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4 Approaches Good Real Estate Agents Use to Create Success

FFR- Oct 20 Pic-10051836The Triangle region of North Carolina is home to thousands of real estate agents. Although the vast majority of real estate agents are very good at what they do, there are certainly some agents who are below average in both honesty and professionalism. When looking for someone who represents the true interests of the buyer or seller, look for those who are truly great agents, good people, and top producers. What is it that separates the average from the great?

Flat Fee Realty offers four attributes to look for when choosing a real estate agent partner:

  • A great agent will tell the truth about price, even if a client doesn’t want to listen: Let’s say a buyer loves a particular house, gets into a bidding war, and wins. Good news, right? This is not necessarily true. Today, homes must be sold twice—to the buyer and to the bank. If the bank doesn’t agree (say, the home doesn’t appraise to the selling price), the deal is off. A great agent will recognize this in the beginning and prepare the client for alternatives.
  • A great agent anticipates instead of reacts: Professionals make a complex process look easy for the client. Pro-activity, anticipating challenges, and removing roadblocks are important factors in a stressful process. Good agents have the foresight that develops with time and experience. And while challenges might the norm for them, they never take their clients concerns too lightly.
  • A great agent will get the seller the most money possible for their home, even if it takes a little longer and requires more marketing: A great agent always puts their client first, even if it means more work and less commission. Setting the right price for a home doesn’t mean pricing it low enough to sell quickly (unless that’s what the seller wants). It means getting the most profit possible for the client, even if it takes more time and effort.
  • A great agent doesn’t just answer the phone when clients call; a great agent is the one doing the calling: Some agents complain about their clients constantly calling them. This, however, can mean that they are not giving the client enough information. Even if nothing is happening, the clients want to know that nothing is happening. Great agents never let silence speak for them.

Any one of the thousands of real estate agents in the Triangle can show homes, negotiate a deal, and close the transaction. However, when money (and sometimes stress) is on the line, go for the great, not the average. Flat Fee Realty strives for the best. It is what everyone needs in real estate as we head to 2015. We are the FUTURE OF REAL ESTATE.

Looking for a great agent to help you buy or sell? Give us a call!

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This post on selling and buying a home in the Triangle is brought to you by the team at Flat Fee Realty and is intended for informational purposes only.

The Future of Real Estate!

Flat Fee Realty

919 342 5230

Contact Us

Terry@FlatFeeNC.com

 

Photo: jannoon028, Freedigitalphotos.net


 

 

 

3 Ways Schools Affect Home Prices Here in the Triangle

FFR- Oct 6 Pic-10060061 pic 1 10-14The Triangle area is a hotbed for education here in North Carolina. With top-ranked public and private institutions, teaching hospitals, and world-class research centers, there’s no better place to live if education is a priority in a move or relocation. It’s not just post-secondary schools that get top billing in the Triangle; the local school districts are highly rated as well. Consider that four of the top 10 public high schools in North Carolina are in the Wake County School System, according to US News and World Report rankings.

How much do schools affect home prices? Let’s take a look at these statistics researched by Flat Fee Realty:

  • In a recent survey by Realtor.com, 91% of prospective homebuyers said that school district boundaries were an important part of their home search. 
  • That same survey found that over half of buyers are willing to boost their budgets for top quality schools, paying 6-30% more for a home within the boundaries of their desired school. 
  • Another recent study found that homes in areas with the best schools command about $50.00 more per square foot than homes in average districts.

Based on this information, buyers and sellers are correct in thinking that being in the right district can give their sales price or budgets a bump. But what is the “right” district? While a client’s first instinct might be to simply ask their real estate agent, they might not get the information they’re looking for. Many agents deflect questions about school quality to avoid ending up on the wrong side of the Fair Housing Act (this could be construed as steering). Instead, they point buyers and sellers to independent resources such as these:

  • For public schools, visit the National Center for Education Statistics, or the official site for NC Public Schools. 
  • For public, private, and independent schools, org has a lot of information. It also includes consumer reviews.

When buying or selling a home, everyone knows that location is paramount. And a significant part of this is the local school quality, even for buyers and sellers who do not have children.

Need help assessing the market value of your home? Give us a call! 

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This post on selling and buying a home in the Triangle is brought to you by the team at Flat Fee Realty and is intended for informational purposes only. 

The Future of Real Estate! 

Flat Fee Realty 

919 342 5230

Contact Us

Terry@FlatFeeNC.com

Photo: ddpavumba, Freedigitalphotos.net

 

 

 

 

 

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