My husband and I recently went to see the award winning movie “The Blind Side” starring Sandra Bullock. The film is based on the extraordinary true story told in the New York Times bestseller of the same title by Michael Lewis. The story is about soccer, but as a real estate agent I immediately saw parallels with buying and selling real estate.
In football, a quarterback’s blind side is where he can’t see whoever is coming to block him when he looks over his shoulder. It didn’t become a common phrase in football until Lawrence Taylor altered the environment and forced opposing coaches and players to adapt. Specifically Lawrence Taylor altered the life of Joe Thiesmann on November 18, 1985 when he came out of nowhere and ended his football career. As Taylor later said, imagining himself in the shoes of a quarterback he had knocked out of a game: “We all have fears. We all have fears.”
So how does this apply to real estate? Buying and selling a home is statistically the largest financial transaction most people make. Wouldn’t you want someone blocking your “blind side”? Perhaps you have fears about this process. That’s where the experience of a trusted real estate agent comes in. Think of your real estate agent as a coach.
There are so many steps in the process, I’ll just list a few: understanding comparables and setting property value; determine the terms of an offer and negotiate the contract; obtaining documents from the HOA, delivery according to jurisdictional law and review; follow up with buyer by securing property insurance and Earnest Money escrow; work with the Settlement Company on the necessary documents, such as getting the survey and title information from them and resolving any issues.
Coordinate inspections (home, radon, wells, septic tanks, wood destroying pests, mold, etc.) and negotiate the result between the parties; work with the appraiser on the market value of the property; follow up with the lender to secure financing and provide required documentation; preparation of paperwork for guarantees; work with all parties to prepare the property for walk-through and settlement in accordance with the contract; complete the process by preparing the parties for closing and, indeed, consummation of the deal.
Most of the standard steps in the real estate buying and selling process are outlined above, but there are thousands of other issues that can arise, literally hitting you on your blind side! That is where, in my opinion and experience, you REALLY need an experienced real estate agent to navigate the process.
After Taylor shook up the football scene, the second-highest-paid position on a team became tackle that protects the quarterback’s blind side. That position became the insurance policy for the quarterback. All lenders require the borrower to obtain homeowners insurance with a mortgage, and there is a reason for this. It is to protect the asset. In buying and selling a home, in my opinion, the best insurance someone can get is to follow the guidance of an experienced real estate agent.
Who do you want to help you with the purchase of your biggest asset? Who do you want to work with in marketing and selling your greatest asset? I recommend an accomplished real estate agent who is experienced in the intricacies of the process and can protect your front end and “blind side”!