What real use are real estate agents if we can sell our home ourselves?
In: Economics
Having bought and sold several homes with and without realtors over the years, I would suggest first-time home buyers and perhaps buyers in a new city/market go with a realtor, to leverage knowledge and networks. By that I mean you can take advantage of their knowledge of which neighborhoods are desirable, which communities offer the amenities that are important to you, and maybe which contractors and home inspectors you can use, provided they offer you a variety of options for each and aren’t just getting kickbacks from the contractors for referrals.
Beyond that, the internet really seemed to make realtors obsolete for us. And I watched that shift happen in real time. I was able to pull comparable homes and recent sales in my market and figure out what the average price per square foot and level of finish was. I hired a real estate attorney to help negotiate contracts and offers, and after getting hooked up with or finding my own home inspectors and contractors that I trusted, I was able to navigate those aspects as a buyer and seller myself.
Before the internet easily offered the tools to price and market your home as a seller and find listings as a buyer, realtors were essential. Now, their utility is far more limited.
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