| When going to buy or sell a home, your first | | | | home buyer, the realtor can provide you with |
| step should be finding an honest and | | | | information about homes for sale that meet |
| hard-working realtor. You can find a real | | | | your criteria. They will then bring you to |
| estate agent by keeping an eye out for | | | | these homes and let you inside to see them. |
| advertisements, calling your local real | | | | If you are selling a home, the realtor will |
| estate broker, or through the internet. Some | | | | list your home in the MLS, post a "For Sale" |
| popular real estate brokers are Century 21, | | | | sign in your yard, and hold open houses to |
| Remax, Keller Williams, and Coldwell Banker, | | | | attract buyers. Be wary of discount realtors |
| just to name a few.The role of a real estate | | | | that offer to list your home for a lower |
| agent is to represent your best interests in | | | | commission. Studies show that, in most |
| a real estate transaction. They work off of a | | | | cases, your home will stay on the market |
| commission, normally 6% of the sales price of | | | | longer and you end up selling it for a lower |
| the home. In most cases, that commission is | | | | price than what you intended.A real estate |
| split equally between the realtor | | | | transaction is a complicated process that |
| representing the buyer and the realtor | | | | involves many steps and is best done with the |
| representing the seller. For a person buying | | | | help of a trained, licensed professional. A |
| a home, the service of the real estate agent | | | | realtor can save you the headache of dealing |
| is free, because commission is paid by the | | | | with the other party in the sale, getting |
| seller. The buyer, however, is responsible | | | | together the contract, and submitting all the |
| for most of the closing costs. The closing | | | | documents to the title company. So when you |
| costs will be explained to you by your | | | | are ready to buy or sell a house, contact the |
| realtor and will be on the documents you sign | | | | local real estate agent.For more real estate |
| when you go to the title company. Closing | | | | tips and tricks, visit A. Stazko is a real |
| costs can also be negotiated on during the | | | | estate assistant and founder of a website |
| contract process.The real estate agent, | | | | that provides realtor, mortgage, new home, |
| through their broker, has access to all of | | | | and real estate investing information for |
| the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) listed | | | | North Texas. |
| homes in your area of interest. If you are a | | | | |