You’ve undoubtedly heard the jokes about how many people it takes to “change a light bulb.” Have you ever asked yourself how many people are involved in a home sale?

The obvious answer may be three – the sellers, the buyers, and the real estate agent. In fact there are possibly ten to fifteen individuals.

In the average transaction, you may find a mortgage loan officer, an appraiser, a surveyor, a home inspector, and a pest control company. Additionally, there may be repair companies, the tax assessor, a title company, utility companies, the insurance agent, and an attorney.

Mortgage approval alone may involve dozens: underwriters, creditors, employers, and banks, who will be required to verify information you provided to the mortgage company.

The real estate agent co-ordinates all those elements with phone calls and personal meetings, keeping all those relationships moving along smoothly towards your closing.

Imagine too that the sellers may be purchasing another home to which they plan to move at closing. That home may be owned by a couple planning to move when their new home is completed. Can you picture the total number of people it will take to complete the entire series of real estate transactions?

This is where your agent does their best work. In many cases they already have professional relationships established with the lenders, attorneys, inspectors, and appraisers involved. Agents understand and work within the complex circumstances of real estate transactions on a daily basis. They’re all working together to provide you the highest level of customer care.