There are a lot of REALTORS® out there.  But, what makes a REALTOR® the right person to help you buy or sell a home?  Buyers and sellers all have different reasons for selecting their agents; some people work with an agent based on a recommendation from friends or family, others interview several agents, and others head to the internet.  While there are many ways to find an agent, selecting a local REALTOR® to work with you is always beneficial.  Why?  Keep reading to find out.

What is local?

The idea of a local REALTOR® may be a little different depending on where you live.  In a large metropolis, an agent may be an expert in a specific section of the city.  In a rural area, being local may mean working over a few small towns.  Working with a local REALTOR® doesn’t necessarily mean only using an agent who lives on your street, but partnering with someone who has had experience buying and selling properties in your neighborhood.  Here are some questions to ask a REALTOR® when you are trying to find the right person for you.

Local REALTORS® are local market experts

Local markets, like Locust Grove and Unionville, can be very similar, but they can also be different.  Having an agent that is familiar with these differences can help you sell a home faster through more accurate pricing.  Selecting a local agent who is familiar with the small niche markets provides you as the buyer or the seller with an experienced expert.  For example, two similar homes in different areas can have different market values.  A three bedroom two bathroom home in Locust Grove on a couple acres may list for more than a similar home in Gordonsville.  While looking on a map, these two communities seem close to each other, in reality, the real estate market in these areas is different.  A local REALTOR® will know this.

Local REALTORS® are also aware of any trends and features that buyers are searching for in a home in your area. They can suggest staging to highlight theses features in your home or guide buyers towards homes in neighborhoods with these features.

Local REALTORS® have local connections

Home inspections can turn up things that need to be fixed.  A home appraiser can flag an item to be repaired before a home can close.  In these cases, having a local REALTOR® can help you get these things repaired faster by giving you recommendations to local contractors who can do the work.   Agents from outside the area also have people to recommend, but these contractors may not be willing to make the drive.

Local REALTORS can also help you find local lenders and title companies that keep everything in the home buying process close to the property.  They also know the good local coffee spots and how long it will really take you to drive to X.

Local REALTORS® are nearby

The lockbox is not operating properly, and the buyers can’t get in the home. The contractor shows up earlier than expected and you aren’t home yet.  You have a trip scheduled on the only weekend the painters are available.  In these situations, having a local REALTOR ® is invaluable.   Your real estate agent is here to help you when the unexpected arises by coordinating schedules of contractors, problem solving a newly discovered issue, and being available to help.  There have been numerous times I have helped buyers access the home, let a contractor or inspector into a property, or coordinated other fixes.  I can do this because I am local.  Agents who are further away from the property don’t have that flexibility in their schedules or their drive time to the property is too long.