I have memories of 1985. Back to The Future, Scooby Doo & throwing pine cones at my neighbors cat as it scurried up over a tree that passed through our back yard. I was 12 at the time. Back then there was no MLS or Dat Dare Internet.
I remember my Dad calling over the local ERA "subdivision expert" as she called herself. When my mom and pop were ready to go looking they simply hopped along for the car ride as SHE knew where all the houses were in the neighborhood that my parents wanted to relocate the family. It made sense. She had sold homes there, she had very productive Open Houses and even knew "what homes were selling for." It would stand to reason that the average agent 80 miles away could not possibly have that same knowledge without "living" in the same area.
Today, many Realtors still hang their hat on the same pitch - the neighborhood specialist, or more comically known as the AREA SPECIALIST. I guess they use this rider on their real estate signs and in their flyers because they want and hope that the consumer will "buy" into the notion that "they must know the area best!"
What's the difference?
Everything...
Today we have an MLS, the Internet and hundreds if not THOUSANDS of online resources that advertise homes, their trends and even their values. You can GOOGLE just about any neighborhood you have a desire with & instantly be fed gobs of info.
Lets say you want me to provide you information in a neighborhood that I've never once stepped foot in. And lets also assume you enlist the insight of a so called "area" specialist. For giggles sake lets say I'm on a Cruise ship off the coast of Sweden while your "local Realtor" is at your kitchen table.
Who do you think would provide you the best information and why?
My guess? We both could.
And it wouldn't matter that the agent whose at your table has sold 7 homes their in the last year. Why am I sounding so arrogant you ask? It's simple.
1. I have the same information available to me as your kitchen table agent does. The exact same.
2. I have the same information available to me as your kitchen table agent does. The exact same.
Did you know that over 80% of the time a BUYER'S AGENT brings the buyer to a listing? Rarely does the listing agent "find" the buyer. Often, these buyer's agents have never even HEARD of the neighborhood! They find the listing on the WORLD WIDE WEB, the local MLS.
The Internet has most agents spread out all over the place & not just in "one neighborhood."
This week I ordered NEW sign riders. They read..
Everywhere Specialist
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