How Real Estate Agents Help Make the Most of Your Property

Finding qualified buyers, handling paperwork, and helping you close: These tasks might come to mind when you think about a real estate agent’s work. 

But agents do more than just that. They have the professional know-how and insights to give their clients sound advice on everything from market conditions to which renovations to make (and skip). 

Forgoing the for-sale-by-owner route and opting for an agent means gaining a personal advisor. A realtor’s advice—especially on improving the appearance and buyer appeal of a property—can help you make a quicker, more lucrative sale. So, hiring this professional is well worth it.

Here are six ways a real estate agent can help you make the most of your property. 

Referring an inspector

Homeowners should, and often must, have their properties inspected before completing a sale. A professional home inspection surfaces issues with the home, like electrical or plumbing problems, that could cause a major headache for the next homeowner. It’s only natural for a prospective buyer to want to know about these necessary repairs so they can make the purchase contingent upon the seller’s making them or negotiate a lower sale price in exchange for accepting the house as-is. 

Savvy sellers can get ahead of the curve by having an inspection done before anyone asks—in turn, determining whether to make essential repairs to attract potential buyers. And a real estate professional can recommend an excellent contact for the job. You want to work with the best possible inspector since this person is responsible for pointing out issues that could influence your ability to sell your home swiftly and for the best price. 

Recommending renovations 

Realtors know what buyers want. They’re up on aesthetic trends and common needs in the real estate market. So, realtors are great sources of information on which renovations are worth doing to boost appeal and which changes could have the opposite effect. It’s far wiser to take the advice of someone in the know than to renovate guided by instincts or your personal style.

According to a recent Yahoo! Finance report advised by a real estate agent, buyers want energy-efficient and “smart” upgrades, contemporary kitchens and bathrooms, inviting outdoor spaces, and fresh paint and floors. Your agent will be able to add to this list by leveraging what they’ve experienced first-hand working with buyers. Perhaps, if you live in a colder climate, it’s much more important to buyers to have excellent windows that keep interiors warm than a trendy outdoor seating area. 

Referring contractors

You can spend your weekends painting walls and landscaping your yard, but some renovations and repairs aren’t as DIY-friendly. As you prepare your home for sale, you’ll likely need to hire some contractors. 

And an agent’s referrals go a long way. Hiring a sub-par contractor service can lead to slow work that stalls your go-to-market timeline or errors you end up paying to fix. Save yourself from a nightmare situation by asking your realtor about reliable contractors they’ve worked with before.  

Guiding you through staging

Staging is the process of making your home more aesthetically pleasing to buyers by removing personal items and replacing your decor with universally attractive items. For example, you might swap out the family photos hanging on your walls for trendy artwork and switch your cozy comforter for one that makes your bedroom look like a luxury hotel. Staging helps home buyers feel like they’re getting a property that’s move-in ready and that they can imprint their personality upon. In other words, a staged property is easier for a buyer to imagine themself in. 

Staging doesn’t just benefit you, the seller; it’s a perk for an agent, too, who gets to show off an even more attractive home and generate interest more quickly. So, a real estate agent may encourage you to take this step and can provide you with contacts for professional stagers in your area. These pros are generally trained in interior design or similar fields, have furniture and decor for rent, and can maximize your home’s spatial and aesthetic potential. Some services may also be able to help you clean and declutter, ensuring your spaces look their best. 

Marketing your property

You don’t have to be an expert marketer when working with an agent because they are. Your realtor will help your property shine on websites, social media, ads, and the multiple listing service (MLS).

A good real estate agent will get creative, pushing past professional photos of the space and offering high-quality videos, drone footage, and even GIFs—anything to help your property rise to the top of local market listings.

Helping with open houses and viewings

Interested buyers will want to see their potential future home in person, so you’ll have to show your space in one-on-one viewings and open houses—a scheduled window when folks can drop by without an appointment. Your property should look (and smell) its best for these occasions, and real estate agents can provide tips on making your home welcoming. For example, the National Association of Realtors recommends skipping time-honored tips like baking cookies, using potpourri, or putting out gourmet eats. And agents reiterate the importance of cleaning, decluttering, and driving curb appeal with last-minute landscaping before buyers arrive. 

What’s more, the agent will take the reins with visitors, highlighting your home’s features and using their sales skills to get buyers excited about the property. They’ll also pace the tour correctly, not letting viewers overstay their welcome in your space. 

A real estate agent could also be your key to financing 

One way a real estate agent can help you make the most of your property is by helping you secure Titus financing for repairs and renovations. Everyone deserves to get their home in the best possible shape before putting it on the market, boosting interest and earnings. 

Home sellers working with a Titus-affiliated realtor gain access to one of the best agents in the industry and a unique financing product known as a closing line of credit (CLoC). These credit lines are intended for repairs or renovations to help you maximize your home sale. You pay nothing upfront or out-of-pocket, and credits of up to $25,000 are interest-free. Learn how it works here.