Real Estate Agents – What Are They Even Good For?

There’s a running debate on the value that estate agents offer the industry. Many assert that with developments in technology, the role of the estate agent has been made redundant. While on the surface such an argument holds water, the reality is more complex, and it’s unlikely that the professional real estate agent will disappear any time soon.

For buyers and sellers operating within the Invercargill real estate market, the key is, then, to know the difference between a good and a bad estate agent. A bad agent will do the minimum – list a property online, take some photos, and wait for buyers to make contact. Much of the rest of the process they’ll leave up to other players in the equation, such as the lawyers and banks. When dealing with this kind of ‘agent’, it really could be better to just make the sale yourself.

But, a good real estate agent will do a whole lot more. Above the basics, they will use various marketing strategies to match the right buyer to the right house. They are also actively engaged in the entire process. This means that, especially for sellers, good agents take the grunt work out of making a sale. From scheduling viewings and ensuring the house is up to code, to filtering through the many ‘bad fits’ to find the right buyer, a good agent can prove priceless.

It’s also important to remember that scope isn’t everything – it’s not about the number of views, but whether or not views hold the potential to translate into a sale. A good agent will have the necessary skills and ability to make this happen.

When considering the headache of managing leads, marketing a property, and ensuring all legal requirements are met, it’s quite possible to believe that estate agents are still good for quite a lot.