The accelerated growth of the property market in the Suncoast in recent years has reawakened interest toward a career in real estate. This resurgence is evident in the enrolment at the Ed Klopfer Real Estate Schools in Sarasota which increased by about 20% this year. This gain is over and above the expectation of its owner, Ed Klopfer, who noted that people are now more optimistic going into the real estate profession.
There are also many instances of realtors returning after the recovery of the home market from the hammering it got during the Great Recession. Manifesting this come back, membership in the Sarasota Association of Realtors grew by 10% from 2013 and by 8% in the Manatee trade group.
It is noteworthy that even with the competition among the growing ranks of realtors, their group commitment to help advance the real estate profession remains strong. The members of the Women’s Council of Realtors Sarasota Chapter, which won the Gold Level of Excellence Award for 10 consecutive years, provide a classic example in advancing the real estate profession, particularly for women.
Through mentoring, education and networking, the Sarasota lady realtors are able to share their ideas in a collaborative manner. The chapter’s president, Susan Phelps, says that networking constitute a very strong foundation for customer service as the referrals they transmit aren’t only from affiliate to affiliate but also cover realtors outside of their jurisdiction.
Prospective home buyers would be well advised to go for the services of an agent who has access to this network. This linkage among realtors provides an agent not only a venue for further education. Being a part of this loop likewise allows for sharper insights on market conditions on the local level, especially on home valuations.
Values of available homes in the market can now easily be accessed online for free through such portals as Trulia, Corelogic or Zillow. However, even Zillow suggests that a real estate professional remains as the better source for more accurate estimates of home values.
At best, the home values published online are just ballpark figures which are based on many volatile parameters, such as price trends of recently sold properties. Online home valuations for condos and townhouses are particularly challenging.
Many of the units in a condominium complex, for instance, have similar square footage. Each, however, must be valued not only in terms of floor area but also with regards to individual interior upgrades, the view available from each unit, and other accoutrements which may be known only by an eagle-eyed local real estate agent.
Generally, the revival of people’s interest to enter the real estate profession bodes well for the market, given the wider availability of talents opened to consumers. It remains an imperative, however, for prospective home buyers to choose the right agents to work with.
The realtors of choice should have the experience besides valuations of condos and single family homes. They also must be able to help clients come up with a suggested offer, find a suitable lender, and assist in the other nitty-gritties of a home purchase.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 7, 2019 – Property values of communities in the Sarasota-Manatee region now face lesser threat from neighborhood eyesores brought about by abandoned, foreclosed homes. Known in the real estate trade as zombie foreclosures, these properties have shrunk significantly in the region. According to an August report of ATTOM Data Solutions, abandoned […] more>>