Not all real estate practitioners are ACCREDITED. The term ACCREDITED is a trademark of SAEA that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the SAEA (Agent or Salesperson) and subscribes to its strict Code of Conducts and Ethics.

Eight (8) reasons why it is important to work with an ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson include:

1) Navigating through a complicated process.
Buying or selling a home usually requires huge volume of documentation and paperwork to be executed. For HDB flat transactions, requirement for compliance of checklist will ensure a smooth process and experience. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes.

2) Information and opinions.
ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson can provide information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They will also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these 2 important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Next, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

3) Best property available.
Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson to find all available properties that suit your needs.

4) Tapping their Negotiating skills.
There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and inclusion or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. Your agent/salesperson can advise you as to which investigations and inspections on the property are recommended or required.

5) Property marketing power.
Real estate does not sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of real estate sales comes as the result of a practitioner’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

6) Speaking the language.
If you don’t know a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from an ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson, you can understand why it’s important to work with a professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language.

7) Experience.
Most people buy and sell only a few homes in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. And even if you’ve done it before, laws and regulations change.

ACCREDITED Agent and/or Salesperson, on the other hand, handle hundreds of real estate transactions over the course of their career.

Having an expert on your side is critical.

8) Objective comment.
A home often symbolizes family, rest, and security — it’s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, home buying and selling can be an emotional undertaking.

For most people, a home is the biggest purchase they will ever make.

Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on both emotional and financial issues that are of utmost importance to you.