Paperwork - REALTORS® can help you wade through the cumbersome and often complicated paperwork that goes hand-in-hand with any real estate transaction, making sure the proper forms are filled out correctly and on time.

 
Technology - REALTORS® can tap into the latest technologies serving the housing industry today. This includes Web sites and multiple listing services, as well as market reports detailing crucial data, such as pricing trends; time on the market; and historical sales activity in your neighborhood.

Local knowledge – REALTORS® have the ability to provide the “on the ground” perspective that is not available from the Web. They know their market and have first-hand knowledge about a neighborhood's amenities and services, such as schools, zoning laws, and tax rates. There’s also a good chance they’ve been in the house you found on the Internet.
 

Negotiation - Buying a home calls for solid negotiating skill. A REALTOR® can assist with the critical negotiations included in every real estate transaction, and help buyers work with sellers to finalize the many details that comprise a final purchase agreement.

Representation – As a buyer, your REALTOR® can work on your behalf with a seller to negotiate a sale price; set a date for escrow closing; and determine what, if any repairs you'd like the owner to complete as a part of the terms of the agreement, among other things.
 

Home Inspection Managment - Your REALTOR® can assist with the coordination of the home-inspection process, and help to ensure that the seller's responsibilities for addressing a buyer's requirements are met. They also may help with the identification of qualified contractors to help perform needed repairs.

Pricing - If you are buying a home, a REALTOR® can save you time and money by tapping into market data, reports and local knowledge to help you determine whether the asking price is appropriate and provide guidance on making an offer.
 

Closing Support - A REALTOR® can provide objective support during the closing process, ensuring both buyer and seller have received the proper documentation for successfully completing a sale transaction and coordinating a final property walk-through.

What's Different About a REALTOR® - Not everyone who sells real estate is a REALTOR®. Possessing a real estate license does not afford instant REALTOR® status--a distinction of which you need to be aware. A REALTOR® in Massachusetts is a member of National Association of REALTORS®, the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® and a local Association of REALTORS®. By being a member, a REALTOR® subscribes to a strict Code of Ethics, pledges to provide fair treatment for all parties involved, protect the right of individuals to own property, and keep abreast of changes in real estate practice through continuing education and interaction with other professionals.

 

REALTORS® also are committed to higher levels of education and professional development; many REALTORS® have earned professional designations or specialty certifications requiring intensive study. For example, REALTORS® who have obtained the Certified Buyer Representative and Certified Residential Specialist designations have been trained in all aspects of serving as buyers' and sellers' representatives in real estate transactions.