Being the Real Estate Expert... It Still Matters!!

I consider myself a life-longer learner. I love taking classes at my local real estate association, and I'm even a member of the Professional Development Committee. I subscribe to a variety of online publications and read them each and every day. I've always believed it's tremendously important to be on top of what's going on with the real estate market, both in the Rochester area and nationally.

The other day, I was reminded just how important it is to be up on the latest real estate news. I was in the bank doing one of my favorite things, cashing a commission check. The teller was a woman I went to high school with, and we were chatting about life and how business was going. You know, the usual. Then, she said, "I heard the first-time buyer tax credit was extended."

My response was an excited but clueless, "It was??" She responded that she had just seen it on the t.v. screen at the back of the bank.

It turns out she wasn't 100% correct. The extension of the tax credit was passed by the Senate, but still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives and receive President Obama's signature.

Still, the fact that she knew more about it than I did at that point was a reminder of just how connected the typical layperson is these days. Between the internet and stations like CNN and MSNBC, they know information about the real estate market almost immediately, often before we agents do! That's the reason it's so important for all of us to stay at the top of our games.

When pondering the changes in society, it's easy to think, "If they're so connected, what do our clients need us for?" As agents, we've built our reputations on being the experts, the ones to go to for advice on the market. Will today's information age cause us to become obsolete??

Absolutely not. As you may have noticed in the example above, even though my friend knew about the tax credit, the information she had received from the t.v. wasn't clear to her. Later, on Facebook, I clarified the issue by sharing an article and a quick synopsis of where things stand.

People around the nation may have access to 24 hour information about the real estate market, but they also have lives and jobs that don't revolve around real estate. It's easy for them to become overwhelmed and confused by the sheer amount of real estate data available to them. That's why it's our job to keep track of what's really going on in our local markets. There's almost too much information out there, and our clients need us to make sense of it all for them.

Let them know...

• Which articles they read are most up-to-date
• How much of the news they hear relates to your local market
• What statistics show about the trends in your area

There's still a plethora of knowledge we can share with our clients and friends. We are trained, knowledgeable professionals. We can still be their real estate experts.

I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find the homes of their dreams. If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Rochester area, don't hesitate to contact me. I pride myself in providing the best possible service for my clients!

When you work with me...

Visit my website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn more about the services I offer!

• Sellers: Find out how much your home is worth by requesting a FREE Home Evaluation!
• Buyers: Become a savvy consumer by requesting FREE Home Buying Tips!

Contact:
Kristen Wahl
Realtor Associate
(585) 455-5524
KWahl@RealtyUSA.com