Whether you plan to buy or sell a house, it’s in your best interest to work with a real estate agent who has experience helping clients in the local area. An agent who knows the community inside and out can give you detailed information and guide you through the process.
A Local Agent Understands the Community
If you’re looking for a new home, you have to consider a lot more than just the size and layout of a house. You need to know about the neighborhood, the quality of the schools, crime rates, traffic patterns, local tax rates and recent trends. You will also need to know if a house you’re considering has an easement or is subject to another type of restriction that could limit your ability to use it for certain purposes.
Real estate agents who work in the same area for a long period of time develop an extremely detailed understanding of the communities they serve. A knowledgeable local agent will be able to answer your questions about a wide range of matters.
A Local Agent has Contacts
If you plan to buy a house and fix it up before you move in, or if you need to have some repairs made to your current home before you put it on the market, you will need to find a qualified contractor. If you plan to buy a house, you will need to have it inspected before you go ahead with a purchase. Real estate agents develop networks of trusted contacts, including contractors, home inspectors and others who can help you.
A Local Agent Will Know About Upcoming Changes
Communities change. New housing developments may spring up, new businesses may open, tax rates may rise, and school districting lines may be redrawn. Those types of changes can affect your lifestyle and property values.
Real estate agents make sure they know exactly what’s going on, what’s in the pipeline, and what’s being considered in the communities they serve. A local agent will be able to pass that information on to you.
A Local Agent Understands Market Trends
A real estate agent knows the direction the local market is taking. Local agents also view large numbers of houses in the same area on a regular basis. That means they know what types of amenities other properties have and how much other houses have sold for, which may be important to you if you plan to sell your house. A local agent can also tell you if a house you’re thinking about buying is priced reasonably, compared to the overall real estate market in the area.
