Education is Key in the Housing Market

The housing market is hot, hot, hot, and has been for some time. Such a hot market has, not surprisingly, also drawn a lot of competition among real estate industry professionals. As median home prices continue to climb, so, too, do the number of newly minted real estate agents and mortgage brokers.

With the number of homes for sale remaining limited, however, that makes competition among agents and brokers rather fierce. The result is a boon to home buyers and sellers in the form of more detailed, helpful information readily available as part of the home buying and home selling processes.

In fact, if you want information from Premier Service Real Estate, which has offices in San Leandro and Milpitas, you won't even have to call or visit. Their web site, www.premierservicerealestate.com, provides a wealth of information, from shopping for a lender to investing in real estate to qualifying for that first home.

That educational component is a key part of Premier's business, according to owner Brian Garlington. "It's important because, quite frankly, a lot of people out there are not doing that. A lot of people want to buy a house or get financing, and they're wondering where the resources are."

Garlington says many clients hire him because the information they get is what they really need before they engage a loan officer or real estate agent. "A lot of agents will say, 'Oh, OK, get pre-approved and we'll talk to you then.' But people have questions, and don't want to be put off," he explains.

Garlington also says that a large part of his success is that the education is offered at no obligation, in a very low-key manner. "Sometimes, people want the information, but they don't want to go through the quote-unquote hassle of talking to an agent. Sometimes, people are requesting this information at two or three o'clock in the morning. It gives them flexibility," he explains.

The importance of an educational component has also given rise to new services by companies that serve the real estate industry.