There's No Place Like Home-Shop Local!

In these days of national restaurant chains, big box stores and national bank branches on nearly every other corner there still is one service industry remains focused on the local community. Think about it.

You may go to Target or Costco, Five Guys or one of the many branches of your bank almost anywhere, anytime but eventually you return to your home, only your home in your community. When it comes to really knowing exactly what is really happening in your local real estate market only your local expert can tell you the facts and the trends.

Residential real estate is hyper-local and always will be. Even in this age where one can search for properties from across the county or across the world from their computer, there is still no better expert than the live one who lives and works in that community.

While many web sites display listings and others can produce computer generated information through tax records, those sites can never tell the full story or answer all of your questions. A local expert is fully aware of intimate details and intricacies not only about the market but sometimes more importantly about the community. 

Many local area experienced experts can educate buyers and sellers on not only market trends but on host of other important information.  For example, when a particular village is contemplating a referendum of some kind or the local school systems is considering a significant change or if  there is community debate on a particular subject.  Only the local expert will know the seller’s motivation, what homes may be coming to market in the near future and other important information.

Whether buying or selling, there is no replacement for working with a real person who knows the area or areas of focus well. What consumers sometimes forget it that for buyers this service is free!  The seller pays the listing fee. When a home is sold the listing broker offers a cooperating commission to the buyer’s broker. For sellers, the art of the sale comes from a real local expert.

So the message is continue to use that wonderful online tool but also use it find your true local expert.  When making a decision, go to your candidate’s website.  Check to see if they have really listed and sold in the areas you are buying or selling in.  Find out how long they have been associated with your community of choice and if they have done business there.  None of us were born as local area expert agents and brokers; it takes experience to gain expertise in this industry.  Some of the best experience is just being here.

Please feel free to contacme at smolitor@koenigstrey.com with any comments or questions.