Real Estate Transactions...... Be careful what you click!

In this day of online everything, the world is a smaller and more familiar place. The internet has availed buyers and sellers to information that aids them in determining much in preparation to buy or sell a property. It has become so open and freely available, that it encourages customers to have confidence to enter into transactions and ventures without due caution. We have all watched the television shows where a couple buys a house , fixes it up and earns a tidy profit. What is seldom shown, in true light, is the hidden dangers. MOST of the time, there are other factors that may have been either prevented or risk reduced by using a professional facilitator. In the case of real restate, this means a licensed Realtor. There are many well known online sources to find real estate and gain information like the big Z company and many others. But what you don’t know is how accurate and reliable their information is and that they are not responsible for anything you do as a result of reading their posts and advertising. The reason Realtors exist to to coordinate and facilitate transactions. We as Realtors perform according to a code of ethics and remain accountable.

Most buyers do not understand that they normally do not pay for the services of having a Realtor as their agent. A commission is paid to each brokerage out of the sellers proceeds at closing unless other agreements have been made in advance. It is absolutely essential to have a qualified agent working for you and protecting your interest. This occurs through the agent’s knowledge, research an negotiation when considering acquiring a property or eliminating it from consideration. Agents benefit when a market knowledgable customer is served, however there is no substitution for local knowledge and recent experience. At a convention with one of the largest online real estate marketing companies, the CEO stated “ We compile and distribute information, but there is no replacement for the local agents and their personal knowledge of the market”. He further stated that their estimates were generated from algorithms developed by their company, which is based in the State of Oregon.

There is a trend of online marketers to encourage buyers and sellers to transact without competent representation. We consider every property your investment of the future and care about your risk. One of the most overlooked issues is home security. As we engage more and more with internet based companies we move farther away from personal interaction and knowing who we are dealing with. As a Florida licensed Broker Associate in Panama City Beach Florida, I am knowledgeable about my market and varying degrees of markets across the State. We also work in networks with other Realtors to provide personal service to customers or connect them with reliable service in other areas that we may not serve. We encourage customers to do advanced research, but be curious and question everything. A fancy ad is no indication of accuracy or reliability. Be prudent and ask questions. Develop a relationship with an agent that you trust. We believe that the effective buying or selling of any property depends on a team relationship with our customers.

If we can be of assistance to you as a buyer, seller or just wanting to know more about the market and property values, please contact us.

Bob Douglas, Realtor
Broker/Owner