Is your Agent Doing Enough?

Everyone knows a real estate agent helps you buy and sell property. But a good agent will do much more than that.

One of the simplest things your real estate agent can do for you is an annual review of the value of your home—whether you’re planning to sell or not. Understanding what your home is worth is as important as understanding the state of your other financial investments. In the same way you meet with your financial advisor every year to discuss your stock and bond portfolio, so too should you sit down with your real estate advisor and learn what might have changed with the value of your property.

If your home is a condo, you’re sure to have occasional questions or concerns—your agent should be able to help with these, too. Perhaps the condo association has decided to hire a management company for the first time, or wants to change to a new management company. Your real estate agent should be able to make some recommendations for you as she or he certainly works closely with management companies in the course of a real estate transaction, and has an understanding of how well – or poorly – the different companies operate

Or maybe your condo association has decided to update the common areas or redecorate the hallways. Who better than your real estate agent, the person who is in and out of properties daily, to offer insight and information about trends in building décor?

Similarly, if you want to do some redecorating or renovation work in your own home, your agent is the perfect person to ask for advice. First, it could be helpful to know what kind of renovations are appealing to buyers in the current market, but it would also be very important to know if the work you are planning is going to add significant value to your home. Tastes change, and while cherry cabinets and granite counter tops were popular 15 years ago, you might ask your agent to inform you of current design preferences.

Remember, too, that your agent was involved in every aspect of your real estate transaction. At tax time when your accountant asks you for the settlement statement from your recent sale or purchase, chances are your agent has a copy to send you. Your agent also is aware of shifts in the mortgage rates and is a good person to ask about the opportunities for a refinance of your mortgage.

Simply put, your agent’s expertise and advice is not limited to a one-time transaction. At Donnelly + Co., once you become our client, we consider you a client for life. And we hope you will always consider us your trusted advisor for all things real estate-related.