All About Real Estate Agents

Real estate agents

Are you looking at new homes for sale? Or, rather old homes for sale? No matter what type of home you are in the market for (luxury, country, vacation, etc.), you will most likely need a real estate agent to guide you through the selling, searching, and selecting process. This article will focus on their duties and their job details.

What Do Real Estate Agents Do? A real estate company and agent will help you buy a property, sell your old one, or even rent a property. Different types of real estate agents handle different types of homes: single family, condos, businesses, and more.

The real estate agent will work with both the buyer and seller understand the housing market. In April 2013, the average home price was $151,833 — but not many home owners would know this figure, which is better left for real estate companies to keep track of. It is important for both the buyers and the sellers to understand that the estimate and listing prices don’t necessarily have to be the end all, be all. The median sale price for homes in April 2014 was $127,000.

How They Work: These specialized individuals will work with a real estate broker to find properties that fit their client’s wants and needs. For example, there many be customers wanting specific features (such as a marble master bathroom) that real estate agents will go out and ask around for.

Agents will use real estate websites and even flyers to advertise their properties. Most will work with photographers who are paid to take pictures of the property.

Job Requirements: Once someone has become a certified real estate agent, they will immediately take on the following tasks.

  1. Working nights and weekends. Showing properties often revolves around a client’s schedule, not the agent’s.
  2. Setting up open houses. Agents may be swamped with having to prepare multiple houses for open showings in one weekend. Setting up houses can include staging furniture, cleaning, and adjusting the temperature of the homes.
  3. Undergo bidding wars. When a sale for a home is pending, the real estate agent will work with the other agents to offer and counteroffer bids on the property to ensure that their client wins the property.
  4. Knowing the market. Real estate news will always be constantly changing — there is never a dull moment in the housing industry. Agents must known the most desired neighborhoods and the ones that are on the rise.
  5. Knowing the area. It won’t help the agent much if they don’t know the area they are working in. It is important to be able to answer questions about school districts, zoning, and town lines.

The Pay: In 2010, real estate agents and real estate brokers made a median hourly income of $20.52, which comes out to be roughly $42,680 a year. Depending on how talented they are, how much experience they have, what company they work for, and what certifications they hold, real estate agents will earn a varying amount.

With the housing market on the upswing, it is in your best interest to look into a real estate agent for your next home purchase. More research here: www.iowac21.com