Property transactions, whether you find yourself buying or selling, can be complicated, time-consuming affairs.
It's not simply the fact that you find yourself moving into a new property or selling a current one that proves taxing. It's the prep that goes into the front end of each transaction — preparing a home to list or deciding when and where your move should occur.
It's also packing and prepping or researching and touring. It's offers and inspections, negotiations, and the general navigation of a market that's increasingly competitive — one that moves at a speed yet unseen in modern times.
To make sense of it all and ensure your particular transactions are both successful and fulfilling, you'll want to partner with the right real estate professional.
Regardless of whether you choose to work with a broker, an agent, or a firm offering multiple tiers of service, let's explore the value of choosing the right agent.
The Value of Market Knowledge
Real estate is a location-based business. Top real estate professionals understand this and thrive by developing a deep intimacy with the market area they cover.
They know all about the best neighborhoods. The standout schools. Where the top commercial districts are located. Which communities serve an area's various employers.
Yes, a seasoned agent is tasked with assisting you in finding a home. But an agent's experience and knowledge of a market ensures you find the right home in the right location — the combination that best checks off all of your wants and needs.
More than finding a home, a valuable buyer's agent uncovers a lifestyle for their clients.
But an agent's knowledge doesn't stop at acquisitions.
For sellers, an agent's market knowledge is equally invaluable. Great agents possess unmatched marketing savvy. They appreciate a given market's nuances and quickly identify trends to help guide sellers in their decision-making.
An agent with insight knows how to properly position a listing within current market conditions to increase value and drive offers upward. They also possess all the right connections to ensure the right buyers walk through your door.
The most beneficial aspect of an agent's market intelligence is that it gives buyers and sellers alike one less thing to stress over as they work to seek the best real estate transaction possible.
“The Investors’ Agent” Steven Szczur brings not only a wealth of market knowledge to the table, but access to pre-market and off-market opportunities as well. As a Compass agent, Steven has access to “private exclusives” within their fantastic network; on a more personal level, he can provide you with incredible opportunities thanks to his many years of experience working in the off-market space. His numerous personal connections to other agents and finders is another fabulous bonus.
The Value of Respect
Often lost in the relationship between buyer or seller and their real estate professional is how well respected an agent is within their particular sphere of influence.
In an industry that is as people-oriented as luxury real estate, that respect often manifests in a list of deep connections and strong relationships. It’s the type of networking that ensures your property transaction is in the capable hands of top industry professionals.
Do you want to be the first to tour a luxury residence in a sought-after neighborhood? A well-connected agent will know who to contact to set the walkthrough.
Does your unique listing need a specialist's expert touch to update, stage, and market to maximize its value? An agent boasting a successful track record of transactions will know the top vendors in their disciplines to ready your home sale.
In both cases, the third parties — the listing agent for the high-end home, the contractor, stager, and web developer for your property — will welcome the opportunity to work with your agent.
The top agents form lasting connections with the people who will ensure your transaction — be it a purchase or a sale — receives the white glove attention it deserves.
Consider all of the individuals you may have to work with on your property journey: stagers, repair crews, marketing teams, web developers for sellers, inspectors, finance and title experts, home inspectors, and movers and relocation teams for buyers.
A well-respected agent relieves much of the stress from their clients with the ability to call upon a market's top real estate vendors.
The Value of Experience
Second to market knowledge, valuable agents are experienced agents. Even those with a few years of expert experience under their belt have transacted enough home purchases and sales to benefit their clients.
An agent appreciates their client's time and knows how to maximize it.
With buyers, this translates to gaining a full appreciation of what you want and need from a home. With that checklist in hand, the agent presents the most viable listings — homes that are in your price range, with your requested features and amenities, and located in your preferred neighborhoods and communities.
You need not waste your time with homes that won't make it anywhere near your final cut (or the first cut, for that matter).
Your agent also has a deep understanding of the buying process, which is particularly helpful for first-time buyers or those who've been out of the housing market for some time. They're your advocate throughout the process, from showing to inspections to negotiating on through to the final closing.
Those vital milestones are critical steps in the sales process as well. A valuable sales agent is just as much of an advocate for their clients throughout the listing process as well.
An agent's experience guides a seller to make the right decisions for their listing. A real estate professional informs everything from home prep to list price to marketing.
Experienced agents bring every previous deal with them to your unique transactions. That knowledge allows them to do the heavy lifting so you don't have to.
The Value of Dealmaking
Extending their experience one step further, one of the most vital skills a real estate professional brings to the table is their negotiation skills.
For all of the hours buyers spend touring houses and sellers spend preparing their listing, the moment of truth for each comes at the negotiation table.
Indeed, when it comes to bringing value to their clients, dealmaking might very well be top of the list of prized agent skills.
From the moment the negotiation begins at the initial offer, the standout buyer's agent navigates you through the process. The right opening offer. When and how to counter. Preparing yourself for the inspection and how to approach any repair requests, concessions, or add-ons. When it might be worthwhile to float a contingency, or when such a move might lose you the home.
A professional agent may prove even more invaluable for the individual who's selling a home.
First, selling a home is an extremely emotional journey, mainly if the residence is where many memories were made. Professional agents appreciate that aspect of listing a home. They also understand the need to move on.
Valuable agents work to make the listing process as painless as possible. They offer insight into which upgrades and improvements will help best frame your home to attract a broad swath of motivated buyers.
Calling back to market knowledge and experience, they'll offer insight into how to correctly price the property to draw in top offers and maximize the home's ultimate value.
They serve as your conduit for the home appraisal and inspection. They assist you in vetting the offers you receive. They help you determine which offers let you achieve the goals you have for the listing. As they do for buyers, they're open about when to counter, make a concession, entertain a contingency (or not to), or even walk away.
Ultimately, for buying and selling, a high-value agent is your partner in the process of transacting a home. They’re your sounding board to ensure you make the right decision to either acquire the home of your dreams or to garner the most from your sale.
Their success is your success.
The Value of a Strong Team
While it may be tempting to reduce real estate down to its simplest levels — purchase, sell, repeat — there's a lot more to it than the transactional aspect.
Scheduling tours or inspections. Coordinating repairs and staging. Creating listings and establishing a web presence. Sending, receiving, and reviewing offers and counteroffers.
And, of course, the paperwork.
Make no mistake, real estate is a team effort. There are many moving parts that a buyer or seller doesn't see, thanks to the team working behind the scenes to ensure every transaction goes off without a hitch.
One of the most effective things a real estate professional does is build a team of professionals that supports their firm and clients. They possess the insight and experience to select those who are the best at what they do and who know to place the client’s needs above all other considerations.
A talented, experienced agent with an equally capable team behind them produces an exceedingly standout real estate experience.
Ready to explore the best of Brooklyn real estate? Contact Steven Szczur today to start your home buying or selling journey. From Park Slope real estate to Williamsburg homes for sale, allow Steven and his team's years of experience and expertise to be your guide to the New York City luxury real estate market.
