The real estate market is experiencing something it hasn’t seen in decades. Mortgage rates are at a near-record low, prompting buyers to strike while the iron is hot, and sellers—seeing the increased demand and lack of inventory—are entertaining multiple offers, many of which are above asking price.

Navigating this market takes an enhanced level of skills and familiarity with technology and tools that can respond to buyers’ and sellers’ needs in an instant. HomeSmart Real Estate is the ideal agency to handle this unique time. Founded in 2000, HomeSmart streamlines technology and minimizes redundancies to make agents more efficient, thereby raising the level of service provided to clients.

The success of this model is proven in HomeSmart’s expansion of brick-and-mortar offices across the state of New Jersey. Hakan Karahan is the president and broker of record at HomeSmart in Cherry Hill, the main headquarters. Offices are also located in Voorhees, Turnersville, Howell Township, Bloomfield, Clifton and Beach Haven. Karahan says the agency is projected to open additional offices in Bergen County, Manalapan, Toms River, Vineland, Burlington Township and Mullica Hill, all within the next year.

With coverage from top to bottom, HomeSmart can assist buyers and sellers anywhere in the Garden State in person. “Right now we have over 232 agents. Our team and staff are out there to support every transaction from day one. Nobody gets left alone during a transaction,” he says.

Karahan has been in real estate since 1994 and worked in several national firms before purchasing his first franchise in 2005. In 2015 he opened a franchise of HomeSmart and says it’s like nothing else in the industry.

“The biggest reason we open a lot of offices is because we are the highest paying commission agency. One-hundred percent of commissions go to the agents,” Karahan says, pointing out that agents in other brokerages must pay a set amount of their commissions to the company before they can begin collecting their full commissions. The difference at HomeSmart is agents only pay a set transaction fee ranging from $399 to $599. “Compare this to an agent at another firm who sells a $400,000 home and makes $12,000 in commission. That agent would owe $4,000 to the brokerage, but with us, they would only owe a maximum of $599. We’re the most agent-friendly company,” he says.

This “low-fee, high-value” structure translates to better service for clients. HomeSmart provides support, training, systems and tools to agents that afford them the time and resources they need to devote to clients. Its proprietary technology stands apart, says Karahan.

“Every agent has their own portal online and everything can be done through the portal, which makes HomeSmart 100% paperless. For every seller, we take professional photos and drone videos, then we use the tools on the portal to create brochures and marketing materials that can be pushed out to Google and over 1,000 websites with the click of a button,” Karahan says.

As a result of the pandemic, agents must be equipped to handle the fast-paced real estate market. “It’s a sellers’ market and buyers are out there. We’re seeing properties go on the market and in one day receive five to six offers. Ninety-nine percent of properties are selling for more than asking price. It’s getting crazy out there,” he says.

HomeSmart agents don’t just play the role of realtor, but they educate in the process as well. “We talk to sellers about the list price, and the pros and cons of each offer, such as what type of mortgage the buyers have. We help buyers find the right property and navigate home inspections. For buyers and sellers we are there from the day you sign the contract until closing,” Karahan says.

Karahan says his own real estate sales team sells one home every two days currently. “Being one of the mega producers in New Jersey, we have seen many different cases. We train our agents properly, so they are top and mega producers as well,” Karahan says.

Those who are ready to make a move during this unprecedented time can feel at ease with HomeSmart’s services and market knowledge, and trust that their input will be valued in the process, Karahan says. “We are a guide but ultimately, you are the decision maker.

“Per HomeSmart, agents come first, and per agents, the clients’ best interests come first,” Karahan adds.

HomeSmart First Advantage Realty
Hakan Karahan
President/Broker of Record
Cherry Hill, N.J.
(856) 363-3000
www.HomeSmart.com
www.Hsfirstadvantage.com

If real estate agents would like to get more information on HomeSmart Real Estate, they can go to www.whyHomeSmart.com .

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 21, Issue 3 (October 2020). 
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