SAMCAR UPDATES by OLIVIA EDWARDS, PRESIDENT SAMCAR 2009 

If you have a question for Olivia call her at 650-888-2910

or email Olivia@PlatGRE.com

How many times in your life do you buy or sell a home? Four times, if you are an average homebuyer. That does not provide you with much experience in making one of the most significant financial decisions in your life. Buying a home is a very different experience than selling one and sometimes you do both at the same time. Having an advocate in the form of a REALTOR® to help guide you through the process is paramount to a successful experience. However, most people don’t quite know what they should expect from their REALTOR®. Olivia Edwards, 2009 President of the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS®, shares the following “expectation lists” of a REALTOR® on both the buyer and seller sides. If the REALTOR® you have chosen meets these expectations, the entire process of your buying and/or selling will not only be successful, but will also be a positive experience.

SELLER: TOP 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOUR REALTOR®

  1. Expect your REALTOR® to be early at all appointments: Being early is a sign of being thoughtful and conscientious.
  2. Expect your REALTOR® to do a comparative market analysis, which will include most recent sales, pending sales, active listings, expireds, withdrawn and cancelled listings, and an explanation of the determination of price. 
  3. Expect your REALTOR® to be enthusiastic, to coach you and guide you to make your home more appealing in this market
  4. Expect your REALTOR® to demonstrate their commitment to getting the highest possible price for your property through their presentation, mind set, preparation, network, communication skills, market knowledge and value proposition.
  5. Expect your REALTOR® to find out your best mode and frequency of communication and expect them to follow your request.
  6. Expect your REALTOR® to connect you with other top notch professionals like mortgage brokers, lenders, inspectors, title officers etc.; you are still the final decision maker.
  7. Expect your REALTOR® to bring the market to you through an intensive marketing plan especially using internet marketing, high resolution professional photos/virtual tour, and expect them to tell you the truth about the facts, even though it may be hard for you to hear at times.
  8. Expect your REALTOR® to be strong and keep your goals in mind, because in a highly stressful situation like selling a house, you might not be as patient as you’d like.
  9. Expect your REALTOR® to start the negotiation process on your behalf from the moment you meet them.
  10. Expect your REALTOR® to consistently follow up with you after the sale, to send you a copy of your HUD statement in the beginning of your tax year, and to have a sale follow up program tailored to your needs.

In choosing who to represent you in your real estate transaction be sure to ask if your agent is a REALTOR®. Did you know not every real estate licensee is a REALTOR®? The term REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,100 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County. For more information, please contact SAMCAR at 650.696.8200. San Mateo County sales statistics, news stories and press releases are available on SAMCAR’s web site at www.samcar.org.