Real estate agency or private realtor: who is better to choose?

For many people buying or selling real estate is a serious decision, as it involves a large amount of money. If there is no experience in the purchase or sale of housing, it is best to immediately turn to professionals, as there is a risk of becoming a victim of fraudsters or not to take into account important nuances in the registration of the purchase and sale transaction. But here the question arises, what is better - to use the services of a private realtor or contact a real estate agency? In this article we will consider the main differences between cooperation with an individual specialist and with an agency.

Private realtor and real estate agency: what are the differences?

Those who are far from the nuances of the work of real estate professionals, most likely, do not understand what the difference between a private realtor and an agency. But it is there, and a significant one at that. Let's consider all the important differences:

• Financial benefit. Through a real estate agency is really faster to find a buyer or seller, as he has a better database of clients, which also increases the chances of a favorable deal. At the same time, a private realtor has a small base, but he can offer lower commissions.

• Legal support. A real estate agency most often already has a lawyer or an entire legal department on its staff. Experts promptly check the legal cleanliness of the transaction and all the documents, draw up a sale and purchase agreement, etc. A private realtor most often does not have the appropriate education, so he is not competent in many matters and can not provide legal support to clients. If you also get to an unscrupulous specialist, he can turn a blind eye to suspicious points in the documents in order to conclude the deal and get a commission.

• Guarantees. When cooperating with a real estate agency, the buyer or seller enters into a contract that clearly spells out the rights and obligations of the parties. If something goes wrong, the client can always demand compensation, according to the terms specified in the contract. Work with a private realtor is often unofficial, so in case of conflict, the client will not be able to prove anything and demand their money back.

• Marketing. A real estate agency has a well-established marketing strategy for quick and profitable sale of apartments. In addition, experts use different channels to advertise the object. At the same time, private realtors most often do not want to spend on expensive advertising and at most can pay for an ad on thematic Internet sites.

• Experience and skills. A good real estate agency cares about the development of its specialists, so they invest time, effort and money in their training. Thanks to this, agents know how to negotiate properly, how to prepare an apartment for sale, what documents the seller will need, and can also explain in detail what taxes will have to be paid in different situations. Given the lower commission and correspondingly lower earnings of a private realtor, he is not always ready to invest financially in his training.

A real estate agency is also characterized by ensuring that the client has constant access to services and support. More often than not, a buyer or seller is assigned a specific agent who is in charge of the transaction, so he or she is fully involved in the process and knows all the nuances. But it is important to realize that not all agents are willing to meet with the client after hours, while a private realtor can be more flexible for the sake of earnings.

Why it is better to go for a real estate agency

With more and more real estate buyers and sellers wanting high service when buying or selling a home, a real estate agency will be the right choice for them. A private realtor is not able to provide quality service, as most often he does not even have an office. You will have to discuss the terms of cooperation either over the phone or at a meeting on neutral territory, for example, in a cafe.

Here are a few more reasons why you should choose a real estate agency for selling or buying an apartment:

• reputation - well-known real estate agencies have been in the market for a long time and have earned their reputation, which can be confirmed by numerous positive customer reviews;

• staff of specialists - the agency has a team of experienced professionals, including administrators, realtors, lawyers and a notary, which allows them to provide services quickly and efficiently;

• database of objects - the agency has its own database, at the same time they often cooperate with other companies and can find a suitable option in a short time;

• market knowledge - the agency employs specialists who know the market well and will help to correctly calculate the cost of the object so that it is favorable for the seller and suitable for buyers.

When contacting a real estate agency, the client does not just receive high service and individual approach. Thanks to professional verification of documents and cooperation under an official contract, he also gets peace of mind, as a team of experts guarantees the purity of the transaction and reduces the risk of fraud to zero.