There are many apps and services available that allow home buyers, sellers, and renters to essentially bypass brokers and real estate agents in a real estate transaction, so why do your clients need you? An April 13 post on Richmond American Homeward — the blog of homebuilder Richmond American Homes — answered that question for clients with its “4 things a real estate agent can do for you (other than show homes!”)  Here’s why clients need professionally trained, knowledgeable real estate agents:

To perform their research:
A knowledgeable, experienced agent will do all the “homework” for you, including researching current market conditions and comparable home prices in the neighborhood for sellers and looking at potential floor plans, communities, and listings for buyers. An agent also can investigate other important aspects of homebuying, including compiling a list of new communities in the preferred school district for those clients with school-aged children.

To provide better marketing:
Homeowners are completely capable of listing their own homes. However, experienced real estate agents know not only how, but when, where, and how often to market their home. According to the article, they also are familiar with real estate lingo and listing copy, have experience hosting open houses, and know which features to highlight for prospective buyers.

Because your real estate network is bigger than theirs:
An experienced, local agent is likely to have a network of other industry professionals who can aid in a client’s home sale or purchase. “A well-connected agent will have contacts for everyone from a reliable handyman who can make minor repairs before you put your home on the market to colleagues whose clients might be interested in purchasing your property,” according to the post.

So they don’t have to sweat the small stuff:
There are a lot of little details that go into a real estate transaction. A good real estate agent can schedule appointments, keep track of important deadlines, find answers to your questions, and help you navigate complicated documents. Letting them handle many of those minor details will allow the buyer or seller to focus on the bigger picture items, like finding the perfect home.

There are many other reasons why home buyers and sellers need competent, experienced real estate agents. Share yours below!