“Anyone can show houses. People can find them on their own without a real estate agent. Our job as real estate agents is to bring buyers and sellers together in a contract. That is where the real skill comes in.”
That was how David Johnson started out his 4-hour class this morning which reviewed the Utah Real Estate Purchase Contract in excruciating detail. David Johnson, one of the most experienced real estate attorneys in the state of Utah, wrote most of the real estate contracts currently used in our state.
It’s the myriad of little things that can end up costing people money. Dave shared these examples: agents who gave keys to buyers before they legally owned a property; buyers who’s earnest money was at risk because the agent did not keep track of contractual deadlines; agents who included non-existing items (like air conditioners) in their descriptions of listings; agents who did not protect their clients from financial responsibility for assessments or transfer fees.
When selecting an agent, knowledge, experience and
skills are really important. Today, the transactions are harder to put together and even more difficult to keep together. It is the agents’ job to find the common ground between their clients while protecting their interests.
I closed over 25 homes in the past 20 months while clocking over 30 hours of continuing education (only 18 hours every 2 years are required). My knowledge and experience are tested and reaffirmed with every new transaction.
If you are considering buying or selling real estate, what type of agent do you want protecting your interests? Who’s got your back?