{"id":1029,"date":"2013-05-30T17:50:16","date_gmt":"2013-05-30T21:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.renthop.com\/news\/?p=1029"},"modified":"2023-07-24T14:13:51","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T18:13:51","slug":"why-you-still-need-a-broker-in-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.renthop.com\/blog\/why-you-still-need-a-broker-in-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Still Need a Broker in 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
It’s 2013: widespread use of the internet is well over 15 years old, and websites have largely replaced the need for human stock brokers and basic travel agents. Today, we can even order delivery or hail cabs with our phones. How much longer will real estate professionals continue to thrive as consumers increasingly rely on technology and self-service models? Is a broker<\/a> in 2013 still necessary?<\/p>\n As it turns out, apartment brokers today still serve very important functions, as hunting for a new home is very different from completing a quick commodity transaction. As many of us seek out new dwellings for the coming year, here are five reasons from RentHop<\/a>, the smarter apartment search, you will want a broker in 2013:<\/p>\n You can, in theory, find an apartment on your own. However, you’ll be the one running around the city, playing phone tag while coordinating appointments and tracking down the supers for keys. Then, you’ll have to independently submit a rental application. That’s only half the battle. Once you’ve gone through all the work of finding a place you like, you’ll need to negotiate<\/a> the rent, security deposit<\/a>, and any other lease terms. The dirty secret is that brokers preview dozens of apartments every week and only bother showing clients the absolute top handful of apartments. If you were looking on your own, scheduling appointments successfully is a huge time sink, and the vast majority of inventory is a total waste of your time to see.<\/p>\n Vacancy rates are dropping across the board. These days, a decent apartment will receive multiple applications. All else being equal, the landlord prefers a renter who comes through a trusted broker. In fact, most landlords prefer clients who come through brokers. The landlord doesn’t need to do as much of the paperwork and screening, and they know the client is much more likely to close on the deal, thanks to the broker’s hand-holding. Also, if the client is paying a fee<\/a>, that signals to the landlord a more sound financial situation. Best of all, clients who use brokers tend to be more likely to renew the lease, attempting to mentally amortize the fee across more years.<\/p>\n Most renters spend a few weekends a year looking for apartments. A professional broker is in the trenches, every day, all year long. Who is going to be knowledgeable about the markets and be aware of the best deals in town? Often times a broker develops personal relationships with the landlord or the landlord\u2019s staff (supers, maintenance folks, admins, etc). A trusted broker may learn about upcoming available apartments before they are officially listed, and have the keys to the building in order to show it.<\/p>\nFive Reasons to Work With a Broker in 2013<\/h2>\n
1.)\u00a0 Your Time and Happiness is Worth the Fee<\/h3>\n
2.)\u00a0 Competition is Fierce<\/h3>\n
3.)\u00a0 Great Deals are Truly Hard to Find<\/h3>\n
4.)\u00a0 More Inventory is Going Exclusive<\/h3>\n