Mel's Columbia, SC Blog: Why use a REALTOR in a Real Estate Transaction?

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Why use a REALTOR in a Real Estate Transaction?

All real estate agents ARE NOT the same!

Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR "®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84 percent of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.

Last year, a large independent real estate company in the Greater Columbia area dropped out of the Realtor organization. With this dubious move, all agents in their company instantly became real estate sales agents rather than professional Realtors. Obviously this was done as a measure to allow agents that don't sell many homes to "save" money. Maybe these agents should not be in the real estate field if they cannot afford this one important "expense" to be in the real estate business. Yes, it does cost individual agents some money to be a member of the National Association of Realtors - but, there are many benefits to the agent and their clients. First for consumers, an obligation by a Professional Realtor to follow a strict Code of Ethics. There is more, including: more professional training opportunties, more Internet presence as a benefit for listing marketing, and, support of important national and local political issues that support homeownership (Washington politicians are always thinking of stupid ideas that will hurt home ownership).

When you work with a Greater Columbia, SC real estate sales agent, make sure that agent is listed as a Professional Realtor at Realtor.com. Check your "sales agent" out to be sure they are a Professional Realtor!

Mel Coker IS a professional Realtor! Mel is a member of the National Association of Realtors, South Carolina Association of Realtors and Central Carolina Realtors Association. Mel Coker believes in ongoing professional education and holds the following important real estate designations: CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES and e-PRO.