As a broker in the Western Colorado Realty market, I play a critical yet strictly defined role in real estate transactions. If I’m representing a seller, my job is to market the property to find potential buyers. If I’m representing a buyer, my job is to show them properties that meet their specifications. My job is never to misrepresent a property to encourage or discourage a transaction. However, the lines are blurry, and it’s easy for a broker to unknowingly sway their clients through biased, opinionated statements they make.
A Real Estate Broker is a Resource
A real estate broker is a resource, not an expert in all things property related. If a client asks about the condition of a roof, it’s my job to tell them only the facts that I know about the roof or put them in touch with a local expert who can provide an educated analysis. Even if I think the roof looks worn, I shouldn’t volunteer that opinion because I have no facts to support it. Instead, I should suggest that an expert conduct an inspection. Because what happens if I tell my clients the roof looks worn, they decide not to make an offer on the property, and a home inspection later reveals that the roof was fine? I just unintentionally killed a Colorado real estate deal.
Stick To What You Know… Colorado Real Estate
A broker is an expert in Colorado real estate, and it’s perfectly okay to refer clients to experts in other fields rather than draw conclusions about systems you’re neither trained in nor hired to assess. Unless you went on the roof and conducted the proper inspections, your knowledge is limited to what you know about the age and material.
Because a broker is an expert in Colorado real estate, clients often assume we’re experts in everything related to properties too. Even when our opinions don’t have supporting facts, clients give weight to them. A casual comment regarding your opinion of a property can destroy an entire deal.
Hire a Home Inspector Before Listing Your Property For Sale
One of the best ways to ensure your real estate broker stays in their lane is to hire home inspectors before you list. A pre-listing home inspection allows sellers to identify and remedy legitimate issues to prepare for or eliminate buyers’ objections that could arise later in the transaction process. The home inspection results also give your listing broker and the buyers’ broker an accurate list of facts about the property, mitigating the likelihood that their observations or opinions stand in the way of the transaction. In a competitive market, some sellers may offer a home warranty to buyers, assuring them that no hidden issues exist.
But… Inspectors Should Understand Their Roles Too
On that note, however, inspectors must stay in their lane too. A home inspector is there to observe the condition and function of a property, document their findings, and provide actionable recommendations to fix problems. When a problem arises, it should be because something isn’t up to code or doesn’t work, not because a home inspector has a different preference.
Items that require attention should be measurable or quantified, and repair recommendations should specifically address the issues. For example, if a roof needs repairs, it’s not because a home inspector thinks it looks worn; it’s because the inspector identified an actual problem and recommended a fix to correct it.
Don’t Be a Deal Killer
Too often, I see Colorado real estate transactions fall through based on non-expert opinions instead of facts. Remember, your real estate broker is not a jack of all trades, but they should connect you with experts to help you fully understand a transaction. Furthermore, buyers and sellers want to work with professionals who understand and have become masters in their dedicated roles.
