Page 120 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2017

BOSAR REALTOR® power
WHY USE A REALTOR®?
There are many reasons
story by Lynn Lofton
Real estate is a big deal. For most Americans, a home is the most expensive purchase they’ll make in their lifetime. It has significant financial and emotional ramifications. Having proper representation is critical. Members of the Biloxi-Ocean Springs Association of REALTORS® (BOSAR) believe there are many reasons to use a professional for real estate transactions for both buyers and sellers.
“REALTORS® are required to maintain 16 hours of continuing education every two years to keep up with the constant changing market,” says BOSAR President Summer Shelby. “REALTORS® can educate buyers and direct them to the right process for purchasing a home. Otherwise, sellers could be wasting their time showing the home to multiple buyers who can’t afford their home. Qualified buyers are the key to a successful sale process.”
Shelby also points out that realtors have the best connections with large companies such as Mississippi Power and Chevron who use Relocation Services to bring in qualified buyers.
Other reasons include:
FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. When you work with
a REALTORS®, their fiduciary responsibility is to you. That means you have an expert looking out for your best financial interests; someone contractually bound to do everything in their power to protect you.
COMPLEX, EVER-CHANGING REAL ESTATE REGULATIONS. Buying or selling a home is not like purchasing a plane ticket. Every home is different, and laws change every
year and vary from state to state. REALTORS® must stay current with all the updates in regulations, laws, contracts and practices.
HELP FINDING THE RIGHT HOME, BEYOND SQUARE FOOTAGE AND BATHS. “Browsing online
is a terrific way to start a home search,” says BOSAR’s immediate past President Billie Myrick. “In fact, almost 90 percent of people start their home search online. But when it’s time to buy, knowing all the pros and cons of a property can help you make the right decision.”
PRICING AND SELLING A HOME. There are lots of sites where you can view price estimates for your home before you list it for sale, but you take a risk using them. In some markets, online estimates can be off by as much as 35 percent, and they often rely on tax records and data that can be as old as 6-12 months.
CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIATIONS. “Finding the right home is the fun part,” Myrick said. “Then the real work begins. Today’s contracts can be 50 pages long, not counting addendum and riders. REALTORS® can help you navigate these complex documents.”
FOLLOWING A CODE OF ETHICS. When you work with a REALTORS®, you’re partnering with a professional who operates according to a strict code
of ethics that’s been in place for
over 100 years.
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