception that real estate agents are crafty and only look out for their own pockets through commissions earned in the real estate business. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Agents are your sure bet to maximizing your chances of landing your dream property and getting value for your money.
Check out these four (4) reasons why you most definitely need a real estate agent:
Real Estate Agents Know The Market
Most real estate agents work on a full-time basis. Your home search is an agent’s day job (so you can keep yours). Their daily interaction among themselves and between property owners gives them vast knowledge and experience about how the real estate economy works. If you tell them what your specifications are for a property, they know exactly where to look and who to contact. This saves you time from going round in circles looking for the perfect property.
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) being adopted by some agents also gives them access to the properties of other real estate agents who may have exactly what you are looking for.
This way, contacting the right agent opens you up to endless possibilities for a lot of properties to choose from. If you’re new in an unfamiliar environment or don’t generally know how the real estate market works or what type of property will be ideal for you, your best bet will be to get in touch with an agent.
Real estate agencies such as Floorspace Realty have an experienced team that is knowledgeable about Ghana’s real estate market. We offer free consultation either in person or virtual as our agents walk you through buying or selling your home with ease and clarity, while keeping you in control of the whole process.
Real Estate Agents Look Out For You
As cunning as you think real estate agents might be in serving their own interests, we really do look out for you and are nifty in fishing out details that you’ll most likely overlook.
In contract negotiation and finalizing agreements, you will have to go through a stack of papers filled with complex legal terms and jargon. Your agent will be helpful in making sense of any complex legal language and also point out easy-to-miss details in the fine print which can have a major impact on the purchase of your new home for years to come.
The home inspection process is very critical and can make or break a real estate transaction. Your agent will be helpful during a home inspection by acting as an intermediary between the buyer/ prospective tenant and the property owner by asking for clarifications on issues that arise. Also, agents are quick to identify red flags such as structural problems, old wiring, old plumbing, roofing problems and many more.
Agents Help You Value Your Property
For those looking to sell their property, your primary goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible at the best price. However, a significant factor in making a quick sale is ensuring your house is appropriately priced for the market.
As the homeowner, it’s easy to think you know what your home is worth, but there’s likely a bit of subjectivity that goes into your estimate. A real estate agent has a more fact-based process that involves pulling comparable recent home sales with similar properties and reviewing your home against these to determine a fair asking price.
If the agents are professionals with no emotional attachment to or biases against your home, your real estate agent can guide you in setting a competitive price that makes sense for the real estate market in your area. Sensible pricing equals quick sales which equals more money for you.
For Future Records’ Sake
Although as real estate agents, we aren’t lawyers, we serve as good resources to fall back on even years after a deal is closed. In many instances, professional agents like Floorspace Realty are required to keep full files of all documents in all transactions for several years.
While you should keep files yourself, you can count on agents like us to keep that information organized and safeguarded should trouble crop up with the property in years to come. You’ll also be able to contact your agent at any time in the coming years should you have questions about the property yourself.
Conclusion
Whether you are buying or selling, an agent is your ally. Working with real estate agents in the home buying/selling process presents endless opportunities for those who take advantage of it. Dealing with agents who know the market even gives you access to properties not advertised on the market.
There are cases in which sellers don’t want the fact that they’re selling to be widely publicized. So, they don’t list their homes or put a “For Sale” sign on their yard. In those cases, only agents within our close knit network are aware that the homeowners are looking to sell and try to find buyers.
Save yourself some time and energy, hire a real estate agent today and “cast all your property burdens upon them”.
Wondering which agency you should hire? Look no further than Floorspace Realty. Give us a call, +233 55 049 6399 or shoot us an email, info@floorspacerealty.com.
