Written by Tammie White
Today, I received a call from a buyer who is looking to purchase a Franklin TN home zoned for Franklin High School. She was having difficulty finding a home on Zillow. She foundme by Googling Franklin TN homes for sale zoned for Franklin High. I sent her a link to the page on our website which has every available home on our Multiple Listing Service (MLS), including homes that are NOT our listings.
During our conversation, I asked if she was working with a Buyer's Agent. She actually is but that agent isn't helping her find a home. He told her to search Zillow and when she found homes of interest to let him know. Wow, really? Sounds like she's working with the wrong agent.
Many buyers don't recognize that Zillow doesn't list every home available in Franklin. Surprising, right? But our MLS doesn't syndicate to Zillow. Individual brokerages are required to contact Zillow directly to get their listings on the site. Many smaller brokerages don't realize this and their listings can't be found there.
I tell buyers to find a local source that has every listing, like our website. Plus, other sites are not really set-up to do advanced searches like our website which is why this buyer called.
If you are looking to buy a Franklin TN home for sale and are currently working with a real estate agent, he/she should be regularly sending you real estate listings. After all, that is one of the tasks he's paid to perform. Additionally, in our current real estate market, homes are selling very quickly. If you don't have an agent who daily monitors the market, your dream home could slip through your fingers.
We have made it extremely easy for buyers to search for properties here. However, that doesn't take the place of a good real estate agent working on your behalf. He/she should do much more for you than just show you the property.
Here are a few things you should consider when choosing the right Franklin TN Buyer's Agent:
- Does the real estate agent work locally in the area you are searching? Real estate is local. An out-of-area agent may not know the specifics of the neighborhoods you want to live.
- What percentage of the agent's business is derived from buyers? Is he/she primarily a listing agent or buyer's agent? It's not unusual for agents to work both, however, you may prefer working with an agent who regularly works with buyers.
- How will the agent keep you posted on new listings? Will new listings automatically be sent to you daily by email or will he/she preview the Hot Sheets multiple times daily and then send you listings? In a brisk selling market, this is very important. Even a few days lag may keep you from finding the right home.
- Does the agent have an adequate real estate website to help you find the right home? We are always surprised at how difficult it is to find properties on local real estate websites. Make sure your agent has a site that is user-friendly and has already performed searches for the most commonly used terms such as Franklin TN homes for sale zoned for Franklin TN High School. If he doesn't have an adequate website, don't use him. A user-friendly local real estate website is a minimum requirement these days. Any agent not investing in one, probably isn't selling enough real estate to afford it. Need I say more?
- Does the agent have access to homes that aren't currently on the market? This is especially important in a low-inventory market. Tammie White of Franklin Homes Realty LLC has a "would sell" list. These are homeowners who have told her they are willing to sell their house but, for whatever reason, have not decided to list them publicly. This list is reserved for our clients only. We refer to it when other options aren't available. In addition, we solicit homeowners who aren't currently listed when a buyer wants to live in a very specific neighborhood.
- Once you find a house, how quickly can your agent take you out to see the home? In a seller's market, it may require you look at a home the day it comes on the market rather than waiting several days for more properties meeting your criteria or when the agent decides to fit you in.
- Will the agent help you find appropriate vendors to assist you during the home buying process, ie. lenders, home inspectors and contractors?
While buyers are not responsible for paying a Buyer's Agent, they should still expect the agent will work on their behalf to help them find a home. Choosing the right Franklin TN buyer's agent will help you move one step closer to home ownership.
For assistance buying Franklin TN real estate, contact Franklin Homes Realty LLC at (615) 495-0752.
About Tammie White, Franklin TN REALTOR®
Tammie White is a REALTOR® and Principal Broker/Owner of Franklin Homes Realty LLC in Franklin TN. Tammie works with relocation buyers looking to purchase a home in Franklin and the surrounding Williamson County area. She understands the way buyers search for homes making her an invaluable asset to Franklin home sellers. Tammie's website, www.FranklinHomesRealty.com, has become the premiere search tool for buyers relocating to Franklin TN. She has been writing a real estate blog since 2009 and quoted in various publications including the LA Times, REALTOR.com, Skype.com, The Tennessean and Williamson Source. Tammie has been selling real estate since 2007 and has completed advanced certifications and designations, including Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and Graduate of Real Estate Institute (GRI).