What does their job encompass? Are they merely showing the houses? I assume that the mortgage broker handles the contracts/paperwork, so what exactly does a realtor do? Do they act as a negotiator to get you the best price? How do you tell a good one from a bad one? I mean, with the exception of breaking laws, it doesn't strike me as being obvious. I wouldn't know what I was missing til it was too late. Help?

Actually an agents job is alot more detailed than you would first imagine.

along with showing a home- they do listings also- this means figuring out what your house is going to sell for- not what it worth since they are not appraisers- but what it will sell for in your neighborhood, this alone takes time to pull previous sold, expired or currently listed properties and doing a comparison between at least 3 different comparables.
then when you put in the offer to buy the agent filles in the offer contract, ensures that the offer is presented in a timely manner, if there is a counter offer she or he will ensure that you recieve the counter offer in a timley manner and so forth until an offer is accepted.
if you have not gotten financing the agent can help with that-
they also need to know what you will put out of pocket for a home, and be able to do the math regarding all things finance-

then there is the laws we have to follow- anti trust, fair housing, State real estate law.

there is A LOT to know and the test and education process is difficult at best and there is really not a lot of money in it for the work we will have to do- ( this is per house), unless you get a fast sale or the house is over 500,000 dollars.

BUT I say that and will be taking my final on monday and my state test on that friday- hopefully all will be good and I pass both tests!!!!

:bump for you

:bump for you

Thanks, Schaele!

My dad is a realtor but I honestly couldn't tell you exactly what he does. :dunno He can be an ass at times which is why my mom divorced him but I will say this he is REALLY good at his job. :yes He's was a good dad for the most part growing up he just had some bad problems.

There's a difference between a Real Estata Agent and a "realtor" - A realtor is an agent who is specifically a member of the National Assocition of Realtors... but the job duties are the same - you can be a listing agent, or a buyer's agent... you negotiate price, find comparables to ensure you're giving your client's the right information....

I'm currently studying for my exam :D

There's a difference between a Real Estata Agent and a "realtor" - A realtor is an agent who is specifically a member of the National Assocition of Realtors... but the job duties are the same - you can be a listing agent, or a buyer's agent... you negotiate price, find comparables to ensure you're giving your client's the right information....

I'm currently studying for my exam :D

ooh good luck with your exam! :D My dad and mom both got theirs but only my dad still does it.

:thinking
I guess I didn't ask what I was actually wanting to know. I'll be needing a realtor/real estate agent in the next few months, and I want a clear understanding of what is acceptable to expect them to do and what to look for in them. I firmly believe that doing something well is sometimes about asking the right person the right question, at the right time. I do get that they will work hard for you...and I'm the type that would just be happy to have a home in the end, then find out that I missed out on something b/c I didn't know to ask.

You can ask them to find houses that fit your paritcular description for what you want in a home... you can ask them to tell you about the area you want to live... you can have them negotiate prices with you...

What would you like your agent to do? Are you selling or buying or?

:thinking
I guess I didn't ask what I was actually wanting to know. I'll be needing a realtor/real estate agent in the next few months, and I want a clear understanding of what is acceptable to expect them to do and what to look for in them. I firmly believe that doing something well is sometimes about asking the right person the right question, at the right time. I do get that they will work hard for you...and I'm the type that would just be happy to have a home in the end, then find out that I missed out on something b/c I didn't know to ask.

Well I don't know how to answer this question but if you want to know something never be worried about asking your realtor. They are there to help you so ask as much questions as you want. :D

Well I don't know how to answer this question but if you want to know something never be worried about asking your realtor. They are there to help you so ask as much questions as you want. :D
Yeah, I guess so. I'm so clueless that I'd also be the one likely to step on their toes unintentionally.
You can ask them to find houses that fit your paritcular description for what you want in a home... you can ask them to tell you about the area you want to live... you can have them negotiate prices with you...

What would you like your agent to do? Are you selling or buying or?

We'll be buying in coming months. We live 5 hours from where we'll be headed though, so we've been window shopping online. There's a realtor from one of the sites that is checking on me periodically through e-mails whether I respond or not, and I feel badly but don't know what to tell her. It feels like it's too early to enlist help, but I don't know what is a realistic timeframe for these things either. Me <---never been a homeowner, obviously.

ok -- here is my suggestion for finding a real estate agent-

call at least 5- you will want to ask- how long they have lived in the area? ( at least a yr IMO)
do you want someone that is military affiliated ? ( we did)

are you taking PTDY? if so you will need to find out what she is willing to do to get you in a house during your TDY leave-

if you are less then 6 months out you need to get a move on- you need to find a realtor or agent who will be dedicated to helping you find a house you want -

get pre qualified now and then ( if you are taking TDY get per approved prior to that) even if it is over 30 days from your PCS date.

your agent will send you a relocation packet- and will have tons of info-

ok -- here is my suggestion for finding a real estate agent-

call at least 5- you will want to ask- how long they have lived in the area? ( at least a yr IMO)
do you want someone that is military affiliated ? ( we did)

are you taking PTDY? if so you will need to find out what she is willing to do to get you in a house during your TDY leave-

if you are less then 6 months out you need to get a move on- you need to find a realtor or agent who will be dedicated to helping you find a house you want -

get pre qualified now and then ( if you are taking TDY get per approved prior to that) even if it is over 30 days from your PCS date.

your agent will send you a relocation packet- and will have tons of info-

Thank you! That's definitely a great starting point. We're USAR, so it's not a military-related move, but it's to an area with a large military base nearby. We're just moving 'cause it fits other plans.

Hey there, I am a Realtor and would love to help you if you have any specific questions. Even if you are not ready yet, you can at least have a Realtor put you on their email list as far as sending you all properties that come on the market so you can be aware of what is out there. I can tell you that the work is much more involved that just showing houses. There are many laws that must be followed and the process from finding you the home and making it to the day of closing requires your Realtor to be on top of everything, i.e., inspections, financing, etc., in order to close. I am still a fairly new Realtor, but it truly is more work that what the client sees. Good luck on finding a house! (If it happens to be in the Shreveport/Bossier area, I would be more than happy to help you:).

Hey there, I am a Realtor and would love to help you if you have any specific questions. Even if you are not ready yet, you can at least have a Realtor put you on their email list as far as sending you all properties that come on the market so you can be aware of what is out there. I can tell you that the work is much more involved that just showing houses. There are many laws that must be followed and the process from finding you the home and making it to the day of closing requires your Realtor to be on top of everything, i.e., inspections, financing, etc., in order to close. I am still a fairly new Realtor, but it truly is more work that what the client sees. Good luck on finding a house! (If it happens to be in the Shreveport/Bossier area, I would be more than happy to help you:).

:blush :blush :blush
I apologize if it came out like I was saying that they didn't do anything but show houses. I truly didn't mean it like that. I guess I'm asking if there are hidden services they perform for the client that doesn't involve complying with laws. For example, if I'm buying a new car from a car lot, I would hope they would perform an inspection first. I would hope they would consider making sure it had recently had the fluids capped off and the oil changed recently. I'm not sure if that's right or fair, but that's the thing...I don't wanna ask a realtor to do something that isn't part of their job. Likewise, I don't want to be the dunce that missed out on something just because I didn't know about it. Not sure I'm helping myself here...:gaah

LOL! I didn't think you came off like that at all. Yes, home inspections, etc., are done. It is all in the contract when you write an offer. The buyer normally will request a home inspection (paid by buyer normally unless seller agrees to take care of it) and termite inspection and your Realtor will set that up. He/She should inform you of all this and walk you through everything. Some buyers will actually not want an inspection done (crazy in my opinion), but they are trying to save money I suppose. I am not sure exactly what you are wondering about, but your Realtor is supposed to look out for your best interests. It is their fiduciary duty to be honest, etc., with you and not "just" sell you a home. So, don't be afraid to ask them everything that you are concerned about. That is what they are there for! I do suggest, if you haven't already, is to get preapproved through a mortgage lender before really looking so that you will have better bargaining power when it comes time to make an offer. Good luck on your new home purchase and new location!!

My mom and grandma are both real estate agents.

Just a suggestion but try to make sure you find a real estate agent/realtor that works for you. Shop around for a realtor before you shop for a house. Find someone that you click with and think actually understands what you want that way you are more likely to get whatever that may be.