5 Real Estate Agent Services You Never Knew About

Everyone knows that licensed real estate agents help people buy and sell homes. Your agent may have additional, hidden talents that you knew nothing about — until now.

1. Guide first-time homebuyers

Saving up to buy your first home does not have to be a long road that you travel alone. In fact, many real estate agents prefer to connect with first-time homebuyers early in their process. They can educate their future clients on how much to save, how to repair their credit, and even help find special funding programs or grants that may be available. 

2. Advise on home additions and remodels

Just because the sale has closed does not mean that you no longer need your real estate agent. Quite the contrary, you should talk to your agent whenever you consider a major home addition or remodeling project. They can perform a comparative market analysis, or CMA, to determine what improvement will help your bottom line in the future. 

3. Negotiate with builders

It is a little-known fact that your agent can help you negotiate with a builder when you build a new home just as easily as they can when you buy an existing home. In fact, it is wise to use a real estate agent to represent you when you build a new house. There is no fee to you to use this service; the builder pays them a commission at closing. 

Realtors can not only negotiate the price but they can also negotiate the level of finishes and included upgrades. Their experienced eyes are also extremely helpful during inspections and walk-throughs. 

4. Rent out your home

On occasion, you may need to rent out your home. Whether you are being transferred to another state or taking a year off to travel the world, there are many reasons you may not want to sell just yet. Instead of dealing with the hassle of online ads on your own, you can hire your real estate to rent your house for you. The fee varies from state to state but is typically a percentage of the monthly rent

5. Educate you on how to become a real estate investor

Many real estate agents are also real estate investors. While some use their expertise for their own benefit, others also teach clients how to invest in real estate with both 'fix and flip' strategies as well as 'buy and hold' techniques. 

There are many real estate agent services available to you. Talk to your agent first whenever you have any questions regarding real estate.