You might be one of many South Carolina residents who enrolls in real estate school this year, which is great. While you might already be aware of some basics regarding the sales industry, there are a few facts that could come as a surprise to you, as well. The more you know about real estate, including some of its more obscure facts, the better able you might be to become a profitable sales agent because buyers like agents who can answer questions and provide interesting information.

As you work toward earning your license to sell homes in this state, always try to stay updated on current housing stats while also learning as much as you can about your sales region, including its history and any trivia that might interest your buyers.

Real estate sales include a lot of second homes

One thing that might surprise you about real estate sales throughout the country is the magnitude of housing inventory that is comprised of second homes, meaning the owners of a particular house also own another home. In fact, the demand of second homes has substantially increased in the past decade. Some people even own more than two homes.

Always know ahead of time why a seller is selling

If you consider some of the reasons a person might put a house on the market for sale, you would no doubt think of issues, such as relocating for employment, downsizing for retirement or expanding family size. Would you also think about selling because a house is haunted?

Surprisingly, approximately one out of every 10 sellers say they are moving due to paranormal activity in their homes. Some states require sellers to disclose such issues. This is not the case in South Carolina, although a seller must disclose a death on a property if the buyer asks about it.

You might get a deal 3 times faster if a home is staged

Whether you are working as a listing agent or are representing a buyer in a home sale, staged homes are beneficial to your career. This is because statistics show that homes that are properly staged for showings typically sell three times faster than homes that are not staged.

As a new agent, it can behoove you to learn as much as you can about how to stage a home to sell. This is especially true when working as a listing agent because you can make recommendations to your clients on how to stage a home to increase the chances of getting offers.