Doing Your Real Estate Homework

Being a real estate agent in today’s economy has become a real challenge. Real estate has completely shifted from what it was even just five years ago. Home prices have dramatically dropped, banks have tightened their lending, short sales and foreclosures are at a record high.

What this means is that most people are losing money that they were counting on. This is a breeding ground for deep fear to arise. This fear translates into the dramatic drop in loyalty. People feel so scared so they lump all agents into one big category and this is a dangerous choice.

Like with every profession, there are real estate agents out there who think that just because they passed a test they know how to do real estate. There is so much more to this profession than just simply having a piece of paper saying that you are an agent. We are here to gently remind you that there are some of us real estate professionals who take real estate very seriously.

For us, we are proud to say that real estate is our profession. Because we know our craft so well we have literally helped save people from financial ruin. We are constantly taking classes, reading reports, going to workshops, generating information and getting certifications. This is not a hobby for us! Simply put, selling real estate is how we feed our families.

Recently, we have experienced a number of very well-meaning people who simply “switched” agents without really understanding that we do the work first and then get paid. They were not unhappy with our work, they just got bored and wanted a new agent. We ask that if you are unhappy with your agent then respect that person’s time and efforts to give him/her feedback and attempt to work out the kinks. Switching agents on a whim, especially after they have spent dozens of hours working on your behalf, simply disrespects their time and literally puts their family in financial jeopardy.

How do you know who the good agents are? They are the ones who not only do real estate but also support our Holliston community. They volunteer their time. They financially support organizations and people who make a big difference. Good agents understand that it takes a village and contribute to that village getting better.

We like to say that the “village” of Holliston’s main industry is “raising children.” Real estate agents are the watch dogs of our community. Having good agents in town who bring in a good flow of people helps keep our property values up and our tax rate down. Empty or abandoned homes help no one. Agents know this and do their best to help keep our Holliston community the best it can be.