Why You Should Hire a Realtor

Today's housing market is tough for homeowners looking to buy or sell a home.

Many try to go it alone, assuming that the process can't be too difficult. Unfortunately, many homeowners and potential homeowners who attempt to buy or sell a home on their own quickly discover why the role of a Realtor is so important.

What is a Realtor

All Realtors are real estate agents, but not all real estate agents are Realtors. The fact is many agents are not actually Realtors.

A real estate agent becomes a Realtor only when he or she joins the National Association of Realtors.

The National Association of Realtors was founded more than a century ago and is made up of a national network of Realtors who are involved in residential and commercial real estate through a variety of roles, including brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers and counselors.

The organization provides professional development, real estate research and a venue to exchange information for its membership.

One of the primary requirements for a real estate agent to become a Realtor is to abide by the National Association of Realtors' strict Code of Ethics, which was first established in 1913.

The National Association of Realtors' Code of Ethics outlines the behavior expected of all Realtors. Based on the Code of Ethics, Realtors must:

• Demonstrate loyalty to their clients;
• Take on a fiduciary, or legal, duty to their clients;
• Exhibit cooperation with competitors;
• Establish truthfulness in all statements and advertising; and
• Not interfere in the exclusive relationships between other Realtors and their clients.

The Benefits of Hiring a Realtor

In addition to abiding by the National Association of Realtor's strict Code of Ethics, Realtors bring to the real estate table several additional benefits.

When you hire a Realtor, you are hiring a real estate specialist.

There are more than 2 million real estate professionals through the United States, but less than half of these real estate professionals can call themselves Realtors.

Through their membership in the National Association of Realtors, these real estate experts have access to advanced educational opportunities and can earn accreditation in real estate sub-specialties, such as Buyer's Representation, Residential Real Estate Expertise or Internet Readiness.

Realtors help to lower the homebuyer's or seller's risk.

Buying or selling a home is a legal transaction with many components. Many homeowners and potential homeowners can become lost within the process and are at risk of making decisions that are not in their best interest.

A Realtor, however, has significant experience in the legal process of buying and selling homes and can make recommendations that will help their clients make smart and safe real estate decisions.

By hiring a Realtor, you can gain access to information.

Many homes are bought or sold without a "For Sale" sign ever going up. These days, consumers who are in the market to buy or sell a home probably go online to check out listings on the Internet. These consumers might even have an idea how MLS data can assist them.

One fact these Internet savvy individuals might not know, however, is that MLS data can take up to 10 days to be updated. That home you have fallen in love with could already be sold. When you hire a Realtor, however, you will gain insight into the current real estate market because Realtors will network with each other and share valuable information. By working with a Realtor, you could find your new home before it even hits the open market.