The Role of Real Estate Agents in Manhattan Beach

A real estate agent is more than just a go-between in a property transaction. A good agent is an advocate, negotiator, advisor, and much more. The bigger the purchase or sale, the more important these roles become.

 

If you’re considering buying property in a high-end market like Manhattan Beach, finding the right agent working to help you achieve your goals and not just looking to walk away with a big commission is essential. Read through the points below to get a more thorough understanding of what your agent’s role will be when buying or selling Manhattan Beach real estate.

Agents maintain open lines of communication with their clients, keeping them informed at every step of the process. Agents must meet their clients' needs—and keep them updated on the buying or selling process. They update clients on negotiations, paperwork, and any other relevant developments.

A real estate agent’s job runs the gambit between hard and soft skills. Assuming a real estate agent has all of the professional and legal elements of the job down pat, distinguishing a good real estate agent is the ability to listen to — and meet — the client’s needs. Some clients have experience in the real estate market, and others are new, so an agent must translate the client’s desires into tangible goals.

Based on the client's criteria, agents use their local real estate market knowledge to identify suitable properties. They compile a list of potential options and provide clients with detailed information about each property, including its strengths and potential drawbacks.

Agents provide clients with a comprehensive overview of the current market conditions, recent sales, and pricing trends. This information helps clients make informed decisions about their real estate transactions.

A good real estate agent doesn’t just publish their listings and sit back; they get those listings sold. real estate agents use a variety of digital — as well as physical — media to market home listings to a wider audience of prospective buyers.

Real estate agents arrange and accompany clients on property tours, offering insights into the property's condition, layout, and surrounding neighborhood. They address any questions or concerns the clients might have during these visits.

real estate agents use the Modern Listing Service (MLS) as well as their distribution channels through a brokerage to publish home listings. While modern real estate listings are standardized, digitized, and shareable, they are not merely created at the click of a button. real estate agents must coordinate with their clients — and often with a larger team — to produce high-quality digital real estate listings.

First, you need listing photographs, which requires getting a professional photographer. Some real estate agents have a dedicated photography team, others can make a recommendation, and others will leave this step to you. Regardless, a real estate agent needs to make sure that photos get taken. There is also a need for professional writing in the home listing, which may be provided by the agent or by someone working with the agent.

Setting a list price is another task an agent must accomplish, and most real estate agents will take an active role in this process. You need to set a home price that considers your home’s underlying value and current real estate market conditions. Many real estate agents have a user-friendly home valuation tool on their website.

Even if you wanted to buy or sell a home with a simple handshake, it wouldn’t be possible. There is too much regulation and red tape to get through — especially in California. Every little detail of a home sale contract has to be negotiated between the buyer and the seller via their agents. Of course, some sales are more straightforward than others. Some sellers just want to get it done, and some buyers are very flexible. Still, there is a lot of negotiation, which is one of the most important aspects of the process regarding your agent’s involvement.

When clients decide to make an offer on a property, real estate agents use their negotiation skills to advocate on their behalf. They secure the best possible terms and prices, whether for buying, selling, or renting a property.

In addition to a lot of hard work and people skills, real estate agents are also trained to ensure the legal compliance of a transaction. One of the primary jobs of a real estate agent is to ensure that the home sale is legal and valid so that there won’t be costly disputes over the home title or other issues that could wreak havoc on a homeowner’s peace of mind.

You need to work with a licensed real estate agent in California if you’re interested in Manhattan Beach homes for sale. An additional way to ensure professional knowledge, legal compliance, and ethical conduct is to find an agent who’s a National Association of REALTORS®️ (NAR) member. The NAR is a trade organization representing U.S. real estate agents. Members sign a pledge agreeing to uphold the organization’s Code of Ethics, representing the industry standard for ethics in real estate. NAR members also have access to research reports, continuing education, and other benefits that generally promote and uplift the standards of the real estate industry. Look for the NAR logo or the real estate agent® wordmark.

Getting licensed in real estate isn’t that difficult, but getting a well-rounded education in real estate is. You can’t just read books or take courses. real estate agents need to work in the field for years in order to get a broad understanding of real estate market dynamics. Moreover, a good real estate agent will be a subject matter expert in a specific geographic area. If you’re looking at Manhattan Beach homes for sale — or selling one — it will help you to work with a dedicated local agent who knows the area. Your Manhattan Beach real estate agent will ideally know the best local neighborhoods as well as the amenities and features of each one.

Closing is the final step, and it can only take place once all of the buyer’s and the seller’s conditions have been fully met and everything required by law has been fulfilled. This involves a lot of work cumulatively, as well as the passage of time. Most home sales don’t get an offer on their first day on the market, and even if they did, you couldn’t close overnight.

Throughout the transaction process, agents manage the paperwork and documentation required to purchase, sell, or rent the property. This involves ensuring that all legal and contractual aspects are properly addressed.

Even after the transaction is complete, agents often provide assistance and support. They might offer recommendations for local services, answer questions about property maintenance, or help with future real estate needs.

As you can see, Manhattan Beach real estate agents do much more than just list homes and make phone calls. That’s why working with a thoroughly experienced and perspicacious real estate agent is essential. Emma von Jansky is a Compass agent specializing in Manhattan Beach and other premier California neighborhoods.

Operating as EVJ Homes, Emma’s portfolio of real estate listings includes fantastic Manhattan Beach homes for sale and some of the best properties in and around the Los Angeles area. Work with EVJ Homes to get real value from your real estate experience in Manhattan Beach, whether as a buyer or a seller.