Buying or selling a home is no easy feat, but it’s one that can be made much easier with the assistance of a REALTOR® — a licensed real estate agent who is a member of their local, state and national REALTOR® organizations.
In our area, real estate agents who want to take advantage of top-notch education and pledge to adhere to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics join the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association (ORRA).
What Can ORRA Do for You?
Whether you’re looking to buy or sell a home, ORRA’s consumer website, OrlandoRealtors.com, is the ideal starting place:
• View the latest housing statistics to get a feel for the current market conditions, including inventory level, pricing trends, demand and much more.
• Search articles, tips and links to help prepare you for the process of buying or selling a house.
• Connect with a REALTOR® by searching the online database using various criteria such as language, location and specialization.
To effectively help guide you through the real estate transaction, REALTORS® are committed to maintaining a high level of knowledge of the buying and selling process. The association offers hundreds of education classes for REALTORS® to enhance their knowledge, skills and professionalism, helping to ensure the highest level of customer service.
ORRA President Bruce Elliott, Regal RE Professionals LLC, knows the value that ORRA’s education programs bring to him and his customers. “I’ve personally been able to take the training I received at ORRA and put it right to work in the field,” says Elliott, citing a specific experience several years ago when short sales dominated the housing market. “No one knew how to resolve the legal and financial issues they presented. But because I attended relevant classes at ORRA, and even served on the Short Sales Task Force, I helped a buyer with severe health problems avoid foreclosure and instead successfully navigate a short sale with his mortgage company.”
ORRA President-elect Lou Nimkoff, Brio Real Estate Services LLC, echoes the education sentiment. “REALTORS® and the customers they serve also benefit from education provided by the association’s five councils,” says Nimkoff. Each council regularly holds workshops addressing topics focused on various specialty areas, including commercial real estate, international real estate, property management and more. “Additionally, the councils provide REALTORS® with a network of expert service providers that homebuyers and sellers can be referred to for assistance in more complicated real estate transactions.”
REALTORS® also have access to the latest housing market data that is used to help determine a home’s value and listing price, or create a purchase contract and conduct negotiations. All of these factors are crucial to a successful real estate transaction.
Finally, all current and future homeowners benefit from the association’s advocacy efforts that promote legislation that enables homeownership and protects private property rights, from the local to national level.
REALTORS® In the Community
REALTORS® are committed to helping build a better community by supporting fundraising efforts and volunteering their time for local organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, Coalition for the Homeless, Habitat for Humanity and Hubbard House. They can also become involved in the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Foundation, ORRA’s charitable arm, and its work to address affordable housing issues and to provide mortgage-free homes to local military veterans.
The annual ORRA Good Neighbor Awards further recognizes Orlando-area REALTORS® who have made an extraordinary impact on their community through volunteer work, with ORRA contributing grants to the winners’ charities.
What a REALTOR® Can Do for You
By working with a REALTOR®, you have an expert who is looking out for your best financial interests and will do everything in their power to protect you. They will also help simplify the process for you: REALTORS® typically perform more than 170 tasks and activities on behalf of their customers, from marketing to negotiating to closing. REALTORS® have the expertise and experience to help sellers protect their investment and help buyers build theirs. As Elliott explains, “A REALTOR® is your trusted ally in the real estate transaction.”
No matter what your real estate needs may be, there is an ORRA member who is ready to assist you. Visit OrlandoRealtors.com to begin the home buying or selling process with a knowledgeable REALTOR® who has your back.
1330 Lee Road
Orlando, FL 32810
407.253.3580
OrlandoRealtors.com