Let me preface this article by saying that I am not a real estate agent. I’m a webdesigner and internet marketer for real estate agents, primarily. Let me also say that the reason I work primarily with real estate is that I believe it is the single most important thing that anyone can invest in, and I feel that doing this without the services of a licensed Realtor is a big mistake.
I’ve met perhaps 50 agents on a level that I can call them friends, or at the least, friendly acquaintances. I have realtor friends from Connecticutt to Florida…from Alabama to Las Vegas, and on to more in California. I’ve met many female realtors and many male ones. I even have a close Realtor friend in St George, Utah that is a dedicated Mormon…and we spend hours discussing religion and politics! (Mitt Romney – Ack!)
With all these agents that I’ve known, worked with, and often email daily, the vast majority of them are wonderful people. There is almost no such thing as a real estate agent who is not smart, because the licensing requirement is tough. The test is so hard that very often even intelligent people have to take it several times to pass.
A real estate agent has to have an entrepreneurial streak, a bit more ambition than most, and the self confidence to make a living on commissions. If you think about it, about 75% of America works for someone else. From menial fast food clerks to CEO’s at the local bank, the majority of Americans depend on someone else to give them a check each month, and will go from one job straight into another if they become unemployed. Realtors are self-employed, and most earn their living by hard work and creative marketing.
A good real estate agent learns his craft. A great one learns his area and the homes and properties there like the back of his hand. He spends the time LOOKING at the homes and condos for sale in his city, and learns about foreclosures and 1031 Exchange options so that he can better advise his clients about where to invest their money. He realizes that honesty is not only a requirement, but will pay off in its own merit by building his customer base from referrals and friendships he forges from his very first sales.
Several of my closest realtor friends are the top agents in some of the hottest real estate locations in the US…Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Orange County, CA. Three are women. All three have been in the business for 20-plus years, and all three are of the highest integrity. They value their homes, their families, their communities, and their clients. They also get more than half of the customers in their very successful careers from word-of-mouth referrals and prior customers. They aren’t greedy. They are all scrupulously honest, and they all provide a service to their buyers and sellers that is worth its weight in gold.
I’ve heard it said that 95% of all “FSBO” (For sale by owner) attempts fail, and the sellers end up finding an agent after they’ve wasted the time trying to sell the property themselves. Why?
Because an agent lives and breathes to sell real estate. They don’t work 9 to 5 and go home to veg out in front of the TV. I would suspect the average successful real estate agent works at least 12 hours a day for 6 or more days a week.
A Realtor spends more money than you can imagine on advertising mediums such as the MLS, (Multiple Listing Service) expensive websites, internet advertising or search engine optimization, signage, open house events, brochures, newspaper and magazine advertisements, and many other mediums that are used – at the AGENT’S EXPENSE – to sell property.
It may be hard to believe, but they earn every dollar they make on a commission. By the time that commission is split between their broker, a possible listing agent, the cost of running their business, and the fees and taxes that come along with it, they are not making the huge amounts of income that most people think they make.
Very successful agents like my friend Diann in Las Vegas eventually go from hiring an assistant to building a company with 15 agents working under her while she pays the bills and finds the customers. Some agents are better at selling, while some love to find sellers to list their properties and work one-on-one with them. Some prefer to take on a buyer, spend their time showing properties, sharing their knowledge of the area, advising them about investments, and helping them to find the home or oceanfront condo at the beach that they have always dreamed of. Most do it all.
Whatever their specialty, a good real estate agent is the most valuable asset that a seller or buyer can have, and like choosing a family doctor, you should find one that you like, trust, and feel comfortable with. Ask for references, check their backgrounds, look deep into their eyes, and know that you are not wasting your money, but putting your trust in someone who knows the ins and outs of buying and selling real estate. Your realtor can prevent you from making mistakes that may be impossible to live with once they are made.
A home or vacation property will be the biggest investment you will ever make. A realtor is a property professional the way your doctor is a medical professional. Choose a wise counselor to help you with real estate decisions, and you will never regret it.
For information on Myrtle Beach Real Estate, Myrtle Beach condos, Land for sale in Myrtle Beach, or questions about 1031 tax exchange requirements, contact the professionals at the Myrtle Beach Condo Store.
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