Buying an apartment through a real estate agency: what do you need to know, what questions to ask when selling, how to choose a realtor, what are his services and responsibilities?

What is included in the services?

Its services are very diverse. When purchasing a complex, it all looks something like this:

Selection of real estate options at the client's request.
Organizing inspections of each of them.
Analysis of documents and their thorough verification.
Negotiating with the seller or the person representing him.
Transfer of prepayment for the object.
Collection and verification of documents for the apartment.
Organization of mutual settlements and preparation of purchase and sale agreements.
Registration of a state contract.
Organizing the transfer of housing to a new owner.
Negotiating with buyers and protecting their interests.
Receiving advance payment from the buyer.
Collection of documents for concluding a transaction.
Preparation of a draft purchase and sale agreement, organization of its signing.
Submission of documents to state registration.
Delivery of housing to a new tenant.

Nowadays, there are increasingly cases where the seller and buyer of property are the same person. In such situations, a realtor helps not to miss important details. He not only selects options, but also checks the apartment for cleanliness.

The owner should not have debts for utility bills, in addition, the property should also not be in credit. Thus, purchasing through a specialist is safer.

How long does a standard transaction take?

After concluding an agreement with a real estate agency or a private realtor, the period of purchase or sale of an apartment will depend solely on its declared value. More precisely, how much the exhibited price will correspond to the average market price in this area of the city.

If an adequate price is stated, sell (buy)

living space is possible within a week.
After the preliminary agreement with the buyer (seller),
it will take time to prepare the necessary documents for the subsequent signing of the purchase and sale agreement with a notary. Usually these are copies of passports of both parties, verification of ownership, an extract from the housing and communal services about those who have the right to live in a given living space, confirmation of the absence of debt on utility bills, and so on.

With an experienced realtor, the sale
(purchase) of real estate can be completed in just one and a half to two months.

You choose a realtor or real estate agency yourself, so take your time and carefully select based on available reviews, business reputation and work experience. Just remember that sympathy and trust are also very important, because you will often meet with this specialist, discussing all the nuances of the proposed options. Therefore, it is important that communication is not only fruitful, but also pleasant!

Is it needed and why?

When you contact a realtor, you get the following advantages:

The owner does not fill out the documents. All documentation falls on the specialist. The only thing he must do is give a power of attorney to carry out the work. According to it, the realtor collects papers and draws up a purchase and sale agreement.
No need to spend money on advertising. The agent himself finds suitable options for the price, and after that all the details are discussed.
Established customer base. Experienced realtors always have a lot of offers for buyers. He knows about the features of each of them, so that already at the first meeting he will be able to discuss several suitable options.

You should know that realtor services are not free. Often the price for them depends on the price of the housing itself. Payment terms are specified in the purchase agreement, which is signed between the parties at the first meeting. Now it’s worth considering cases in which you can do without the help of a real estate specialist. For people living in a small town, contacting a realtor is not necessary.

In addition, if the owner is in no hurry to purchase, he can independently meet with sellers and look at the objects offered for purchase. Currently, the market is flooded with great deals, so it can take a lot of time to look at each property. The only drawback in this regard is that no one guarantees you a clean deal.

Many people offer housing at an obviously attractive price, but those who don’t know fall for the trick, subsequently losing money and the chance to start a new life in a new apartment.

Buying an apartment with and without a realtor: pros and cons of the process

The realtor reduces the client’s risks, but does not give guarantees, emphasizes the head of IRN.RU

You can buy an apartment without a realtor, but searching for a suitable option and completing paperwork will take a lot of time and effort. In addition, “sailing on your own” increases risks - if you don’t pay attention to important details due to inexperience, you can end up without an apartment and without money, said Oleg Repchenko, head of the analytical center “Real Estate Market Indicators IRN.RU”, in an interview with Mayak radio "

The participation of a professional agent in a housing transaction is not necessary - a realtor does not do anything that any capable citizen cannot handle. In principle, the process of buying and selling real estate from this point of view is similar to renovating an apartment or car: you can do everything yourself, saving a decent amount of money, or you can hire professionals who will do the job faster and better - but not for free. Therefore, to decide whether to hire a realtor, you just need to set your priorities correctly.

How can a real estate agent benefit you? Firstly, housing transactions take a lot of time and effort. Not everyone has the opportunity to take leave from work for a period of two to three months to a year in order to devote themselves to solving the housing problem. Moreover, financial losses from such downtime may exceed the cost of paying an agent.

A good realtor filters hundreds of apartment options, offering the client to view only those that he might really like; conducts sometimes very difficult negotiations with sellers; if necessary, builds alternative chains, which may include a dozen or more links; deals with collecting and processing documents, etc. and so on. Since the sale and purchase of an apartment is usually a very troublesome and nervous matter, the realtor also protects the health of clients.

Secondly, a residential transaction, unlike buying a loaf of bread in a store, is a rather complex process, the intricacies of which, including legal ones, are not at all easy for a non-professional to understand.

Thirdly, a transaction involving a realtor who checks the legal cleanliness of the apartment is less risky than doing it on your own. Realtors know the pitfalls of the real estate market and the most common fraud schemes, so when buying an apartment with the help of an agent, there is less chance of running into problematic housing.

However, here we must take into account that an agreement with a real estate agency, even the largest and most respectable one, does not at all guarantee 100% reliability of the transaction. Simply because not all potential risks can be checked. For example, scammers remove from the house register a record that a citizen who is now serving a sentence in prison was once registered in the apartment. And a few years later, this person, who, it turns out, was illegally bypassed during the privatization of housing, is released and makes a claim to the sold apartment.

It is extremely difficult to get anything from a realtor in the event of such conflicts. Real estate agencies, like any other business, strive to minimize their liability and write down the relevant provisions in the contract. Moreover, even if an agency or private broker manages to “impose” something in court, they most likely will not physically be able to compensate the client for losses, since they do not have the necessary reserves. Therefore, in order to protect yourself from problems in the future, it is advisable not only to carefully check the apartment for possible legal “surprises”, but also to insure the title.

Rasskazovka New Moscow, Novomoskovsky district, Rasskazovka settlement, 7 km from the Moscow Ring Road

Title insurance is protection against the risk of loss of rights to real estate at the initiative of third parties. In other words, if a hypothetical prisoner seizes the apartment from the new owners, the insurance company will have to reimburse them for its full cost. Unlike, for example, the USA, where an object is insured once for the entire life of its owner and the insurer pays the client the amount necessary to purchase the same housing at the time of the insured event, in Russia the amount of insurance is fixed (that is, it does not take into account possible changes in prices for market) and the contract is concluded for a certain period. But still, title insurance is the thickest and softest straw possible when buying an apartment.

By refusing the services of an agent, a person saves on the realtor commission, which amounts to several percent of the cost of the apartment - from 3% to 5-6%. The agent will take the minimum percentage only for the simplest transaction - when you just need to sell or buy a home, and if there is a need to link alternative chains, then the realtor commission will strive for the maximum. However, the percentage for an alternative transaction will still be less than the total costs of agent services in the case of two separate transactions - sale and purchase.

The costs of a realtor can be reduced by two to three times if, instead of a full package of services, you order only a check of the legal cleanliness of the apartment and assistance in paperwork.

In addition, we must take into account that the services of large real estate agencies are more expensive than private brokers, but official offices usually value their reputation more. However, even a well-known company may not have very conscientious employees, so you need to choose a realtor very carefully, preferably on the recommendation of friends and family, and be sure to clearly indicate all the terms of cooperation in the contract. Otherwise, it may happen that a lazy agent will not bother with selecting the apartment you need, but will simply present the first three options he comes across.

In general, the help of a good real estate or legal office when buying or selling an apartment can be very useful, but, unfortunately, it is not a panacea for all problems.

Sorge 9 Moscow, Northern District, Khoroshevsky district, Polezhaevskaya metro station, Khoroshevo metro station

What is the responsibility of this specialist?

The realtor's responsibilities are as follows:

Material damage supported by facts. The agent must conclude the purchase transaction so that the buyer does not lose money and property.
Refusal to fulfill one's obligations or performing them improperly. Each realtor undertakes to accompany the client until the end of the transaction, taking on all the difficulties.
Violations that are contrary to the laws of the country. This may include additional amounts of money for services provided, as well as insufficiently professional provision of services to the client.

Cost in big cities of Russia

If real estate transactions are carried out in Moscow and its region, then the services of a professional will cost about 100,000 rubles . If we talk about St. Petersburg, then in this city the cost of a realtor’s services is about 90,000 rubles. But in both the first and second cases, the price depends on the value of the property. In other million-plus cities it depends on the cost of the apartment, but more often in the region of 30 - 50 thousand.

We have already talked in detail about how much a realtor’s service costs here.

Why do you need a realtor at all?

A realtor is an intermediary in real estate transactions. Real estate transactions are his main activity, which is why his knowledge and services are so valued by the parties to the transaction.

How do realtors work when selling real estate? The functions and responsibilities of a real estate agent include:

checks the legal cleanliness of housing;
helps the seller collect the necessary certificates and documents for the sale of the apartment;
carries out assessment and pre-sale preparation;
implements an advertising campaign - searches for buyers and conducts showings;
develops contract texts in the interests of the client;
oversees the registration of the transfer of ownership to the buyer;
controls the completion of the transaction.

The seller can handle all of the above functions alone. However, selling an apartment through a realtor will significantly save time, money and nerves.

How to choose it correctly?

To choose the best realtor, use the following sources:

Reviews and recommendations. Talk to your friends and family who have used similar services before. A loved one will never recommend a bad specialist.
Personal work experience. If it is positive, then the best solution is to contact a trusted person.
Search on the Internet and in print publications. Your agent may be closer than you think. Call several numbers and chat with each of them. Perhaps someone will seem close to you from the very first minute, while someone will push you away.
Visit a real estate agency. Such organizations employ a large number of agents who are ready to solve problems of any nature.

To avoid making a mistake, consider the following qualities of an agent:

Experience. Remember that a person can work for 20 years, but still not have many clients. The ability to win over oneself, as well as respect for the opinions of other people, speak of high professionalism. During a personal meeting, you will be able to understand how interested the realtor is in working with you.
Licensing. Nowadays, this is also not a high-level indicator, but if you have little time, you should still contact a person with a license. He knows exactly how to help the client, even if the amount of money for the purchase is extremely small, and the expectations are too high.
Localization of work. Some specialists work in specific areas. For example, you want to purchase real estate on the outskirts of Moscow, so you should contact a specialist who knows the area well and can select several options for you in order to save your time and show respect for the client.

Do you need a realtor when selling an apartment with a notary?

Where to start for beginners? A notary is required when selling an apartment in two cases:

if a share (or several shares) in an apartment is sold;
if one of the apartment owners is a minor.

In other cases, the law does not oblige the parties to contact a notary office, but if they consider such a visit necessary, any transaction can be certified.

The notary ensures the legality of the transaction, including performing the following actions:

checks whether the transaction has violated anyone’s rights;
develops the text of the agreement taking into account current regulations;
checks the legal capacity of the seller and the buyer;
certifies with his signature the fact of the transaction.

Therefore, if the seller plans to contact a realtor specifically to ensure the legal validity of the transaction, then the participation of an intermediary is not required, otherwise he will only duplicate the powers of the notary.

However, a notary cannot completely replace a realtor - he will not inspect the apartment, promote the property on the market and control the settlements of the transaction. All these functions are still the responsibility of the agent.

Important. A realtor does not replace a notary, and a notary does not replace a realtor. They perform different functions, which can only be partially duplicated.

Thus, the seller needs to decide what issues he needs help with - and, based on this, decide whether to hire a realtor or not.

What questions to ask?

First, you need to consult with an agent before making a choice in favor of a particular person. Don't be shy to ask questions regarding price. If it is too expensive for you to have such an assistant, it makes sense to find one that is affordable. You can also inquire about discounts. Ask how quickly the specialist can work.

For example, if buying an apartment is urgent for you, then the realtor should do everything possible to choose the best option and prepare all the documents. Ask your realtor what area they specialize in. Perhaps this is where you want to buy real estate. In addition, finding the best option for you will be much easier.

Be sure to find out how long the specialist has been working, and also take the time to look at reviews on the Internet. Using them, you can make a decision about cooperation with an agent.

Login to the site

The question “Why do you need a realtor” probably worries everyone who has decided to sell or buy an apartment, house, land, or rent or exchange a room or some other piece of real estate. Many of our compatriots believe that when buying an apartment or house, a realtor is necessary for security reasons, but when selling real estate, his presence is not at all necessary. However, practice shows that it is independent attempts to sell one’s property that usually lead to a sad end, since only a professional can identify a “legitimate” fraudster in a sweet old woman or a modest young man who makes money by taking advantage of loopholes in imperfect Russian legislation. A realtor saves your time and money, saving you from going to different authorities.

All actions of a realtor are aimed at the successful (maximally beneficial for the client) transaction. The work of an intermediary can be divided into two components: “technical” and “basic”. “Technical” include: advertising campaign for the property being sold, searching for apartments according to specified parameters, organizing viewings or showings of the apartment, collecting certificates and documents.

Successful performance of the “main” duties of a realtor requires not only knowledge of the laws, but also the technology of conducting transactions and the ability to negotiate with counterparties. And this is perhaps the main tool of a professional realtor. He always controls the situation and can predict its development. And if necessary, take action. An inexperienced person acts almost blindly.

Traditionally, it is the realtor who conducts all negotiations, organizes and carries out the transfer of the advance or deposit, agrees on the timing of the upcoming transaction, and most importantly, conducts an expert assessment of the legal purity of the upcoming transaction, and finally, organizes and conducts the transaction itself. A lot? Indeed, the amount of work is enormous, especially if several transactions (alternative purchases) are made simultaneously. And these are the majority of transactions. And since everyone is “links of the same chain,” a lot of different nuances need to be agreed upon with everyone. Many deals break down because the parties were unable to agree or find a compromise solution, because everyone is “pulling the blanket upon themselves.” Negotiating is a skill that a professional realtor has.

Apartment cost estimate

So, when you contact a realtor, the first thing he can help you with is to objectively evaluate your property. It is the correct valuation of real estate that helps bring maximum profit and save time. An experienced realtor is aware of real sales prices, because often when selling, the price is significantly reduced. This largely determines how competitive and interesting the price of your apartment will be for potential buyers. After all, if the price is too high, buyers will not even consider the offer, and if the price is too low, then you are simply losing money. The price of an apartment depends on many factors, and this is not only proximity to the city center, to the metro, but also the square footage, floor, prestige of the area and the condition of the housing are also important. To determine the real value of an object, realtors analyze similar real estate properties, calling and inspecting, for example, apartments in a particular area, identifying why they are better and which ones have shortcomings, i.e. monitoring the real estate market. This is a very specific and time-consuming work, however, it allows you not only to realistically evaluate your apartment, but also to identify its advantages for the buyer in comparison with similar options.

Advertising of a real estate property

Another important aspect for selling or renting a home is advertising your property. Namely, the correct organization of an advertising campaign is the key to success when selling a home. In order for information about your offer to reach a potential buyer, advertising must reach as large an audience as possible. The agency will disseminate comprehensive, reliable, correctly structured information about your apartment as quickly as possible. Hundreds of clients interested in purchasing an apartment will learn about your offer. The technology has been proven, channels have been established through which realtors quickly exchange exclusive information. If necessary, the company places advertisements for your apartment in specialized newspapers and magazines, online publications and real estate portals.

Many people believe that any competent person can advertise, especially if he is familiar with the Internet. There are many message boards, published for free and why pay extra? But in order for a potential client to see your ad among a million offers and remember yours, there must be about a thousand such ads. At the same time, buyers also turn to an agent to search for apartments, who, in turn, does not look for properties on the Internet.

Cleanliness of the real estate transaction

Finding out the factors by which a transaction can be declared invalid is a job that no one other than a serious real estate agency can handle. Experienced real estate lawyers will not give the client the go-ahead to purchase an apartment until they find out the entire history of the transfer of ownership rights to it. There were cases when, to clarify some details, realtors looked for former home owners, even those living abroad, as well as heirs. It is clear that the buyer himself is not able to carry out such a check. Moreover, in most cases he has no idea what he should pay attention to when getting acquainted with the documents for the apartment. Well, the price of such carelessness can be equal to the cost of the purchased housing.

Security of payments

Apartments in the capital cost a lot of money, so a double guarantee at this stage (from the real estate company and the bank through which the transaction is made) will not hurt. In addition, the entire payment procedure - from making a deposit to receiving documents for the apartment and keys - is fraught with a lot of dangers for both the seller and the buyer. Specialists providing transaction support will help you avoid them.

Comfort and tranquility

Peace of mind when buying or selling a home is worth a lot. Therefore, clients are looking for companies that not only offer a standard list), but also take on additional hassle: they help collect the necessary certificates, deregister, register at a new place of residence, etc. It is worth paying attention to the fact that not all companies fulfill their obligations to the client in good faith, and therefore the responsibility of the parties must be specified in the agreement with the agency. Pay attention to the experience and reputation of the company, ask what guarantees it provides to clients, and then you will not have to waste your nerves at every stage of the real estate transaction.

Step-by-step instructions for buying an apartment with a realtor

How to buy an apartment through a realtor? When purchasing real estate together with a specialist, you will follow the following instructions:

Determination of the most important parameters (area, number of rooms and footage).
Studying offers that are put up for sale.
Selection of the best among them.
View apartments and choose the best option.
Conducting negotiations and bidding.
Checking and preparing documents.
Drawing up a purchase and sale agreement.
Submission of documents for state registration.

The realtor will accompany you from the beginning to the end of the transaction for the purchase and sale of an apartment, and will perform some actions independently, freeing up your time.

Check out other useful resources on this topic:

Is a notary required when buying an apartment?
Why is it advisable to insure the purchase and sale of an apartment?
How much does legal support for a transaction cost?

Why do you need a realtor? Handling objections for a realtor.

Surely many of us have heard something similar from potential “clients”. Unfortunately, in our country there is a very widespread opinion that realtors are not at all necessary, or even an extra link in a successful transaction and you can easily do without them. Like, slackers, lazy people, hucksters - why should they even pay money for?...

HOW TO WORK WITH SIMILAR OBJECTIONS?

SHOW YOUR POTENTIAL CLIENT THE BENEFITS OF COOPERATING WITH YOU!

Benefit No. 1. The main and one of the most important is saving time.

For the buyer:

There are many offers on the real estate market now. And, looking through advertisements on a huge number of sites, you will have to constantly deal not only with the owners, but also with the realtors representing them.

Your task is to convey to the buyer that at least he will not have to search on a great variety of Internet sites and call - you will take care of all this!

For the seller:

An agent can professionally prepare a selling presentation of the property - take professional photos and write a selling description, as well as advertise the property on almost all platforms with the goal of covering the entire real estate market.

It is the real estate specialist who receives all incoming calls and requests from advertising and necessarily qualifies the buyer in order to eliminate empty and unnecessary apartment showings.

Another plus is safety. You never know, for what purpose do people look at apartments? The realtor is at least a witness.

Your task is to convey to the buyer that he will not have to deal with posting ads on dozens of boards, take hundreds of unnecessary calls from inadequate people or inexperienced realtors, plan showings on his own and do them alone!

Benefit No. 2. The realtor defends the interests of the client during the bargaining - he helps to sell at a higher price and buy at a lower price.

Buyer's agent

interested in purchasing housing for a client cheaper. Therefore, during negotiations, he tries to reduce the price as much as possible, giving weighty arguments about the correspondence of the price of the property being sold to the market price or pointing out the shortcomings and features of the selected property.

Your task is to convey to the client that you know exactly where to find the right object and how to buy it at a good price!

Seller's agent

is always ready to protect his client, inevitably putting additional pressure on the buyer, and will do it professionally, giving weighty arguments about the correspondence of the price of the property being sold to the market price or pointing out the advantages and features of the property being sold.

Your task is to convey to the client that you know exactly how to profitably show off the product, speed up the sale and get a favorable price!

Benefit No. 3. The agent collects and prepares a complete package of documents for the transaction, verifies payment of debts on utility bills, electricity and taxes.

All parties to the transaction must be sure that everything is in order with the documents for the object. After all, the lack of even one “piece of paper” or an error in the contract or documents can reduce all efforts to zero.

In addition, the agent helps control payments and ensures the submission of documents for state registration of rights and receipt of documents after registration.

Your task is to convey to the client that the presence of a professional agent minimizes the risk of complications, and simply helps not to get confused.

So, we’ve sorted out the potential benefits... All that remains is to prove to the client in practice that you are a real pro. And here SmartAgent is your indispensable assistant. He does an excellent job of saving time! All objects have already been collected in one place and checked by operators! In addition, there is the ability to auto-publish objects on 200 portals and the ability to send them to your clients in 1 click.

TEST OUR SERVICE FOR FREE AND CONNECT!
September 10, 2020