What is a REALTOR?
REALTORS are licensed real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS, the New York State Association of REALTORS and their local board or association of REALTORS. They must abide by a strict code of ethics, and their job is to ensure you get what you need throughout the entire home buying and selling process.

For more information on what a REALTOR can do for you throughout the buying and selling processes, read the information below or contact a local board or association of RELATORS in your area. Not all real estate brokers and agents are REALTORS. Look for the REALTOR “R” when you hire a real estate professional.

Home buyers benefit from using a REALTOR
Buying a home is probably the biggest single investment you’ll ever make. When purchasing a home, it’s a good idea to surround yourself with knowledgeable people within the real estate industry, including a true professional – your local REALTOR.

  • A REALTOR helps a buyer determine how much home they can actually afford. Often a REALTOR can suggest additional ways to accrue the down payment and explain alternative financing methods.
  • A REALTOR has access to thousands of listings and can evaluate those listings in terms of affordability and suitability – size, style, features, location, etc. A REALTOR will not waste time showing homes that do not meet their needs.
  • A REALTOR can supply information on real estate values, taxes, utility costs, municipal services and facilities, and may be aware of proposed zoning changes that could affect a consumer’s decision to buy.
  • A REALTOR can often suggest changes within an available home that could make it more suitable to a buyer’s needs.
  • A REALTOR has no emotional ties to available homes therefore he/she can point out advantages and disadvantages in an objective manner.
  • When a REALTOR is acting as a buyer’s agent, he/she will negotiate the most favorable price and terms on behalf of the buyer.
  • A REALTOR usually knows the local money market and can tell a buyer about financing options.
  • A REALTOR can explain the closing process in advance and tell a buyer if local law requires an attorney to be present. A REALTOR can provide the buyer with a list of qualified attorneys if the buyer doesn’t have one. 

 

Want to figure out the estimated cost of purchasing that dream home? Use this worksheet.

Not too sure what to look for when walking through an open house? Here’s a handy checklist.

Source: New York State Association of REALTORS