A: Banish all delusions that we are in a temporary situation and that the market will return to a condition that one might consider normal. Successful agents help their clients accept the market as it is and focus on identifying opportunities. It is the joint work of the agent and client to take advantage of changing circumstances.
Successful Realtors understand a market’s evolution. This is not a part-time job; it requires constant vigilance and includes talking to other brokers, buyers and sellers every day. Agents also study inventory levels, market statistics and macroeconomic trends. For example, we know that market dynamics have changed dramatically since last spring. Strategies that were fruitful last spring may be ineffective right now.
That is why trying to buy or sell a property without partnering with a real estate agent is like trying to do a self-appendectomy without a surgeon. Not only can it be painful, you would be lacking in an experienced professional’s point of view. A plethora of information is available on the Internet, but real market intelligence takes a while before it goes online. By that time, the opportunity may be gone.
John Solaegui,
Paragon Real Estate Group, (415) 738-7232, [email protected]
