Checking The Pulse Of The Kansas City Real Estate Market

Since the real estate downturn 1/5 of Realtors across the country have gotten out of the business.  The slow market has left many agents questioning whether they’ll be in business next month. The costs are certainly high to keep up with an agent’s monthly office fees, MLS dues, NAR dues, Lock box fees, gas costs, advertising costs, care for the kids when working night, etc. So, if you’re thinking right now about hiring a listing agent or buyer’s agent, consider that a recent CNN Money article estimates about 50% of Realtors nationally did not close a single transaction in the last 12 months. Wow, that’s incredible!

It’s hard to believe that half of Realtors with a current real estate licensed didn’t close a single transaction the past year. This tells me that half of my competition isn’t on top of the real estate market, aren’t current on what’s working well for buyers and sellers in today’s market and, most likely, are part-time real estate agents holding out for when they sell their own home or hoping a relative or a friend will call soon to buy or sell a home.

If you’re considering hiring someone you know, you should ask them about their business. Ask yourself, would you hire a financial planner who hadn’t completed a single investment transaction the past year? Would you choose an insurance agent who hadn’t written a single insurance policy the past year? You should definitely hire an agent because they’ll help you sell your home as quickly as possible and help you obtain the highest net proceeds… Or if you’re buying a home, you’ll want an agent who is not in a rush to get a closing and who will help you locate the best homes within your parameters, while providing expert representation all the way through the process.

Posted by Jason Brown