Buying or selling a home is often the biggest transaction most people make throughout their lives. During the overwhelming process, we make many decisions that affect the final outcome; one such decision is to find a real estate agent. Real estate agents, realtors, or brokers – as they are known more commonly – are professionals who help broker a deal between a buyer and a seller. They come with a database of interested buyers and sellers, thoroughly learn about the property they are set to broker and offer a neutral standpoint on the transaction. A good real estate agent can become a good friend who you can turn to for good financial advice. 

Why hire a real estate agent?

Since the inception of the internet, real estate, like every other industry, has been digitized. There are plenty of online real estate portals that can list properties in any city at the tap of a button. It may even be tempting to cut the costs of the sale by entirely eliminating a middleman. There are several success stories of homeowners finding the right property through online portals alone. However, the lack of human touch and the versatility of an agent remains unbeatable. Here are some reasons why you should consider hiring a real estate agent if you are looking to buy or sell a home, even though online searches may seem plausible to you:

• Finding the right home is a 24×7 job
  
  If you have even attempted to buy a home through online portals, then you may already know what a tiring and impossible task it is. Imagine finishing up work and then going out house hunting, placing calls to owners, planning a property visit, having your questions unanswered, dealing with dishonesty, and a lot more only to end up not finding the right home for yourself. Buying a home is a big step, and the task of finding a home yourself should not add to it. Here is where a real estate agent can step in and make things smoother for you and make the home buying a pleasant experience. With their endless list of properties for sale and access to a larger network, your chances of finding a good property are higher and less frustrating through a real estate agent. 
  
  
• Remove emotions during the sale
  
  Like it or not, the truth is that real estate sales are highly emotionally driven transactions. You could end up buying or selling a home for a lot of wrong reasons and real estate agents can step in objectively and save you from emotionally made financial decisions.
• Reduce legal risks
  
  One of the biggest advantages of hiring a realtor is the limited exposure to legal risks. A good realtor has the best interest of both parties in their mind. They know ins and outs of a home sale process, the legal nitty-gritty, and the must-have papers to complete a deal and can predict to some extent any legal issues a home buyer or seller may face and the remedial actions to make things right.
   
• Negotiate on your behalf
  
  A good real estate agent brings in broader exposure and expertise with which they can negotiate a deal that would be profitable to both the buyer and seller. Having a realtor negotiate the sale on your behalf compensates for a skill not many of us have. 

Tips to find the right real estate agent

Knowing the advantages of having a good real estate agent on your side, how do you go about finding the right realtor for you? Let us help you with that too.

• Do you strike a chord with them?
  
  Though it may seem very simplistic, finding the right realtor for you may sometimes be all about chemistry. Is your real estate agent able to strike a chord with you? Do they seem trustworthy? Are they friendly and approachable? A good realtor is someone you can trust your biggest financial decision with, it is only fair that they gain your friendship, respect, and trust. 
  
  
• Does your realtor come with referrals? 
  
  It is always safe and better to go with a realtor who comes with a strong referral. When you are looking for a realtor, seek referrals from friends and family who have experience in buying or selling a home. What better way to go about choosing such an important person than from others’ experiences with them?
  
  
• Are they communicative with you?
  

  One of the biggest and earliest red flags in choosing a realtor is if they pick up their phones when you call them. Given that you call them during reasonable times and their working days, a real estate agent must be someone who is always available to answer your queries, clear doubts, and alleviate any worries you may have. A good real estate agent has great communication skills that can help navigate through banks, attorney offices, government offices, and the other party. Communication bolstered by timeliness is a crucial skill for realtors to have. 

  All home buyers and sellers need real estate agents who are communicative, passionate, committed, and most of all, real. It is also important to go with your gut when choosing a real estate agent. Whether you are looking to buy a 2BHK flat or a luxury villa, a realtor will give you an edge you never knew existed. Buying an apartment should be a smooth process, and a good real estate agent ensures that it is a memorable and profitable one for you.  

There are many options to invest your money. Each method of investment comes with its own set of pros and cons. You must research well the various options that you have access to and understand the advantages and disadvantages of each before deciding what works best for you. Investing in real estate has been one of the most reliable forms of investments and using your savings for procuring a property comes with many benefits to its credit.

Here are some of the reasons why investing in real estate is considered one of the safest investment options:

• The alternatives to investing in real estate are options like investing in gold, the stock market, or depositing it for a longer period under schemes like a fixed deposit in a bank. While depositing in a bank will only enhance your savings marginally, the other methods mentioned come with a lot of fluctuations and uncertainty. Compared to these, investing in real estate assures a handsome appreciation as compared to the aforementioned methods. It is also comparatively less risky and thus, one can invest at a good location confidently.
  
  
• Irrespective of appreciation or not, shelter is one of the basic requisites in our lives. Thus, investing in it will not only secure your savings but also provide you with a home and a basic amenity that you can call your own.
  
  
• Investing in a good location that has shown a good rate of appreciation will not only secure your savings but also promise great returns. The percentage of profit that you make depends on the location of your property and the quality of construction, etc.
  
  
• Even if there is no appreciation, there is rarely depreciation in the value of properties. This is not a common occurrence, so, ideally one would seek appreciation of their funds, but if not, one can at least expect to receive the same amount as invested without any loss.

• Investing in property also provides one with the option of letting it out for rent, thus making an additional source of income. If you buy a home in a safe and secure neighborhood, you can expect higher rent as these homes are more sought after. Even if you take out a loan to buy the property, the income received via rent can be used as an additional source to pay off the EMIs.

• You can also get many tax benefits when you invest in a property. Under section 80C of the Income-Tax Act, the amount one has to pay as part of the repayment of the principal amount is exempted from the tax deduction. The maximum benefit one could avail of under this option is currently set at Rs. 1,50,000. Section 24B allows for benefits of up to 2 lakhs on the interest paid on the home loan. Further, section 80EE gets first-time buyers an additional rebate of Rs. 50,000 over and above the benefits mentioned under section 80C and section 24B.
  
  
• Nowadays many people have access to a good salary and hence can procure a substantial loan at a much younger age. Buying a property that comes with a good rental value will help you secure your savings, make an asset, and own it at a much younger age as compared to times when one had to save for many years, often until old age to enjoy the perks of owning a property. It will also help you manage your earnings, and ensure that it is not being wasted on unwanted items. This will also help you get many tax redemptions and benefits.
  
  
• One may lose the entire amount invested in stocks or lose an item made of gold, or their car or bike could get stolen- but one cannot lose an investment in property that easily as it is a large and immovable asset making it a concrete form of investment as compared to others.
  
  
• Another reason why investing in real estate is considered a safe investment option is the fact that it is an asset that can be used by many generations. Your investment is safe and utilized not just by you but by many generations to come.
  
  
• Your investment in real estate is safe and beneficial if you do thorough research, study, and analyze a place before buying. Your investment in real estate today can help you enjoy the amenities and facilities that the location comes with and may also provide you with greater perks as the place develops.
  
  
• If there are any unforeseen catastrophes like loss in business, ill health, etc., one can still rely on their real estate holdings to earn some income thus making it a safety asset for a better tomorrow.
  
  
• Investing in real estate will give you access to large sums of money in one go. How often does one come across saving running in lakhs or crores that one can access in one shot? Having a property will give you this benefit.
  
  
• Lastly, when the time comes for retirement and you wish to just relax, your investment in real estate will come in handy. It has not only helped you save in your glory days but will also come in handy as you relax and enjoy your retired life.

These are some of the reasons why investing in real estate is considered a reliable and safe method to invest your money. Researching well and studying the market and investing accordingly will help one go a long way in securing your savings in the present and making the most of them in the future.