Do You Trust Real Estate Agents?

Do You Trust Real Estate Agents?

REALTOR® Notebook

Trust is always an issue between consumers and salespeople. We make money by selling a house, and that causes buyers to question our motives when we say the home is a great property or "now is the best time to buy real estate."

My job is not to deceive buyers, but to present the homes I have listed in the best possible light. Even in today's market, once a listing has been on the market for more than three months, buyers become suspicious that there is something wrong with it.

Buyers have little awareness of what market times should be, or what they once were. First-time homebuyers, in particular, have a negative reaction to homes that have been on the market six months or more.

As an agent, I would love to know: What is wrong with buying a home that has been on the market for six months or two years? There are so many other factors to consider. Where is the home located? How many times has the price been reduced? Has the home had repairs or improvements made to it since it was first listed?

Sometimes sellers will take less money for a home that has been on the market for months or years, and that could be a good thing for a homebuyer.

If a consumer asks me how long a home has been on the market, I give them a complete history. If they ask me the date that it was listed, I give it to them. I provide that information for my buyers on any home they are interested in.

If a home is priced right and is located in the buyers' preferred neighborhood and has the amenities and features that the buyer is looking for, it should not matter how long the home has been on the market.

If I, Tami Winbury Keller Williams Realty, am representing the sellers, it is my job to market the home and to make it look as appealing to buyers as possible.

Eventually, consumers will have all of the information about homes on the market that agents have. I think that will be a good thing. Consumers really should not have to ask how long a home has been on the market.

For more information call Tami Winbury Keller Williams Realty 805-798-3412

View http://www.liveojai.com to view properties for sale.

Teresa Boardman is a broker in St. Paul, Minn.