Let’s Hear It For The Agents!
We’ve spent June celebrating National Homeownership Month. We’ve toasted to those who’ve achieved their life-long dream of owning a home and we’ve honored the accomplishments of those who are helping close the homeownership gap. But who makes it all happen? Who deals with the mountains of paperwork and the legal mumbo jumbo and still passionately advocates for their clients’ interests every step of the home-buying adventure? The homeownership helpers, the home-buyer’s hero—the real estate agent.
What Do Agents Do, Anyway?
The homeownership adventure is full of highs and lows, and sometimes it can seem complicated. Luckily, home buyers don’t have to know everything. Their real estate agent is an expert.
Real estate agents are ultimately advocates and guides. An agent’s job is bigger than finding the perfect home for their clients. From helping people understand the financial aspects of mortgages to finding the right inspector to recommending the best landscaping crew in town, an agent is a fountain of knowledge and someone who can help every step of the way.
A good real estate agent can be the key to a smooth and stress-free experience.
Your Real Estate Agent’s Duties
Every agent conducts business a bit differently. But, after years of research we’ve found seven critical responsibilities that great agents take very seriously.
Some of these duties could seem obvious while others might come as a surprise. Clients may expect an agent to guide them to the best homes in their market that fit their wants and needs but might be surprised to learn that a great agent should also be the quarterback on their home-buying team. A great agent will call the play and move the ball forward by recommending and coordinating a team of other professionals involved in the home-buying process.
This is a lot of people! Having such a big team means it’s important to find an agent who can be a project manager for all these people and fulfill all the duties mentioned. The best agents will be a partner, project manager, and a trusted guide.
Your Partner In Purchase
Kymber Lovett-Menkiti, an agent in Washington D.C., knows that guiding people through their homeownership adventure can be a lot to learn and a lot of people to manage. To alleviate her clients’ fears, she establishes herself as a partner in her client’s journey. As she says in Your First Home, “I take the time to sit down with my clients at the beginning of the process, to explain the complexities and the multiple players involved—from mortgage to insurance to inspectors to appraisers to title. I want them to understand the process and ensure they know that I am with them every step of the way.”
Like all great agents, Kymber knows that first-time homebuyers might be overwhelmed by all the steps and people involved in the process. It’s a great agent’s mission to help their client understand the process and feel taken care of.
In addition to being a skilled project manager, your agent is also your negotiator, your paperwork expert, and your go-to problem solver. This responsibility kicks in the moment you make an offer on a home, and it doesn’t end until you’ve taken ownership of your home. And even then, a great agent will be able to help you with any problems or questions that arise after you’re settled in. They can recommend everyone from the best HVAC service providers to the right neighborhood kid to mow your lawn or clean your gutters.
Your agent is your MVP, but they are playing for your team.
If you’re ready to start a lifelong journey toward homeownership, download the first chapter of Your First Home here. With step-by-step advice on how to approach the home-buying process, this book is meant to help you find and finance your home. Go to YourFirstHomeBook.com for other downloads and to pre-order your copy.
Help us celebrate the folks who make purchasing home simpler, who answer our hundreds of questions, and guide us into homeownership. Do you have a story about an agent who went above and beyond? Share it with us on our KellerINK Facebook page or use the hashtag #kwhomeowner on your social media posts. And, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more articles and research.