Why you should work with a local realtor

Who you choose to hire as a realtor will have a significant impact on your buying or selling experience, be that positive or negative. Not only is it important to connect with an agent on a personal level, it’s also extremely beneficial to work with an agent who is local to the area you’re buying or selling in. Here’s why:

Firstly, a local realtor knows the local market inside out. If you are buying a home, this gives the realtor a greater chance of finding you a property that is tailored to your specific needs. A house is one thing, but the lifestyle and community that accompanies it can be equally important.

A deep understanding of the micro market benefits the seller too: a good realtor will have toured all the recent sales, giving them detailed knowledge of the comparative properties. They will know how to price a home and understand that there is a lot more than just price per square footage.

Secondly, a local realtor has an established network in that area, and we all know that it’s not necessarily what you know, but who you know. In fact, a local realtor might even be able to show buyers properties that are not yet listed on the market. Because of their connections, they’ll also have a better chance of getting offers accepted too.

As a seller, your realtor’s local network is equally important. I’m not just talking about the transaction process, but also all the work that gets put in before your house is listed: i.e., the home stagers, gardeners, plumbers, electricians, and all the other local experts who are going to help prepare your home for sale.

If a client contacted me saying they wanted to relocate from San Diego to Long Beach, I would help sell their home, but for the buying process I would refer them to a realtor who operates in Long Beach.

Even though I work with both buyers and sellers, if a client of mine wants to purchase in an area I’m not familiar with, it’s in my client’s best interests to refer them to a local realtor, because they’ll be better able to find that client their dream home – and that’s what all of this is about: helping people find their place in this world.  

Until next time,

Wendy