10 Reasons to Hire a Full-Service Realtor®

Buyers and sellers achieve maximum value when they choose to hire a full-service Realtor®. When a Realtor® is hired, this individual is a member of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), which means they are licensed in the State of Hawaii to conduct real estate transactions. They are educated in the rules and laws relevant to real estate, they are up-to-date on their continuing education classes to include the Code of Ethics, and they are in good standing with the Hawaii Association of Realtors® and their local Real Estate Board.

The NAR provides a list of 179 responsibilities handled by a Realtor®, depending upon representation for the buyer or seller, and the transaction. Let’s boil it down to the top 10 reasons to hire a full-service Realtor®.

What does full-service really mean? It is different for buyers versus sellers, so let’s break it down.

Sellers

1. Who You Hire: You hire the brokerage, not the Realtor. Not all brokerages are the same. Some offer minimum services at a reduced compensation. This means you only get what you pay for, which often leaves sellers wishing for, and needing, more. The brokerage provides all the needed support to the Realtor® – oversight, marketing, often decades of experience, back door support, national and international exposure, and so much more. No Realtor® should be a Lone Ranger.
2. Staging: Sellers often need support in staging their home prior to the photo shoot and going Active on the MLS. A full-service Realtor® is able to provide this service, either by offering personal suggestions or providing professional outside staging experts and related resources to include landscaping, window, gutter and roof cleaning, painters, electricians, plumbers, to name just a few. As the age-old saying goes: You only get one chance to make a great first impression!
3. Professional Photography: Here is another cliché – A picture is worth a thousand words! So very true. And a video, with drone photography, exponentially increases a seller’s ability to sell their home at a price and timeframe they desire. A full-service Realtor® will not show up with an iPhone! And, the cost is covered.
4. Expert Copy Writing: A full-service Realtor® will take the time to understand all the nuances of a seller’s property. Then, this information will be woven into a property description that encourages potential buyers to come take a look. AI is a wonderful tool, but it can’t replace the personal touches that a professional Realtor® can add.
5. Pre-Listing General Inspection: The very best Realtors® will suggest a pre-listing general inspection, and pay for this in advance of going Active on the MLS. This assists the seller in understanding if there are any hidden issues that could result in the cancellation of an escrow, a very painful reality in real estate. Instead, issues can then be taken care of prior to going on market, and buyers have a comfort level not usually experienced. 
6. Marketing beyond the MLS: Sellers usually put their property on the market with the hope that it will sell in a reasonable timeframe. Marketing, in addition to list price, is a huge part of the equation. A full-service Realtor® will have many advertising opportunities available, and sellers should ask for a list of avenues by which the property will be promoted. In addition to the MLS, there should be a strong presence in the brokerage on-line website, the Realtors® own blog, social media, direct mail, special events, open houses and Realtor® caravans.
7. Buyer Appointments: A Realtor® can receive dozens of phone calls, texts and emails in regards to a seller’s listing. For properties of value, it is always best to have the Listing Realtor® present for these showings, to provide a level of security, and to follow up for buyer comments. Then, providing this information to the seller for evaluation. A full-service Realtor® will include this in his/her menu of services.
8. Errors & Omission Insurance: You would think every brokerage company would carry this type of policy, and that it would be legally required…not true! A full-service brokerage carries an insurance policy and defense fund designed to help protect the seller should anything happen.
9. The Paperwork: There is a ton of paperwork involved when listing a seller’s property: from the Exclusive Right To Sell Contract, Sellers Disclosure Statement and MLS documents, to offers received and replied, to opening escrow, potential amendments and addendums, seller communication emails and texts, and requesting and reviewing a plethora of other documents such as inspections and surveys. A full-service Realtor® will stay on top of everything, guiding their clients from start to finish, being the source of the source, getting answers to all the questions that come up, working on behalf of the seller with their best interests in mind. It isn’t easy, but it is very satisfying!
10. Communication From Listing to SOLD: This is a biggie!!! A full-service Realtor® should keep you posted throughout the entire process of preparing the property for sale, all showings and comments, assistance with negotiations on offers received, the escrow process, timelines, verifying that all information is correct, through to closing! If the seller is really lucky, they have made a friend for a lifetime. The final communication is notifying the seller that the transaction has closed and recorded! This happens the morning of the closing date, and is cause for celebration!

Buyers

1. Who You Hire: Again, the buyer hires the brokerage, not the Realtor®.
2. The Paperwork: For buyer representation, the Realtor® handles the initial paperwork to include the Buyer’s Representation Agreement, a national law as of August 2024. The Realtor® gathers all the important criteria from the buyer(s), to include lot size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, view/no view, location, privacy, budget, and other desired amenities.
3. Available Properties: The Realtor® sends a list of all property options that meet the buyer’s criteria. The buyer then determines which properties to be seen.
4. Showings: The Realtor® schedules the showings, conducts the showings with the client, and provides feedback to the listing agent.
5. Offers: When a buyer wants to make an offer, the Realtor® works with the buyer in completing the Purchase Contract and other supportive documents relevant to the purchase. Once signed, these documents are emailed to the seller’s agent. A full-service Realtor® will follow up to confirm that these documents have been received, and will carefully monitor the response date from the seller, as noted on the contract.
6. Escrow: Once a Purchase Contract is signed, the Realtor® opens escrow with the requested escrow company, providing all documentation required. A full-service Realtor® will provide a Timeline to the buyer to help ensure that all milestones are met within the contract deadlines.
7. Inspections: A general inspection is usually required for residential properties in escrow. The Realtor® will provide options for licensed companies, and can either schedule the inspection, or guide the buyers in directly hiring the company of their choice. Other inspections can include a survey/staking, termite inspection, water catchment, solar, pool, etc.
8. The Final Walk Through: A full-service Realtor® will attend the final walk through with the client, noted as J-3 on the contract, to confirm that the property is in the same condition as when escrow was opened, that it is clean and all trash and personal possessions have been removed, again, per the contract.
9. Communication: A full-service Realtor® should keep the client posted throughout the entire process, helping to minimize all questions and concerns.
10. Closing: The full-service Realtor® will call the buyer the morning of the closing sharing that the property has closed and recorded! This is super important, and a moment to celebrate. That Realtor® will most likely send or deliver to you a Thank You gift to express appreciation for the faith and confidence you have given throughout the purchase period. Another reason to celebrate!!!

As both above lists demonstrate, a full-service Realtor® is worth every penny of their compensation! By providing knowledge, expertise, creative thinking, strategy, support, legal protection, and a plethora of other tangible services for those making what is often the most important decision of their lives, buyers and sellers can move forward with confidence, knowing they are in good hands!

Note: If you would like to receive, via email, the NAR brochure: 179 WAYS AGENTS WHO ARE REALTORS® ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY OF THEIR COMPENSATION, feel free to email me at:  [email protected].