Cleveland Real Estate And More

Dan/Amy, all great points.  We spend a lot of time building relationships with other agents in our area, wish the public understood how important that is in a transaction.  In the know too makes a big difference.

Dan & Amy....this is so true!  My main markets are the town where I live & the town where I grew up - both of which I know very well.

I've never understood why an agent would want to try to sell outside of their market.  Obvously it's because of the money (though they say its because they want to make sure the client is well taken care of, we know who is getting taken care of), but it's incredibly short-sighted, IMHO.

Great post! I have traveled out of my area, but it was family. I wouldn't so much today. There is know way to know every market in every town! I wouldn't be doing them a service. Thanks for the post!

 

While I can agree with you to some degree, the market is changing quite a bit. Market knowledge is available and accessible to all, not just local agents.

I often find that local agents are often unable to appreciate the value of what they have. This is particularly true when it comes to commercial real estate.

 

Dan & Amy- absolutely! To me you look far smarter as a Realtor if you refer clients to someone who knows an area that you aren't familiar with rather than driving people around in the car having to use your GPS to get everywhere or even worse, getting lost!

Thanks for the good read. I agree with your points made.

From the stand point of risk management, our legal guy tells us that most agents get in trouble when they get into areas that are unknown to them. Most of the lawsuits involve agents getting into things they don't know anything about. Selling in way out areas qualifies for that.
There was this agent from southern Ca who wanted to list in Berkeley, CA, and didn't know about Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance, RECO, or sewer lateral requirements. And the buying agent was also out of the area! I helped them out.
I've only sold one house out of my area, comfort zone, for a past client. Most of the time I just stay in my county, Alameda...plenty of trouble to get into there.
It's true, with the internet there is a lot of information available, but local agents have better knowledge. When I look for service providers, I look for someone nearby.

Hi Dan & Amy,

 

The local agent knows about that fire station in the residential neighborhood constructed to blend in.  The freelancer might miss that.  The buyer will be thinking of his agent at 3:00 am when the sirens are blaring!

What is sad is the fact that many agents play fast and loose with the zip codes on search sites, like the ones provided by their state and national associations. They put in zip codes FAR from their home areas. And I am talking about 6+ hours. There is no way they can be local experts. But they snag some unsuspecting callers, and then pass them on to local agents FOR A REFERRAL FEE, OF COURSE! That is unethical since by doing so they are not providing a true picture of them or their office. But they do it all the time and the associations assist them.

We all in the business know that is the best way to go, but a lot of buyers and sellers unfortunately go for someone who will lower their commission first.

I completely agree, if you an agent for buying OR selling too far away from the area, they will be learning the area just like yourself and in that sense are novices.

All those reasons make it best to use a local agent.  I also think a sense of history is good as well and possibly being (or having been) and actual resident of the town you're selling in.

All good points made here today that's for sure.  Dealing with a local agent is the way to go.

 

Patricia Aulson/ Seacoast NH & ME

Hi Dan & Amy. Great points. Local agents will know an area better than someone from another area. It wasn't that long ago this idea was a given but now "technology",  "the Internet", and regulations (and attorneys) limiting our subjective help seems to level the playing field a bit. Seems to.
Thanks for the reminder.
Bruce

I absolutely agree with you, this is also true for Asset Managers who choose agents that live four hours away from the property and in most cases never even inspects it.

Dan & Amy, Very true. I frequently help folks with all kinds of referrals for the area from cleaning folks to babysitters. Much better to have local folks! All the best, Michelle

Ellie - Having great relationships with other agents is so important and can often be the difference in putting a deal together. Always nice hearing from you and hope all is well.

Christine - I get the impression from reading your blog that you are very ingrained in the local communities that you service. Thanks for commenting.

Virginia - We realize it can be a tough call for some agents and the money can cause them to do business in areas they don't know very well. In those cases, they should consider partnering with an agent who does know those areas so they can still get paid and service their client at the same time. Thanks as always for reading and commenting on our post.

Charlene - I suppose there are always exceptions to the rule but I imagine you did your research and learned the market as best you could to service your family member.

Brian - It's ok not to totally agree with me, that's what makes this community so much fun:) I respect an agent who takes the time to learn the market, tour homes, and ask questions from local agents they know so they at least have a foundation of an area they don't typically service.

Margie - I couldn't imagine taking buyers out to see homes in an area we didn't know and end up getting lost. It certainly wouldn't instill much confidence in us. 

Jason - Thanks for reading and commenting.

Ernest -  You make a great point in that every area has special things about it that not everyone will know about. I took a listing when we first started that was out of our area and will never do it again. I suppose we all have to learn by our mistakes.

Pat - If nothing else, someone familiar with the local area will be able to tell buyers the details about homes they see on line, like the fire station next door, power lines, or railroad tracks, things that don't show up in the photos. I think buyers appreciate this type of market knowledge.

John - 6+ hours? Wow, that's amazing.

Morris - You're right, consumers ultimately make the decisions, and if they choose to work with someone who doesn't have market knowledge and something goes wrong, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Gary - It's certainly not fair for an agent to learn at the expense of their client. Thank you for commenting.

Bryan -  I know if I moved out of state, I would appreciate working with someone who lived in the areas I was looking to buy. Knowing the history of an area is important as well.

Patricia - I'm glad you enjoyed the post and feel the same way.

Bruce - The internet certainly gives consumers great general information, but there are some things that only a local will know.

Beth -  I'm always amazed at relo companies as well. I see agents showing our listings ( which we certainly appreciate ) who end up calling for directions and it's obvious they know nothing about the local market. You would think the relo companies would make better efforts to match their clients with an agent who will be able to service their needs.

Hi Dan,  Your 4th item ( strong relationships ) is really under rated by many.  Being able to pick up the phone and get the real info is critical.  Well done !

Hi Dan and Amy, You hit it Right on Time with the reasons to Hire a Local Agent. Having expert knowledge and strong relationships with other agents is a huge plus in most local areas.

I strongly recommend one of Cleveland's finest real estate agents.

Dan and Amy:

You advice to buyers and sellers is very important.  Most people want someone who knows the community to represent them, unless they have a relative in the business.  Otherwise, they should opt for a local agent hands down.

I should reblog this right now, as I'm working a deal with an out of area agent and doing most of his job as well. 

I couldn't resist--I had to reblog this one, with my own commentary at the top. Thanks again.

Hi Dan & Amy,

The points you have made are well thought out and valid.  Local people that either live or grew up in an area are always able to fill a customer in on the insider's view point.  That's worth alot to a buyer coming from another area. Congrats on your Feature!

Amy & Dan, great points!  We get agents that work other areas and just come to make a sale.  They know nothing about the different communities and market prices.  Local agents are always the best!

HI DAN!  Congrats on the feature!  Also with local agents - there is always someone the client can reach out to if they need anything after the close - hard to build a relationship with someone who is not around!  Nice job!

I think it's a no-brainer that local is better. I remember one agent we had even steering us clear of a house or two because he personally knew the builder and knew what short cuts he took. A knowledge of the area is vital.

Gretchen

I totally agree. Local agents are experts in the area and are much better suited to counsel clients in home values, location, features. For example...I live in snow country and an out of town agent may not know that certain type of roof can shed tons of snow in front of the front door or garage if the clients happen to see the property in the summer or a steep driveway is not such a challenge in the summer but can present huge risk in winter.

I have had clients spend the day driving around in my car to look at houses. At the end of the day they would remark that I gave them a great tour, and were amazed that I didn't need a GPS to find the homes. An agent from out of the area could not have that same knowledge.

I agree.  Local agents are always the best way to go and they provide the best service to their clients.

Dan and Amy - There can definitely be advantages to using local agents depending on the situation and type of transaction.

Schools? 

Only mention what is Publicly Available from the School, the School Board, or the State Board of Education. 

Any other opinions or comments may result in Liability or Legal Problems.    Defer questions to the School Board.

Great post, guys! I've had several opportunities to work with clients outside of the "comfort zone" of my own specific area and without the help and advice of agents local to those towns, I would have been completely lost.

3 rules for choosing a real estate agent:

1. Location
2. Location
3. Location

Local is always better. How can you convey the ins and outs of an area if you don't know them.ananasn

All real estate, like weather, is local.

However, when you'r a dirt specialist in a rural market - local is relative!  My market area covers 5 counties and more than 900 sq miles - but that still is less than 25,000 rooftops.  Some urban zipcodes are more than that in a couple of sq miles.

 

I agree.  However, everyone's definition of local is different. Is it the town you live and work in, the two or three adjacent cities, or an area you lived in before so still know very well.  I've been in transactions with out-of-area agents that do a fabulous job and others who are obviously out of their element.  I've helped some clients several cities away.  If you're willing to do the research, watch the market, study stats and work the listing or sale as if it was in your backyard,  you may be just as effective as someone who works that market exclusively. If you have any doubts about your ability to serve the client's best interest, refer it and move on.

Love your points listed above.  Local is the way to go when choosing an agent.  As a local agent you can offer so much more to your clients.  I also think local is the way to go when thru-out the whole process whethere its an agent/ appraiser / inspector etc.  I almost had a deal fall apart when an appraiser was assigned to us (FHA loan) who lived two hours away who knew nothing about the area... Have a great day

Excellent points!  I work out of my area daily due to my unusual niches (investors, estates, haunted houses), but I always hook up with a local agent.

Your points are well taken! I tend to steer my clients to the school website versus giving my point of view on schools.. It's best if they research that info on their own w/o a Realtors opinion.

I think it just depends upon what you mean by "local"?

As an exclusive buyers agent we cover 6 counties and I know inventory  and market value better than many locals ( we also do not have or need a GPS) and if there is something I am not sure of, I will research it.  This is not a brag, it is just that I make a extra big effort to learn everything.   

Many times I have a client that think they want one area, but after I tell them what other areas offer, they switch.  It is not uncommon for a buyer to come to us because the agent only knew their farm area and nothing else.

I think  the days of farming an area around your office is disappearing just as store-front offices are.

Eve in Orlando

A good experienced agent who you can trust to do the job is the first criteria

It depends on what type of property you're selling, doesn't it? investment real estate or land banking could be an exception and usually is, yet for residential, your illustrations to use a local Realtor are beneficial.

I totally agree. I am in the middle of a transaction with an investor who is selling a house with a potentially serious code violation. The code enforcement officer told him that he would have to TEAR DOWN this 400 sq ft accessory structure. I immediately knew who to call. We hired an architect who served 8 years on the City Planning commission. We will end up with a fully permitted building and a very happy buyer and seller. If I had been an out of the area agent, I wouldn't have known what to do.

All agents should just sell in their local market.  You are not doing anyone a favor by selling in towns you do not know.  Thank you for the great post.

I only sell in one development outside my area because I agree with all 5 points you discuss. The area I do actively sell in, out of my area, I own a cabin in that development and have since the early 1990s. The agents, in this area, have done very little marketing and for the most part don't show other agents listings. A buyer once told me that the local agent told her he wasn't a tour guide when she asked him to show her another agent's listing... I must be a tour guide!

Dan and Amy -  Great post!  Working with an agent that knows their market is key!  

Great post.  It's all about being LOCAL and being able to meet face to face.  Congrats on the FEATURE.

Right on! As local agents, we have a deeper understanding of the community and also a better expertise of the local market.  What is also valuable is the relationship with other local agents. Here, being an outside agent can be risky for a buyer as we deal with coastal commission, septic tanks, etc., issues that outside agents don't deal with on a regular basis.

If you can find someone with the expierence and expertise in the area you want to do a transaction in, you would be crazy to bring in an agent from somewhere else!

I suggest not only using a local Realtor but also a local attorney and lender.

I live in a small town and have ran into several title problems. The local attorneys often know how to get in touch with former owners to get issues like owner financing notes that are paid in full but not canceled in the public records signed off on. If we had an out of town attorney, they would find the problem but getting the solution would be much more difficult.

Real Estate laws vary from state to state. Just because someone works for a large bank that can lend across state lines does not mean that they can do a good job. It is easy to drop the ball when drying to operate under a new set of rules and using all new support people that you know nothing about.

I live in Las Vegas and I find that even just ac cross town I am at a disadvantage. The bulk of my transactions have been on the south side of the valley with 80% in Henderson and South West Las Vegas. When I go to the North West for a transaction, I can not even talk about where the new shopping center is to buy groceries. There is advantage to an agent that knows the area.

Dan and Amy:  Your post is so on target.  ANY seller who hires an agent who is so far out of their area as you describe... is very, very foolish indeed.  They are often setting themselves up for heartbreak or failure... or both. 

Great post, Dan and Amy !  Have a great Solon, Ohio weekend !

Dan & Amy,

Don't forget that it is the "Local" Realtor that helps in the schools with lunches, recess, the proverbial school science fair and carnival as well as provides scholarships for students.  They belong to the Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis, Quota Club and a myriad of other groups.  They pay taxes in the community and actually advertise locally.  The money that local Realtors spend in their local communities actually create jobs.

We live in a mountain community and a lot of the Realtors that come from outside the area don't know the difference between a cistern and a vault. 

Gerald

Gerald, oh... that's an easy one.  A cistern is a place where water collects, and a vault is where you "mountain Realtors" keep all that money you make... <impish grin>

If you are a buyer it is not in your best interest to use the neighborhood specialist. Agents who farm an area have money invested in the neighborhood and their commissions go up when the prices go up. If a listing agent let's a good house sell for a low amount, they have a difficult time explaining it to the neighborhood homeowners, especially at the local cocktail parties, picnics, open houses, etc. Using a local exclusive buyer's agent is your best bet.

Michelle - Another good point, locals can be very helpful finding things like babysitters and veterinarians. 

Bill -  Thanks for the kind words. We believe having those strong relationships is so important and always go out of our way to meet new agents and extend ourselves to them, regardless of what company they work for.  We all need each other to bring buyers and sellers together.

Jerry -   Thanks for the testimonial:) I'm confident you would be a great go to agent in the San Antonio market as well as you constantly write about your local market and demonstrate superior knowledge of the areas your service.

Evelyn -  Hopefully the relative they choose has basic knowledge of the areas their clients are buying or selling.

Erica -  Thank you so much for the re-blog, glad you enjoyed the article and hopefully your readers will appreciate you as the local expert.

Lisa and Robert -  I think the consumers sometimes undervalue what a good local agent can bring to the table. 

Barbara -  I certainly don't want to come across as an elitist and have respect for agents who at least take the time to learn a new area so they can best serve their client. The ones who don't seem to care about learning the market are the agents that aren't serving their clients needs. 

Gab -   Great point! It's nice to be able to continue that relationship and hopefully even become friends with your clients after close.

Mel and Gretchen -  A perfect example of why local is better. That type of knowledge is extremely valuable.

We promise to respond to the rest of you who were kind enough to comment when we have a chance.

Short, sweet and to the point and spot on! I just had a deal with an agent from the east side and while he himself was very good I think even he was fed up with the number of trips he had to make to the house:).  While everything you point out is positive Dan, local agents can also make buyers aware of other things such as oil/gas wells, retention basins, high tension wires, etc..Congrats on the feature!

It depends....

First SCHOOLS?????  Don't even go there - apart from offering information freely available on the internet - you shouldn't be discussing schools.

Second - Define Expert...   I've had agents hang their hat on being a "local agent" when they had virtually nothing else to offer.  The "local expert" stuff has been  beaten to death. Some literally had NOTHING more to offer except for the fact that they lived in that town and were hanging their hats on that.  What about their ability to negotiatie? What about their marketing ability on listings?  What about their knowledge of stats in their market and in neighboring towns and villages - which can not be ignored?

Third - Define how local you are talking....If you are saying  - let's say - that every buyer from NYC has to use 12 different agents because they are checking out 12 different municipalities in Westchester - and have to find 12 warm bodies all from the towns specifically - That's CRAZY.  What buyer would want to do that? 

Fourth - Your area may be hot - or it may be ice cold.  When I started my home city was on FIRE.  The trouble is that this caused everyone and their pet canary to move in including the big discounters and people from other counties.  Then the market turned ICE COLD - AND you had literally thousands of agents from other areas trying to sell there.  Suddenly, it became virtually impossible to stay purely local - and that included agents who had been niche agents for one or two areas of our city for years.  You now see them all over or retiring.   So don't put yourself in a box you might want or need to get out of later

Personally I cover about half a county.  There are three cities and numerous towns and villages in the area I cover.  Since I am only one person,  I can only live in one of them - but that does not make me incompetent to serve the others.

Do some people try to cover too many areas?  Of course. In a densely populated area trying to cover 10 counties makes no sense.  Well - it might for the agent - but not the buyer or seller.  That agent probably does not know enough about the local area to be effective. But saying the agent has to be in the same town?  In an area as closely packed as this - it makes no sense at all.

 

 

 

Ruthmarie, I can only understand a hint of your frustration, but I think that Dan and Amy mean a Realtors normal "market area" as being "local."  Out of the area would be similar to you trying to show homes in Albany... LOL.  At least that is how I am interpreting their post above.

Using a local agent is a MUST! We have train service starting up after being dormant for 11 years. Would someone from outside the area know that? NO! And they wouldn't have known to disclose it to buyers who fall in love with the house next to the railroad tracks. And don't even get me started about Casinos! Great post!

07/22/11 ACTIVE RAIN*JIM TURANO/BROKER *DIVERSE REAL ESTATE,MIDDLE VILLAGE,NY 11379-COULDN'T AGREE ANYMORE WITH YOUR ARTICLE. WITH 31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PARTICPATING WITH THREE -FOUR ORGANIZATIONS IN A SPAND OF 31 YEARS, A PERSONAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP IS FAR BETTER THAN DEALING WITH A FRANCHISE. YOU GAVE 5 REASONS, BUT HERE IS NUMBER 6*SOME FRANCHISES ACT LIKE A RECRUITING WAREHOUSE, PROMISING THE BEST TRAINING, BETTER COMMISSIONS, ROYALTIES ON OTHER AGENTS THEY BRING IN, LIKE A PYRIMID SCHEME. I DEAL WITH LOCAL CITY COUNCIL WOMAN CROWLEYS OFFICE AND STATE SENATOR ADDABBO'S OFFICE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BESIDES GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I LIVE IN. REFERRALS I ATTAIN ALL THE TIME, FROM HOUSES, TO CONDO'S, TO STORES, TO MIXED USE PROPERTIES FOR SALE AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR SALE. THIS IS BECAUSE I EARNED MY REPUTATION, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND ALWAYS DID THE RIGHT THING FOR CLIENTS, HOMEOWNERS, AND GAVE 110% EFFORT PERSONALLY TO ACHIEVE SATISFYING EVERYONE'S REAL ESTATE NEEDS. WHETHER IT IS GLENDALE,RIDGEWOOD, MASPETH, MIDDLE VILLAGE, REGO PARK, OR FOREST HILLS, QUEENS, NEW YORK, MY RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. LASTLY, I ALWAYS TELL ANY CLIENT CONSIDERING DOING BUSINESS WITH ME TO 'GOOGLE' MY NAME, JIM TURANO/BROKER. A FRANCHISE, OR A MOUNTAIN OF AGENTS FROM A FRANCHISE, WITH ALL THEIR TRAINING, BONUSES, ROYALTIES, COULDN'T COME CLOSE TO A NEIGHBORHOOD REALTOR, WITH 31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND REPUTATION.

I agree with all, except # 2. If an agent does not have kids, he/she does not have personal EXPERIENCE with the school. The agent may have second-had knowledge based on what her clients have told her and what's written in the papers.

That said, choosing a local agent is ALWAYS better that going with an outsider, for many more reasons.

for the buy side certainly. i have told many dozens of clients that  they are better served by someone who instantly recognizes the streets in nearby towns.  i live in a BIG county with many distinct cities...there's simply no way i can adequately serve certain buyers.   when we set up a daily email feed for the new inventory it does the client no good if we are not familiar with  the listings they get.

for the listing...not nearly as critical.  homes are worth what  they're worth.  the easy availability of information and the ease with which we share it makes it far less crucial to even be in the same zip code.  sell side is far easier as regards the need to have that deep local knowledge.

Dan & Amy, this is SUCH great advice. I have encountered so many buyers over the years who struggle to find a home because they're working with out-of-area agents. They end up doing so much of the work themselves.

Absolutely.  We see it, live it, and talk about our communities on a daily basis.  I see Asset Managers all the time that hire Brokers that have never even been in our city.  They tend to either give away properties or price them so high they do a spiral of death.  It really messes things up when they give these agents BPO's in our market area and they are terribly flawed because they haven't been to the home and know nothing of the neighborhood.

Short and to the point! I think there are many more than 5 reasons to choose a local agent- and with our AR referral program we can always get a great agent!

I agree with you that working in your own area is the best way to represent a client.  However, our city is almost 500 square miles!  The area is so large that it can take 1 1/2 hours to drive diagonally from one end to the other!  I try to stay in Scottsdale, but have literally sold in all four corners of the city!  If someone is interested in homes outside the Phoenix area, I'll definitely refer them to someone in that area, ie Casa Grande! 

I get your point and somewhat agree with you that local agents often know their local market better.  I say often, because I have found, in many instances, that the local agent has become stale or tainted in their views, and often lack the originality that fresh eyes can bring, and often, too, locals tend to insinuate their own personal biases into the mix.  Personally, I cover a large swath, comprised of 3 cities, numerous towns and villages, and have no fear of venturing out of even that large area to sell or list real estate.  I have extensive appraisal experience so researching an area for values isn't usually all that difficult.  As far as local nuances and flavour goes, a little time spent with local municipal staff, councillors, store owners, business people and so on will soon fill you in on the local scene, as well as the local newspapers (which you should acquire and peruse before even going there.)  Even far north cottage country isn't out of the question, again, using intelligence and good sources of data and local scuttlebut.  Occasionally, I will recruit the assistance of a local, if I don't feel that I'm getting a handle on it, and then I will carefully select the agent, not on his/her high profile, but from talking to as many locals as I can.  Usually I will meet casually with 2-4 before I'm satisfied that they work in the same manner as I do, so my clients can feel comfortable, but I will insist that communication lines remain open.  Have been doing this for many years, and has always worked for me.  Excellent topic, Dan & Amy, good discussion.

Dan and Amy,

Great points - I don't understand why one would want to use a source from outside their local community.  Same is true for choosing a mortgage broker..., use someone local.  I specialize in reverse mortgages and am amazed at the national lenders who mail application packages with the "sign here" sticker without reviewing the details.  Then they call me for the details and answers to their questions.

Thanks for sharing!

Those look like very valid points.

Aloha & best wishes.

I agree with you 100% on using a local agent and that goes for the listing agent as well.  Listing agents knows what needs to be done to market the sellers property and can do the best job to get the home sold.

Nice article!

Dan Amy

Great article.  Even though I am in San Diego, this applies to any area.

Thanks for sharing.

A former Buckeye from Canton

Here are some reasons for using a local broker in my market.

Repaired and unrepaired sink holes.   Settlement homes that are not sink holes.  (See you should not build a block home on sand.  Course, all of Florida is sand.)

Swiftmud swales.   Swifmud is the South West Water Management District, and they create their own setbacks.   The foot print of your new construction can be a real problem if there is a swale.

Chinese Drywall.   THis is just terrible.   There are a lot of people who are not talking about Chinese Drywall.

 

 

 

I agree with you.  How local is local though?  I cover all of Rockland County and southern Orange County, NY.  I feel competent that I can do this, though these 2 counties are rather large.  What are your thoughts about local as it relates to size of area covered?

Well I happen to agree with your post. There are many out of the area (city) agents that come out to the suburbs & don't know anything about the market & often times mis-price their listing.  Then they call around to talk to the locals about the price!  Give me a break, do your own mini-market.  You help them with the price & they get paid, not you.

While I agree to some extent that a local expert is important as many of your commenters assert, you need to define what is local.  For example, you advertise as luxury specialists in Cleveland, Ohio yet you live in Solon (21 miles away) and it appears you also work in that area as you define it in your local posts.  I have neither the time nor the inclination to examine each and every one of the locations you consider local; but, certainly you would agree that your definition of local is rather broad.  How can you possibly keep up with all the idiosyncracies of a city like Cleveland and yet consider yourself an expert of Bainbridge Township, your adjacent neighbor (?).  Much of the information about local expertise must be learned, I agree.  However, we can't know all the latest gossip in 22 cities.........

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you said loco agent.

Well done, Dan and Amy!  I really liked your virtual paint article too!  Have a great weekend!!!

Hi Dan and Amy,
Thanks for sharing!
All five points are all very good reasons to work with a local agent that knows the neighborhood and market.
Have a fabulous weekend!

Ann - A local agent certainly seems to bring value in the Lake Tahoe area. Thanks for commenting.

Ed - It's nice not to need a GPS.

John - We agree wholeheartedly.

Christine - Yes, there are always exceptions to the rule.

Fred - Agreed, refer clients to state or local websites. We do give information that is helpful and public, not opinion, though, and clients really appreciate it.

Scotti - Glad you knew enough to get some outside help, a sign of a smart agent.

Kate -  Isn't this important to real estate as well:)

Bill - Well said.

Jeanne - Local is definitely relative. I respect an agent like you who must cover such a large area.

Karen - Your comments were fantastic and obviously a reflection of you being a true professional who does business the right way. I guess I could have titled this post " 5 Reasons Why Using A Knowledgeable Agent Is Better" but the comments wouldn't have been as interesting.

Kim - Nothing worse than having to deal with an appraiser who doesn't know the area.

John - Haunted Houses? Now there's an unusual niche. Glad to hear you use the resources of a local agent.

Juan - I agree giving an opinion can get us in trouble. As started above, I see no problem in offering helpful information though. For example, mentioning that the local elementary schools have a strings program that begins in the 4th grade and is free is something that people may appreciate hearing and is factual not opinion.

Eve - Yes, local is definitely relative, especially for a pure buyers agent who often covers many areas. Sounds like you do a thorough job for your Orlando area buyers. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.

John - Trust in an agent is certainly important.

Kimo - Yes it does depend and our post was referring to residential real estate, not investment.

Chris - It's important to know the right people, which local agents often do. Glad to hear this transaction is moving in the right direction.

Linda - You are very welcome.

Paul - Interesting to hear that some agents in your market won't show listings other than their own. Here, we show everyone's listings.

Kerissa - Thank you for reading and commenting.

Steven - We had no idea this would be featured when we wrote it. We greatly appreciate all the comments.

Florence - Being an outsider certainly seems to be a disadvantage in your market.

Ackerly - Agreed!

Alan - There is value in using locals at every step. We do recommend local lenders and banks as well just because they know the area better. National banks have certainly done a good job but make me a little nervous.

Richard - No reason that you couldn't quickly learn the other side of town though. I guess we all had to learn our areas at one time.

Karen Anne - Always great to hear from you and your interpretation of our post and comment to Ruthmarie were accurate. We're having a heatwave here in Cleveland but I'm sure you're used to the heat at this point. Have a great weekend.

Gerald - Very good points that are often overlooked. I find the local organizations like the Chamber and Rotary to be great ways to give back and get involved.

Dana - Interesting thought. I've actually read about some local agents doing the opposite, beating their sellers up and selling the homes for low prices just to get them sold and thus hurting values. Would love to see you turn your comments into a post and I'm sure others would as well.

Barb - I like the things you mentioned about oil/gas wells, etc...you just gave me an idea for a future post. Now I just have to get around to writing it. Hope all is well with you.

 

 

I couldn't agree more!

I agree for the most part...local is better. In a big city there are several 'burgs including my own that I am extremely knowledgeable about and those are the ones I focus on. Given that, that are other neighborhoods I know very well from living or working there previously.

I have sold outside these areas a few times and one was a vacation home a couple hours away. It actually worked out well since that area was a little too encapsulated with local agents who knew all the gossip and had attitudes with outside brokers. They even limited their listings to a small, local MLS rather than list their clients' properties in the "big city" MLS where their sellers could reach more eyeballs, sell quicker and for more money.

I believe local is also important for sellers. Some folks I know had an out of town agent - perhaps an hour's drive away.

When winter came he told them not to have the house winterized, and that he would leave the furnace on low.

But... someone came along to show the house and didn't shut the door when they left, so try as it might, the furnace couldn't heat the house. He didn't bother to have the driveway plowed, so the fuel tank ran dry, and by the time anyone came around to check on the place - after the snow had left and warm weather had arrived - the damage from the frozen pipes was unbelievable. The power was still on - the house had a VERY good deep well, and the water had been running for months.

Had he been a local agent he just MIGHT have stopped in to check on the place some time between October and April.

Ruthmarie - I appreciate your passionate response. Hopefully we didn't strike a nerve as we simply wanted to communicate to consumers that knowledgeable local agents can bring value to a relationship. Certainly local is relative. Have a great weekend.

Cynthia - That's a great example of the value a local agent brings to the table.

James - Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment. You also seem passionate about the value a local agent offers.

Sylvia - Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment.

Encinitas - I see your point regarding the importance of being on the buy side vs. list side.

Shannon -  I see this happen a lot as well and in fact, hearing a recent horror story caused me to write this post.

Ric -  We've seen this as well. We had a BPO come in $100,000 off from what the home was worth by someone not familiar with the local area.

Kathy - Yes, there are certainly more than 5 reasons. Perhaps this is an idea for you want to write a follow-up post and add 5 more of your own? I think that would be a great post.

Jan -  It's interesting to note how different a lot of our markets are. It takes us about 35-40 minutes to get from the East side to West side and most agents here just focus on one or the other. Clevelanders typically don't like to drive more than 20 minutes outside their comfort zone.

Ken -  You seem like a thorough agent who has a great approach to doing business the right way. I do agree that an agent who is willing to take the time to learn new areas can properly service their clients. 

Beth - We prefer out clients work with a local bank or lender who knows the market. Thank you so much for reading and your comments.

Richard - Aloha to you as well.

Ronald - Thank you for your kind remarks.

Thor - Always nice to hear from a former buckeye, especially one from my original hometown of Canton. My grandparents and parents lived there for over 50 years. Sad to hear there won't be a Hall of Fame Game this year as I know the local economy could really use it.

Randal -  Sounds like great reasons to work with a local agent in your market.

Ellen - Local is certainly relative and as long as an agent feels comfortable that they can properly service their client, I think that's acceptable. If an agent has to hesitate about doing business in a certain area they should refer out.

Lyn - We see this as well. It's obvious when an outsider takes a listing and really knows nothing about pricing or the local market. I think not know the other local agents can also hurt their efforts.

Rick - Thank you so much for your insightful comments and for taking the time to read our post. We've really enjoyed the many comments we've received on this post and the healthy discussion that's taken place. The definition of local certainly seems to be different in various markets.

Marshall - Local, not loco, but this business can certainly drive you crazy if you let it.

DeeDee - Thanks for reading and glad you enjoyed the paint article. I have to give Amy all the credit on that one.

Wandanna -  Enjoy your weekend as well.

Monique - Thank you for reading.

Karen - I think some small markets, like the one you described, take the term local a little too serious. I don't see an advantage to not advertising to the masses but I have seen some markets where the agents really keep to themselves and exude an elitist attitude, one that I don't think best services their clients.

Marte -  I do think sellers should take this into consideration when selling a vacant home. There is a peace of mind knowing that a listing agent is close enough to drive by and check on the home every once in a while.

Dan and Amy, I received an hysterical call from a new homebuyer who used an agent who wasn't familiar with our area.  Three weeks after she bought her home, her beautiful bucolic view was destroyed.  All the trees were torn down and all the vegetation removed to build a new train station.  This train station had been planned for some time and was no secret to anyone, except this poor woman's real estate agent.

I agree with #41 -- I cover a broad territory and know a lot about several communites because I have made it point to do so.  So, it does depend on how you define local.  Also, it really depends on what the clients wants.  A local agent who is representing the seller and not the buyer, may not be an advantage at all to the buyer.  I have had a couple of cases where local agents missed some big things, like an investigation of the old dump down the street for ground water contamination.... so, I think there are pros and cons.

Hi Dan and Amy,

Local, most of the time is better. Depending on the situation, some times circumstances will dictate we should go a different route. Like Karen #37, and Mike and Eve #41’s examples.

As far as schools go, I always refer them to the City’s School District website so they (clients) can make up their own mind.  

Thanks for the post.

It is much better to work with local people for buying and selling.  Thanks for a great post.

Great blog and comments.  I found the comments interesting and it really sucked me in.  56 and 59 were the most interesting,  I really liked your comments back to them.  I'm not that familiar with Cleveland as a city, I've only been there once.  I'm a Denverite so there is still a little resentment from Cleveland people, I've met a couple anyway.

I'm wondering about the geography of the market you serve.  It sounds like you specialize in Solon, how big is that?  I'm really wondering because I live in Littleton, CO which is about 50,000 people.  The metro area is 2.2 million.  So am I just a local Littleton agent or am I local to Denver?  I can drive to different counties in about 10 minutes and over 7 different cities.

Sorry for rambling, but you got me thinking alot and it's to early Sunday morning.

I like all the points, but definitely shows the differences betweens states. In CT #2 is illegal, I am not allowed, nor would I want to, express my opinion of the best schools. It can make it tough assisting out-of-state clients but my opinion of good may not be the same as yours.

Good post!

Hiring a local broker is a better choice, you want someone who knows the area and can share their experience of living there.

Gail - Wow, I feel really bad for that buyer. You would think that something should have been disclosed on the state property disclosure form regarding the train station.

Joan - Having market knowledge is certainly important, whether you are local or not.

Dimitri - I do refer clients to visit the state websites when it comes to school rankings. I will give them helpful information though about where the schools are located, what grades they service, basic things that are public knowledge but that they may not know. I never meant to infer that I give my opinion.

Gene - You're very welcome, thank you for your comments.

Mike - Glad we got you thinking, that's what it's all about here right? In Cleveland, we are kind of divided into east and west sides, so an east side agent typically services the suburbs on their respective side. There are some agents who may only choose to service 1-2 areas, some consisting of 20,000 people, like here in Solon, our biggest suburb is 50,000. Most agents do have extensive knowledge of surrounding suburbs because it certainly is natural that a buyer who doesn't like one area may want to buy in the next town over. 

Jamie -We don't express opinions on schools or areas to live, just facts as it isn't allowed here either.

David - I think many buyers feel the same way.

 

Thanks for the info. So true. Know your market.

Dan & Amy--I missed this post, but I see why you earned a gold star/featured post status. I agree wholeheartedly.

Looking forward to seeing you in Pittsburgh next month.  Good luck with the transition.

Hi Dan and Amy - Wow, a lot of different responses. I do agree that local is better, but it also depends on the circumstances -  in my business I find that my "Neighbourhoods" are the second most visited page on my website, after my home page/listings. When asked about schools I refer clients to the various local school board websites.

I actually used Active Rain to find someone in St. Augustine for a referral.  I live in an area where there are waterfront properties all over the place.  I didn't want to go to an area where you have to have three different MLS systems.  One way or another, it is always the best interests of our customers. 

Carol - So true. Consumers should do their homework and choose someone that knows the area in which they are buying or selling.

Mary - Looking forward to seeing you as well.

David - Seems like consumers really love looking at the local info.

Cynthia -  We just visited family in Jacksonville over the summer and spent a day in St. Augustine, what a neat city. We could have spent much more time there.