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How Local Should Your Agent Be to Sell You a Franklin TN Home?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Franklin Homes Realty LLC

How Local Should Your Agent be to Sell You a Franklin TN Home?This morning I ran across a post on the internet written by a person who is marketing their real estate services in Franklin TN. This person isn't even licensed yet. He's in the process of obtaining his Tennessee license.

From what I could see, he was previously licensed in another state several years ago and decided to get a Tennesee license. He has a blog on his website and has been writing posts about the Williamson County housing market and his experience in this market.

First, he doesn't even have an active license yet. Second, he has never sold a property in Williamson County or any other place in Tennessee. Yet his website refers to his experience selling Williamson County real estate. I also learned he's not even a resident of this county. He actually resides in a county approximately 50 miles from here. Why would a real estate agent want to sell homes in a county so far from his home?

Williamson County is the richest county in the state. Actually, it's the 17th richest county in the country. He'll make more money here than he will in the county he resides. So what's wrong with that? Doesn't everyone want to make more money?

My question to you--would you rather work with an agent who sells Franklin real estate to make more money? Or would you rather work with an agent who knows the market well? In other words, how local should your agent be to sell you a Franklin TN home? 

Nashville is just 15 miles north of Franklin. Many of the agents in Franklin will also sell in Nashville. I do NOT. I am NOT a LOCAL NASHVILLE REAL ESTATE EXPERT! Do I have access to the market data for Nashville? Absolutely. Am I the best person to hire to buy there? NO.

While I have access to sell you property all over Middle Tennessee, the information I would provide is greatly reduced in areas not well-known to me. For that reason, I only sell in Williamson County with an emphasis on Franklin.

When I see a person or agent who hasn't even sold one property here, suggest they are experienced in the Franklin housing market, I take offense. I have spent years working this market and researching the many nuances to buying a home here. My knowledge extends far beyond real estate.

How Local Should Your Agent Be to Sell You a Franklin TN Home?I know about the schools, the places to shop, dine out, access to information about lenders, doctors, dentists, hospitals and countless other things.

If you are looking for a neighborhood with a swimming pool, I can rattle off half a dozen names of Franklin neighborhoods meeting that criteria. That information will include the price points of these neighborhoods, the schools they are zoned for and even the monthly home owner's association fee.

When I hear a street name, I often know exactly where it's located. This information is valuable to buyers. Especially, those buyers moving here from other states.

I also know about the cadence of the local Franklin housing market. I know if a property is priced right and how quickly we should view it after hitting the market. I have prepared monthly market reports for 30 or more Franklin neighborhoods since 2009. I can tell you the current absorption rate for Franklin and most of its neighborhoods.

This isn't information that can be gleaned in just a few months. This is information that has been learned through many years and countless Franklin real estate transactions.

How Local Should Your Agent Be to Sell You a Franklin TN Home?I continually educate myself about the housing trends, sales and statistics. I stay informed about Franklin new construction and commercial changes that will affect the local real estate market and home values.

I understand that many families move here to take advantage of our highly-ranked public schools and keep informed about changes in zoning, programs offered and school rankings. 

When you're selecting a Franklin TN real estate agent, don't you deserve an agent who knows the most about the area, the local economy and housing trends?

 

How local should your agent be to sell you a Franklin TN home? VERY LOCAL!

Posted by
Tammie White, Managing Broker/Owner
CLHMS, CRS, GRI, SFR
Franklin Homes Realty LLC
Franklin, TN
(615) 495-0752 
GET REAL. GET LOCAL.
 
This posting with the content written here and photographs displayed are the intellectual property and opinions of Tammie White of Franklin Homes Realty LLC. Any party who uses this material without the written permission of Tammie White is subject to copyright infringement and possible lawsuit.

Comments(13)

Pete Xavier
Investments to Luxury - Pacific Palisades, CA
Outstanding Agent Referrals-Nationwide

Marketing one's services as a real estate professional without a license!?!

Not allowed here and against the code of ethics!

Oct 11, 2014 07:59 AM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Tammie White - I am slightly different and here's my two cents.

The agent MUST have the complete knowledge of local market - does not need to be LOCAL.

(I, for one, cover almost 60 miles radius in each direction of my local area - may be, that's the way it is in suburban market, I guess.)

Oct 11, 2014 08:48 AM
Lisa Von Domek
Lisa Von Domek Team - Dallas, TX
....Experience Isn't Expensive.... It's Priceless!

Hello Tammie,

He is on thin ice advertising his real estate experience selling in a county he can't provide any sales data for - that is a bit excessive on "puffing". 

Oct 11, 2014 09:58 AM
Donna Foerster
HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO
Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Tammie~ As you already know, a truly LOCAL agent is always the best choice. Consumers NEED to do their homework to find the best professional for the job at hand!

Oct 11, 2014 11:48 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Pete - That's an entirely different topic of discussion.

Praful - The Nashville area is 1.8M people. The population of Williamson County is 198K. The population of Franklin is 63K. There is a lot of business to be had in my city and county. I don't need to venture out into the other 1.6M people to find it.

Lisa - My take exactly but whose ever going to ask him.

Donna - Well, you already know where I stand on this issue.

Oct 11, 2014 01:01 PM
Sheila Newton Team Anderson & Greenville SC
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices - C. Dan Joyner - Anderson, SC
Selling the Upstate since 1989

I cover 4 counties.. in an area as rural as ours, you have to.. but I know all the areas well since I'm from here.. I make it a point to have a buyers agent on my team close to all areas.

Oct 11, 2014 01:30 PM
Ron and Alexandra Seigel
Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA
Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Tammie,

Each market in our experience has its hidden factors that only a local knows.  A local agent if they are knowledgeable is worth their weight in gold.  A

Oct 11, 2014 02:45 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Tammie -- As Pete X with X Group Real Estate Advocates, Huntington Beach, CA 714.459.2017 OCLister.com commented -- I was more than a bit surprised to read that someone was marketing their real estate services before being licensed.

To answer your question - I find that some agents call themselves experts in a given area yet have not sold anything in that area.  It does seem to smack of more than a bit of bait and switch.  

Can people do it and be successful?  I'm sure of it --- that's their choice.   As for me, I choose a different route.  I like to know the nuances of the neighborhood and I think clients who choose me appreciate that.   

Oct 11, 2014 03:22 PM
Shannon Milligan, Richmond VA Real Estate Agent/Associate Broker
RVA Home Team - Richmond, VA
RVA Home Team - Winning with Integrity.

You are certainly the best Franklin TN Realtor and consumers would be wise to call YOU! I can not believe a person who doesn't even have a license would be advertising. That doesn't seem legal to me at all!

Oct 11, 2014 11:41 PM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Tammie, Puff Puff Puffery!  I know you know that the person you write about is not the only person puffing their goods and services on the Internet ... or here in the Rain for that matter. I see comments from the great pretenders here in the rain all the time.

We cannot be too careful about who we choose to work with.

Tammie White is a safe choice ... everyone can be sure of that!

Oct 12, 2014 03:22 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Sheila - That's a totally different animal.

A - That is absolutely true.

Michael - I was also surprised that an agent would market themselves before actually being licensed. Tom and I had this very discussion recently. We find that one of the neighborhoods in our market, often has sellers who want an agent who lives in that neighborhood. Could I sell a house there? Absolutely, I've sold houses there and have prepared market reports for 5 years. But if a seller has it in this mind that his agent should live in the neighborhood, I'm not going to be able to change his mind. Even though, I would do a great job for him.

Shonnon - Agreed.

Kathleen - That is so true. I couldn't believe a person who has never even had a license or sold a property in our area would claim they were experienced in Williamson County sales.

Oct 12, 2014 06:27 AM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

 Good morning Tammie. Sometimes I can be a very debatable subject. I understand that some agents want to develop a niche in a particular subdivision or area. Some don't mind covering a large area.

Oct 12, 2014 06:37 PM
Katerina Gasset
The Gasset Group & Get It Done For Me Virtual Services - Provo, UT
Amplify Your Real Estate & Life Dreams!

You are the right person to call if buyers are looking for a Franklin MA agent. You truly know the ins and outs of your market. 

Oct 24, 2014 04:50 PM