Creating a Home: How Professionals Mold a Community

BY KYLEE TOLAND FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

When making a decision about selling, buying, building and/or renovating a house, one of the first steps should be whether or not a “professional” should be hired. Home professionals can help with much more than just sales and building.

Real estate agents, contractors, architects and home builders can play a big role in achieving one’s wants and needs in finding/building a house. For those who cannot decide whether to hire someone or do the work themselves, there can be various reasons why hiring a professional can help one enjoy the place they call “home.”

Buying/selling a house can come with a lot of questions and concerns. When is the best time to buy/sell, what the real estate market looks like at the moment and which areas are better-suited for a buyer can be some of the many thoughts one has during the process. Luckily, most real estate agents can answer these questions, as well as provide expertise on other aspects of the buying/ selling process.

One thing that real estate agents can do for a seller is place one’s house on multiple listing services (MLS). According to an article by travelers.com, selling one’s home on their own will require them to spend money up front in order to get a listing viewed by potential buyers.

Working with an agent automatically provides access to the MLS, which can be used by agents to search for the most up-to-date listings. MLS can also help a buyer search for what they are looking for in a house, based on their price, floor and neighborhood preferences.

A more personal expertise a real estate agent can give to a client is their knowledge of the area they work within. This can mean a lot to a person, especially a buyer, when it comes to finding a house that is in the “right” area for them. According to an article by Key Inspection Services, LLC, a real estate agent can come in handy when one has specifics on what kind of neighborhood they want to live in, the quality of the schools, crime rate in that area and any pending commercial developments.

After deciding to have one’s house “improved” with various projects, hiring a general contractor can help with the supervising of a renovation or remodeling. A contractor can help secure work permits and hiring/scheduling subcontractors such as electricians and plumbers.

Hiring a contractor brings a client “peace of mind,” according to a 2022 article by Forbes magazine, as most of these professionals work with those who are “licensed and insured.” An “experienced” general contractor will most likely know how to comply with all local codes, which means that all necessary permits will be procured and will pass a future home inspection.

To nail down the design a homeowner wants/needs, hiring an architect can help a person put their preferences into reality. According to an article by Vanguard Studio, an architect can get a greater understanding of one’s needs by “exploring” a homeowner’s lifestyle and use of their current house to draw up construction plans that address both the owner’s desires and the structural requirements.

Architects can also draw up a design that can prove to be a profitable investment, as a good design can add extra value to one’s house and have a greater resale value when the time comes to sell.

Building a house can be tough, especially if one has specific preferences and/or needs for their “dream” home. Hiring a professional can allow a person to plan what they want without the risk of damage or injury.

In most cases, a homeowner can implement their own floor plan and settle down at a location of their choice when hiring a professional builder. According to an article by

Liongate Builders, any “reliable builder” will get the blueprint approved before moving ahead with a project. Whatever a person’s needs are, whether they be for presentable or personal reasons, a builder will be able to illustrate a layout that can appeal to a homeowner.

As for location, a professional can help a client find and buy a “suitable” location to build a house. If one has concerns about having a house built in a certain area, a home builder can help find a plot in a region with reputable school districts, access to employment opportunities and more.