A Realtor® is the Key to Your New Home
(Sponsored) There are many reasons to work with a Realtor®, especially since Honolulu is one of the hottest—and most expensive—real estate markets in the country.
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“On Oahu, in September, the average days on market for a single-family home was only 16 days. So, if you’re serious about buying, you’ll want to talk to a Realtor® so you’ll be prepared to act quickly in acquiring a property,” says Honolulu Board of REALTORS® 2016 President Kalama Kim.
Instead of walking into the heat of Honolulu’s real estate environment on your own, tapping the knowledge and savvy of an experienced Realtor® can pay dividends— for both buyers and sellers.
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, or looking to upgrade or downsize, a Realtor® can help to ensure that you’re not only selecting the right property for your needs, but also positioning yourself most effectively in a competitive market to land the property of your dreams.
As bidding competition comes with the territory in Honolulu, an experienced Realtor® can make the difference between overpaying or missing out.
Many prospective home buyers have little to no experience in market trends, or home and neighborhood analysis, after all, most of us will purchase a home only a few times in a lifetime. Realtors® are trained to leverage each buyer’s unique position, and they know that a few creative negotiating tactics can go a long way when looking to sway a seller’s decision.
“If buyers are in a competition for the same property, then Realtors® may do things like craft a cover letter highlighting how well qualified the buyers are and their financing stipulations. Realtors® want to make sure that sellers are also comfortable knowing the buyers are qualified to purchase the property,” says Kim.
“We also can throw in different personal things about the prospective buyers…because sometimes there is a connection between buyers and sellers, as long as those traits do not fit into a protected class.”
From a seller’s perspective, a Realtor®’s service should go beyond just the sale of a home.
“It’s not just about getting the home sold, but getting it sold in the timeframe that suits the homeowners, while also helping the sellers to get top dollar for their property,” adds Kim.
To achieve both of those objectives, a Realtor®’s duty to a seller is to make the proper analysis and suggestions on how to ensure the property is in a condition that will appeal to many different buyer types.
“Sometimes if you have peeling paint on the exterior then no lenders who offer VA financing are going to offer a loan on that property…essentially it will turn off that whole group of prospective buyers. Or, if you have unpermitted work on a property that could affect conventional-financing clients and even eliminate some government loans.”
By knowing how to properly address the condition and staging of a home before it hits the market, sellers open themselves to a larger buyer pool, which could lead to more competition and higher price bids.
To make the task of finding a Realtor® as easy as possible, would-be buyers can visit hicentral.com to browse a directory of more than 6,000 Realtors®. You can even search for a Realtor® by languages spoken and professional designations held.
