Full Service Real Estate – Is Here To STAY!

Enjoy this Guest Post from my good friend Richard Robbins.Full service real estate is here to stay. Here’s why!Since the ratification of the agreement between CREA and the Competition Tribunal on October 24, 2010, there has been a tremendous amount of “buzz” from the public, the press and the real estate industry in general, speculating on the impact this agreement will have on organized real estate as we know it. For what they are worth, here are my thoughts.First, it is interesting to note that what some people perceive as a threat, others perceive as an opportunity. Generally speaking when change occurs (and change will occur), there will be some people who view change as a threat because the status quo is being challenged; while others will view change as an opportunity because the status quo is being challenged. I think it probably goes without saying that I perceive change as a tremendous opportunity.I read an article recently in Canadian Business Magazine, and the leading question in the article said this, “Travel agents and stockbrokers are nearly obsolete thanks to the Internet. Are real estate agents next?” (View Article Here) The article is daunting and might have some believe that real estate agents are going by way of the dodo bird. But here is what I know. The media loves change, they love something juicy to talk about and they love to create drama and instil fear. However, DO NOT believe for a moment that they are right. Full service real estate is here to stay and here’s WHY.The buying and selling of a home is nothing like buying or selling stocks or booking a holiday. Our home, 99% of the time, is our most valuable asset. It is where we are going to live, raise a family, become friends with neighbours, build a community, go for walks in the evening, sleep peacefully at night and create some of our most cherished memories.Part I of II: The Value of a Selling AgentIf I am going to sell my most valuable asset, it makes logical sense that I would want to hire a highly qualified real estate professional who can:1) Provide expert advice to maximize my equity through proper pricing models, home staging concepts and marketing strategies that create demand, increase showings and expose my home to the most amount of qualified buyers.2) Negotiate every detail on my behalf, and in my best interest, to net more money from a sale.3) Create peace of mind and the least amount of inconvenience by qualifying all potential buyers before they come through my home as well as ensure all buyers are escorted by a licensed real estate professional. (I have no interest in taking calls from deal-seeking buyers calling private for sale by owners and then allowing complete strangers into my house)4) Handle all details and provide professional advice until closing.Stay tuned for Part II: The Value of a Buyer Agent on our next blog.In reality, does the agreement create an opportunity for some agents and companies to capitalize on listing homes on MLS for a small fee or lower fees with assisted sales services? Does it create more options for the buying and selling public?The answer is yes, however, this is just good old-fashioned competition and there’s nothing wrong with healthy competition. Competition requires us to sharpen our skills and forces us to get crystal clear in the communication of our value while raising the bar on our level of professionalism. This is indeed a huge opportunity for the real estate industry.If you’re looking for an opportunity to learn how to STAND OUT from the competition and communicate your value, look no further. Join us at ACHIEVE 2010 | Dec 7-9 | More Info Here. Until next time, make it count.Rich