Introduction 

Welcome to the world of real estate, where every property transaction tells a unique story. Behind each successful deal lies a crucial protagonist: the real estate agent. In this blog post, inspired by the insightful podcast episode hosted by Rick Kendrick, Palm Beach Real Estate Agent and owner of Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty of Florida, we delve into the heart of the matter – the indispensable value that real estate agents bring to the table.

Have you ever pondered why hiring a real estate agent is essential when navigating the complex landscape of property transactions? Join us as we explore the myriad reasons why real estate agents matter, the expertise advantage they provide, and the tangible benefits they offer throughout the entire real estate journey.

Whether you're a first-time homebuyer embarking on the exciting quest for your dream home or a seasoned investor seeking to maximize returns, understanding the role of a real estate agent is paramount. So, let's unlock the Agent Advantage together and discover how these professionals transform real estate aspirations into reality.

The Expertise Advantage:

Real estate transactions are not just about buying or selling property; they are about navigating a complex landscape of market dynamics, regulations, and trends. Here's where real estate agents shine brightest. With their wealth of expertise and intimate knowledge of local markets, real estate agents serve as invaluable guides, helping clients make informed decisions every step of the way.

Imagine having a seasoned insider who can decode the nuances of your desired neighborhood, provide insights into property values, and anticipate market trends before they unfold. That's precisely the expertise advantage that real estate agents offer. Whether it's identifying hidden gems in a competitive market or advising on the optimal pricing strategy, agents leverage their knowledge to empower clients and ensure their real estate goals are not just met but exceeded.

Navigating Complex Negotiations:

Negotiating a real estate deal is akin to traversing a minefield, fraught with potential pitfalls and hidden obstacles. This is where the expertise and finesse of a skilled real estate agent truly shine. Armed with a deep understanding of market dynamics and negotiation tactics, agents adeptly navigate the complexities of deal-making, ensuring their clients emerge victorious.

From crafting compelling offers to navigating counteroffers and contingencies, real estate agents serve as unwavering advocates for their clients' interests. Their ability to foster productive dialogue, build rapport with counterparts, and creatively resolve conflicts often makes the crucial difference between a successful deal and a missed opportunity.

Saving Time, Money, and Stress:

In the fast-paced world of real estate, time is of the essence. For busy professionals and families, navigating the intricacies of buying or selling a home can quickly become overwhelming. Enter the real estate agent – the ultimate time-saver and stress-reliever.

By shouldering the burden of paperwork, coordinating logistics, and handling negotiations, real estate agents free up their clients to focus on what truly matters – finding their dream home or maximizing their investment returns. Moreover, their intimate knowledge of the market and industry connections can often uncover hidden opportunities and cost-saving strategies that would otherwise remain elusive.

In essence, partnering with a real estate agent is not just about hiring a professional; it's about gaining a trusted ally who is committed to your success. So, whether you're embarking on your first home-buying journey or looking to capitalize on investment opportunities, remember the invaluable role that real estate agents play in delivering unparalleled value and peace of mind.

Transcript of Episode #18

Welcome to the your Home Sold Guaranteed Radio Show, where you get advice you can trust, from the latest real estate trends to the best mortgage rates, from curb appeal to home warranty. This is the show that will help you save and make the most money when it comes to buying or selling your most valuable asset. Now here's your host, broker and founder of your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty of Florida, rick Kendrick.

Happy Sunday, everybody. Welcome to your Home. Sold Guaranteed Realty. This is Rick Kendrick. Today, kerry and I are going to be going over a special topic. That I think is pretty important, because when you talk about real estate agents, you ask a lot of times does that real estate agent really do a good job for you? Mr Byer, mr Seller, and you know what it is. I really believe it says that they really don't show value. Okay, and the reason why is they do not help out the person who's making the most important investment in their life. So we're going to go over that topic today and I think it's pretty interesting. We're going to point out some things, items that you really need to look at when you're interviewing an agent, don't interview one, interview a couple, because think about this In Miami. Hey, kerry, do you know how many agents there are, real estate agents in Miami?

A lot, I would imagine.

Over a hundred thousand agents licensed in Miami. Do you know, by chance, how many real estate agents there are in Palm Beach County?

I don't. What's the figure, Rick?

Forty-two thousand, wow, okay, there are a lot of guys out there Now. Do they show you value? That's what you look for. So we're going to talk over that topic today, but before we do that, we want to kind of go over the numbers, like we do every week, and then kind of dig into that a little bit more. So, kerry, how's it look for us?

Yeah, so we're holding pretty steady. Palm Beach County the average sales price is at 747, which is up 4.6% over this time last year, and the median sales price is 450, which is up 6% from last year.

You know the big number that's changed here, I would say would be the days on the market right.

Yeah, so the days on the market has been affected and the reasoning behind that most likely is just what's happening with the interest rates. So a lot of buyers out there, even though they might want to make a move, they're kind of staying in the sidelines trying to figure out if rates are going to come down a little.

Yeah. So if you've listened to our shows and I'm sure you have listeners is that? Listen, do not let interest rates get in the way of you buying a home seriously or even selling it. If you think, well, I'm going to hold off on selling right now because interest rates are too high. Believe me, if you have an agent that knows what they're talking about, they will show you ways for you to either buy or sell your place and get top dollar for it and get the terms you're looking for. If you kind of work with them and I really think like days on the market and interest rates are really crucial to the common person out there, but interest rates right now in particular are high. Well, let's just face the facts. They are high. Are they going to go higher? Who knows? Okay, but I do know this that if you are working with an agent, make sure they know what they're talking about, and we're going to go over that later on. Kerry, let's take it a little bit more in the numbers. You know what looked really good was the medium sales price. That is impressive, Don't you think?

For sure. So Palm Beach County median sales price is 450, which is just in line with what Martin County's is. And then St Lucy we have a median sales price of 378, and Broward is, let's see, 409.

So what you're hearing here is numbers are up, right, not down.

Yeah, we haven't seen any trending down as far as the numbers have are concerned as well, and part of that really is still we have a lack of inventory on the market. We're still hovering in that three to four month range, which is still considered a seller's market.

And you know? Here's the thing. You know we still have about 20,000 buyers in our database that we are searching for them for a house. They're pre -approved, they're ready to go right.

Yeah, so we have buyers every day who are reaching out to us through the various marketing channels that we're advertising in, and they are trying to find homes and there is not a lot of inventory out there.

Yeah. So listen, if you're thinking about maybe making a move, I seriously think no obligation at all here. Okay, Just have me come out, take a look at it. I can give you tips on what to do and what not to do. But more importantly, Mr Seller or Mrs Seller, I can sit down and tell you exactly what you're going to end up at the closing table. I will give you a definitive answer that you're going to be out of there in 60 or 90 days, either through a traditional sale, a guaranteed sale or one of our new deals that we have going on now. Is it all cash off at right-carrying?

Yeah for sure. And obviously you know a lot of sellers are making the decision to basically stay put right Because they took advantage of the really low interest rates that we had during the COVID years. So a lot of the sellers who are actually planning on staying in our marketplace are making the decision not to move. But for the folks out there who are considering, you know, should I cash out now? Maybe you've dreamt of, you know, retiring up to the Carolinas or you have family or something in another part of the country. It might be a good idea to you know. Reach out to Rick and see how much equity you have managed to build up in your home and it might make sense for you to cash out now and to relocate.

Seller. You know how I could tell how we're going to have a good market in the next three months. I see the car carriers coming in, the freight trucks coming in. In the last couple of weeks I've seen so many and they're coming in and groves Listen, the snowbirds are coming. They're great people and really what they do is they want to rent a house. Okay, and traditionally in the winter months, you can figure this rental rates double. So a lot of times a snowbird will come here and enjoy the weather and they'll pay $7,000 to $10,000, but also now, what's going on with them is now they're thinking about you know what. Instead of spending this money every year $7,000 to $10,000 a month maybe I'll make an investment and if you are somebody who comes down here, you know, on a winter month basis maybe you ought to give us a call. We'd be happy to help you out, find you a place and, more importantly, find you a place where not only could you be in it when you get here and stay in it as long as you want, and after that so you have to go back, we can go ahead and rent that place for you. So just let you know we can do all these services for you, right Carrie.

Oh yeah, absolutely. If you're a snowbird and you know you're coming down here every season and you're spending a ton of money on rent, it's definitely something to consider. You know, I mean we do talk to folks. You know, every year they're coming down here and they're saying to themselves you know, I'm going to wait till the market goes down, I'm going to wait till the market goes down. And here we are a year later, two years, three years later, and the prices have not come down at all. As a matter of fact, they've went. You know, we've enjoyed some extreme appreciation over the last several years.

As the numbers that you just talked about. You know we love the opportunity to talk to our listeners on the radio here today. You know we're out there every single day meeting home sellers and home buyers who do love talking about real estate, and if you know of anyone who is considering to make a move, we'd love the opportunity to interview for the job. You can give me a call at 561 or text me at this number 561-901-3333. That's 561-901-3333 or rickhasthebuyerscom. After the break, carrie and I will be diving into our topic. Today We'll be going over exactly the value of a real estate agent. This is Rick Kendrick. Your home sold. Guarantee reality. We'll be right back.

The schedule and appointment with Rick Kendrick to help you buy or sell your home. Call 561-901-3333 or go to rickhasthebuyerscom. Rick will be right back with more of the your Home Sold. Guaranteed Radio Show here on NewsTalk 850 WFTL.

So you're thinking of selling your home, but with all the real estate agents to choose from, who do you pick? Let me help you out. My friend Rick Kendrick, from your Home Sold, guaranteed Realty of Florida Hi, it's Jennifer. On average, rick gets home sellers 5% more than the average agent. So that means on a $500,000 home, you're going to put an extra $25,000 in your pocket. Rick is so confident in his marketing system to attract the right buyer for your home that he guarantees to sell your home at a price and a timeline that you all agree to, or he'll buy your home for cash. And nothing speaks more volumes than repeat customers, ben. He's hired Rick multiple times over the past seven years. One of those times, just last year, ben got an out-of-state opportunity. Had him move quickly. He called Rick to help him and his wife Alana sell the home that Rick helped them purchase just the year before. After only six days on the market, rick had their home sold at 97% of the asking price. Call Rick Kendrick today, 561-901333, or visit rickhasthebuyerscom.

Hi, I'm Eric Rosemary, branch manager at Cross Country Mortgage in Boca Raton. If you're deciding which lender to trust, whether you're purchasing or refinancing, I would love the opportunity to work with you. Over my 20-year career, I've helped close to 10,000 families buy or refinance the place they call home. Despite what you're hearing about interest rates, you might be surprised, as what we can do for you, let's talk, call or text me at 954-312-3104 or visit rosemarymortgageteamcom.

If you're ready to buy or sell your home and would like to schedule an appointment with Rick, call 561-901-3333 or go to RickHasTheBuyerscom. Now back to the your home sold guaranteed radio show and your host, Rick Kendrick. Rick.

Kendrick hey, welcome back from the break. In this segment, we're going to be talking about the agent advantage, the real estate agents and the value they deliver, terms and buyers. You really need to scope this out. Real good, because it depends on you making the most amount of money on your home or, as a buyer, getting that best deal with terms and conditions and really that is probably the top of the things that I want you to talk about today and looking at the value of a real estate agent, because I put a lot of value on me. All right, and the reason why I do that is I study Like, for example, carrie and I. After the show, we're heading up to Orlando for a real estate conference. We're going to spend three days there, all right, and we do this every year. We're going to spend three days, get up to date, what's happening in the market, how we can help our buyers and sellers Is that right, carrie?

Carrie? Yeah, we sure are.

Rick. So these guys are all across the United States. We're able to talk to them how their market is doing, because these guys are coming from all the way, from Canada, all across the United States and some are having a good year, some are having a bad year. We're not having a bad year, are we, carrie?

Carrie, no, actually we're having a great year.

Rick. So this year has been good for us, but we really like to see these trailer trucks full of cars coming down, because now that's going to supplement us for the next three, four months and I think it's going to be a good season for Palm Beach County. So let's talk about that a little bit.

Carrie, yeah, so I think the first thing is effective marketing right, so you can't underestimate the value that the agent is going to bring in terms of marketing your home effectively.

Rick, I'm glad you said the word market as opposed to listed, because listing it is what a traditional real estate agent does. We do not. We market it. In fact, just as you put your signature on the listing agreement, the next call I make is to our marketing department and we start taking pictures of your place and immediately start putting it in our database. Right, carrie? Yeah?

and when he says we take pictures of your home, we don't take that lightly, right. We do hire a professional photographer, a videographer, who comes in and does still images. They do video. We do aerial drone shots if the property warrants it. We don't just take photos with our iPhones, right? I'm sure all of us have been online and we've been scrolling through photos of properties at a first sale and somebody has used their phone and you've got photos that are crooked or blurry and you just think to yourself wow, they really aren't doing a very good job for their sellers.

Rick, I've seen houses that have been two, three million dollars and you can see it. It looks like they did it with a Kodak instant camera, carrie.

Yeah, that's a big no-no, especially now in today's digital world, right? I mean, everybody goes online and that's going to be their first impression and we've actually spoken about this topic in length in a previous episode but you have five clicks to get the attention of a buyer. All right, you always want to make sure that your home is showcased in its best light, because you want them to actually choose yours as one of the homes that they're going to be previewing today. All right, we want to actually get them in that door, because the reality is, it is really hard just to sell a home online via pictures. A buyer has to come in and kind of experience your home.

Rick, true, very true. The next big thing and this is what I really enjoy doing when I go to a listing appointment is talk about the market. I become the market expert in this situation. Not only do I go over the local market and what's happening in the local market, I even get detailed on what's going on in their neighborhood and then what I do is I walk through their house and I give them ideas of what they can do to improve the place without spending a lot of money. Now, sellers, when you're out there and you're dealing with a listing agent, again, just don't interview one. I would suggest at least two, okay, maybe three. But I would say that when you are interviewing them, find out if they can provide you some preliminary numbers of what's going on in the market. If they can't provide that to you, they do not have what we call local knowledge. Now, we've been doing this business for gosh 13 years now. Okay, we've sold over 500 homes and the thing is is from that we've experienced all of Palm Beach County, all of Martin County, even Broward, even some in Miami. So we've done all these areas and we know, based on our knowledge, what we can provide our sellers and give them the opportunity to get the best price with the least amount of hassle, right.

Yeah, pricing a home is an art, and the more knowledge that your agent has about what's actually happening in the market, the better off you're going to be, because you don't want to come out too high, because that's going to scare the buyers away, and then you also don't want to come out too low, because then you're going to be leaving value on the table, and you don't want to do that.

True. So just to let you know, we you know, add that house and Delray, I think, went like hot cakes. We had 15 offers on it because we priced it right. I know we got 15% over the list price on it. The other big thing is what you need to be asking the agent and this is what I like to show is the value and using us is that we offer a network of buyers already approved 20,000 of them that are in our database ready to go. Now, like I said, these people have been pre-approved. Variety of price range it is Okay. So once you tell us you're ready to go, we're going to circulate this to our network of buyers, right?

Yeah, so we may already have a buyer for your home. Okay, and that will allow you to skip the hassle of going through, you know, putting it on the market, leaving the home for showings, you know, having open houses on the weekend, having to make your bed every single morning. So there are some advantages to going with an agent who already has a bank of buyers waiting and ready to go.

So let's cover one more thing and then we'll get to the buyers aspect of home inspection support. Carrie, do you advise a somebody's getting ready to list a property to do a home inspection ahead?

Yeah, I'd say it's a great idea.

Isn't it a great idea.

Yeah, tackle the issues before you even go on the market, okay, and so that way, you'll have a list of everything that needs to be taken care of and you can make the decision before you even go to market. Okay, these are the things I'm going to fix, and then these are the things that I'm going to let the buyer know about in advance. So that way, once you do end up finding the buyer and you do go under contract, you're not going to risk the contract falling through because of an inspection issue.

So, sellers, just to let you know, we have a lot of knowledge in staging a legal protection year. We have a lot of market analysis to get to that point. So just to let you know, we have this ready to go for you and a big thing is we'll sell this place for you so you can stay in and go find you another place if you have to. We'll work out the time with the buyer. So let's talk about the buyers a little bit. Carrie Again, is it? The local knowledge is big here.

Oh for sure. Yes, you need to have an agent who knows what's happening on the marketplace Again, especially now with the low inventory right. So you need to be working with somebody who is aggressively looking for homes for you, because in all likelihood or in all probability, rather, the home that you're going to be purchasing is actually not on the market right now. All right, but it's going to be at some point in the near future. So, as soon as that property comes on the market, you need an agent who knows how to aggressively go after that for you, so that you won't have to risk missing out on the perfect place.

So here it is In Palm Beach County. We're part of a network of other agents that we consider that have a lot of value and do this full time. All right, might not be that bad question to ask them, by the way, mr Real Estate Agent, do you do this full time? Because I'm going to tell you right now 75% of them say no, I drive Uber or I deliver food. They may be saying that, okay, just to let you know, but, honestly speaking, you've got to make sure this is their job, their blood. Okay, access to exclusive listings is a pretty good idea because we get you out there looking at properties even before it comes on the MLS. All right, here's the big thing negotiating. Once you find a property that you like and you walk in that door, okay, we have a procedure that we go through to enlighten you what's going on with that property. Ie get a seller's disclosure, we enlighten you and find out if there's any offers on that property, how many showings have been in that property, any weaknesses that we could find out right at the very beginning. Those are big things. So you know you will have cost savings as far as that's concerned if you do that. All right, kerry. So what's the other thing you think we ought to cover right here?

Yeah. So I'd say negotiating right on your behalf is a big one when it comes to contracts. Contracts is illegally binding Proposition, right. There's a lot of terms that are spelled out. It is 12 pages, so you know there could be additional addenda attached depending upon what sort of property you're buying If it's a lead-based paint notification or if it's in a condo association and it requires a disclosure or a homeowner's association, this sort of thing. There's a lot of deadlines within that contract that you need to be wary of and you need to make sure that you're monitoring, because you remember whenever you go under contract right, you're putting down some money in escrow, okay, and that is sort of telling the seller hey, listen, I have you know. I'm very sincere about moving forward with this contract, assuming you know that all the deadlines are taken care of and I have the home inspection on the property and I'm good with its condition, I'm gonna be moving forward and you don't wanna risk your deposit being lost if you're not meeting those deadlines.

So really, in summary, real estate agents offer a wide variety okay of services to buyers and sellers, okay, making a real estate process more efficient and informed and successful. So I say to you, you really do need to work with a professional, a professional real estate agent. Don't try to do this on your own, because there is a lot to happen.

When I started real estate 15 years ago, things have changed so much, so you can and I would say that, depending upon whether or not you know we're working for you as a buyer or a seller, okay, just like. As from a result standpoint, you have to also think to yourself okay, well, what results is my agent getting for me, and are they really delivering value? Okay, for instance, recently, you know, rick has worked with a buyer who purchased a place in Jupiter, all right, and he was able to negotiate $100,000 off the price on behalf of that buyer. Okay, so that's delivering value. And then, when you're looking at the seller's aspect of it, right, the seller wants to get the most money possible, you know. So he recently sold a home out in Wellington and one of the newer home construction communities and basically, you know, a lot of homes within the community were of the same model, right, so the seller hired Rick and he was actually able to sell the home for $41,000 more than the exact same model that sold across the street with a different agent.

Oh yeah, that was Karen and Maria, right.

Yes, exactly. So look at it from that standpoint as well. And then, of course, you know, if you reach out to Rick and you're interested in getting references or you'd like to hear some of his amazing testimonials, we'll be more than happy to send that out to you.

Great Kerry. So after the break let's talk about our feature listing of the week, our Buyers and Waiting Program. Talk a little bit about your home sold, guaranteed realty. Go serve big mission. This is Rick Kendrick. We'll be right back.

The schedule and appointment with Rick Kendrick to help you buy or sell your home. Call 561-901-3333, or go to rickhasthebuyerscom. Rick will be right back with more of the your Home Sold. Guaranteed Radio Show here on News Talk 850 WFTL.

Hi, it's Jennifer Ross and you know if you've been thinking about selling your home, you already know that the only agent that I would recommend to you is my friend, rick Kendrick. He's a broker and founder of your home, sold guaranteed realty of Florida. Now what about the listener who would love Rick to sell but doesn't want to deal with the headaches of cleaning, staging, holding open houses and all that other stuff?

Well, jen, we have the perfect solution. First of all, we always like to make our traditional home selling process stress-free. But for the listener who doesn't want to fix up their place, who is inherited a home or simply wants a fast, hassle-free sale, we can make them an immediate cash offer and for that seller to get the most amount of money for their home.

Come on, you can do that.

Absolutely, jen. We'll come right over, praise a home, make you a fast, fair cash offer and close as little as three weeks.

Cash in your hand hard to beat it. Call Rick Kendrick right now, 561-901-3333. That's 561-901-3333, or visit rickhasthebuyerscom.

Hi, I'm Eric Rosemary, branch manager at Cross Country Mortgage in Boca Raton. If you're deciding which lender to trust, whether you're purchasing or refinancing, I would love the opportunity to work with you. Over my 20-year career, I've helped close to 10,000 families buy or refinance the place they call home. Despite what you're hearing about interest rates, you might be surprised, as what we can do for you, let's talk, call or text me at 954-312-3104, or visit rosemarymortgageteamcom.

If you're ready to buy or sell your home and would like to schedule an appointment with Rick, call 561-901-3333, or go to rickhasthebuyerscom. Now back to the your home sold guaranteed radio show and your host, rick Kendrick.

Hey, welcome back folks to our final segment. We'll be highlighting our listing of the week on a weekly basis. So, listeners, if you are considering to make a move or you're interested in having your home featured on our radio show, we would love to discuss that with you. By the way, kerry, we got a new listing that is coming on the market Next week in Boynton Beach, a townhouse, a three bedroom, two and a half bath for 410, and this thing is beautiful. So you read the numbers on this. This is probably priced right at market, right.

Without a doubt, this is a great unit in Boynton. Like Rick said, it's a three bedroom, two and a half bath townhome with a one car garage. It's going on the market, I guess, for what you say 410. So it's a great deal. So if you're out there and you want to explore, is this something that would be affordable for me, go ahead and give us a call. We'll be happy to run through the numbers with you and see if it might be within your budget.

Yeah, actually you might be able to show it to them before it actually goes on in the mall. We actually sold this house to this person, okay, and they had to. They got to get up and move to up north, so I think it was like three years ago. They bought it. So, and buyers and waiting we highlight a buyer over week. We have a buyer right now. It's in that four to $600,000 range and we're going to show them this Boynton Beach property. This guy's got like 50% cash ready to go and he is really, really strong, really wants to move. He is very flexible in what he wants to do. So if you are thinking about maybe making a move here and you live in that Boynton Beach, he'll even go up to Lake Worth area. Also, he'll actually go into the West Palm Beach area. So if you're thinking about maybe making a move, give me a call and I'll be able to come out and kind of take a look at a place. Give you a you know, a free market analysis there's no cause and then from that, if it meets his criteria, let's set him up for an appointment for him to take a look at it. So, carrie, talk a little bit about our Go-Serve Big Mission.

Yeah. So Rick and I donate a portion of our income from home sales to local charities in the Southeast Florida region, and so the two that we most often mention here on the show are LEAF, which is the Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation. Okay, their motto is to serve and protect what's their oath. To honor them is our duty, so don't you just love that we're providing financial assistance to law enforcement officers and their families who have suffered a catastrophic event.

Thank you for taking time for listening to the Rick Kendrick Show serving the Southeast coast of Florida. Our network extends across Canada and even through the United States. You can give me a call at 561-901-3333. Hey, carrie, thanks for coming on again. So listen, we look forward to seeing you next week. Tune in every Sunday at 10 am at 850 WFTL News Talk.

You've been listening to the your Home Sold Guaranteed Radio Show with broker owner Rick Kendrick Heard every Sunday morning here on News Talk, 850 WFTL. Rick's company name is his promise your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty, to speak directly to Rick about buying or selling your home. All now to schedule an appointment 561-901-3333. Or visit rickhasthebuyerscom and mark your calendar to join Rick again next week at this same time for the your Home Sold Guaranteed Radio Show here on News Talk 850 WFTL.