Sunday, June 01, 2008

Seniors Real Estate Comes In Many Flavors!

Seniors real estate listings, through duly licensed real estate agents are the best way to go if you are selling or buying property! After making this statement, let's paint a real life picture and see why this is the best path to follow.

It's amazing the variety of free advice you'll get when you announce you're going to sell your house in the open real estate market.

Your next door neighbor will tell you to stick up a for sale sign, and in time a buyer will stumble onto your door step. The flip side of this sage advice is to throw an ad in the local shoppers newspaper and your phone will ring off the hook

The rationale behind all of such counsel is really sincerely given and altruisitic in nature! Accompanying this advice are tales of miraculous profits made by legendary senior sellers who went agentless.

Your neighbor had heard about these Robin Hoods down at the barber shop. Seniors who actually sold their property this way.

Don't scoff at them! Your would be advisors are simply trying to save you a few percentage points off the sale price that would go to a real estate agent.

And you know what real estate agents are like, they say with a wink and a nod. An agent will drag your real estate listing out until Rip Van Winkle goes back to sleep.

Okay, let's identify real estate agents!

  1. They are men and women in good legal standing in the local community. If they had a criminal record of even a minor nature they would never receive an agent's license.
  2. They had to attend a legally specified number of hours of real estate training at an accredited real estate school.
  3. They had to pass a state administered test and investigation to acquire a real estate license. This enables them to practice their profession within the state.
  4. They had to then work under the administration of a licensed real estate broker.

A very wise man once said that it only takes an hour to learn how to operate an automobile and get a drivers license. But it takes a life time of experience to learn how to drive a car safely and live through it.

A real estate agent, newly minted license in hand, is authorized to practice the business. But he/she will spend countless more hours and days studying. They will need hands on understanding of the intricacies of marketing the transfer of property within their areas.

First they must grasp the world of real estate marketing. They will then immerse themselves in the details of legally transferring the ownership of property under their direction.

There is much more to buying and selling property, than just being a senior, and putting up a sign or placing an ad in a newspaper.

A licensed real estate agent will give you the entry into the wonderful world of the MLS. The Multiple Listing Service. Your property, once it's listed on the MLS will be seen by the eyes of thousands of real estate agents and brokers.

A prospective buyer for your listing may already exist and be represented by another agent. Your agent will be contacted and a sale may be in the offing. Don't concern yourself with tales of taking a long time to make a sale.

Be an informed senior, and understand that your real estate agent won't be paid until your property sells and clears escrow.

Your agent wants to sell your seniors real estate listing just as much, and as fast as you do. They will do everything possible to make the sale happen quickly.

© Raymond Angus


Raymond Angus is a widely read author of articles and books. He writes about fellow seniors and their world. To read more of his writing turn to: http://www.theseniorslife.com