A real estate salesperson is more than just a
"sales person." They act on your behalf as your agent, providing
you with advice and guidance and doing a job - helping you buy or
sell a home. While it is true they get paid for what they do, so do
other professions that provide advice, guidance, and have a service
to sell --such as Certified Public Accountants and Attorneys.
The Internet has opened up a world of information
that wasn't previously available to homebuyers and seller. The data
on listings available for sale is almost current - but not quite.
There are times when you need the most current information about
what has sold or is for sale, and the only way to get that is with
an agent.
If you're selling a home, you gain access to the
most buyers by being listed in the Multiple Listing Service. Only a
licensed real estate agent who is a member of your local MLS can get
you listed there - which then gets you automatically listed on some
of the major real estate web sites. If you're buying or selling a
home, the MLS is your agent's best tool.
However, the role of an agent has changed in the
last couple of years. In the past, agents were the only way home
buyers and sellers could access information. Now agents are
evolving. Because today's home buyers and sellers are so much
better informed than in the past, expertise and ability are becoming
more important.
The real estate agent is becoming more of a
"guide" than a "salesperson" -- your personal representative in
buying or selling a home.
