Whether you’re looking to buy a house, sell one, or both, making real estate moves involves all kinds of big decisions. Hands down, the biggest and most important of these decisions is the real estate agent that you choose to work with.
Right now, there are more than 70,000 Realtors working in Toronto – that’s a lot of selection! However, what a lot of buyers and sellers don’t realize is that there is a significant gap in the experience, skill, and expertise that these agents have.
So, rather than just hiring the first person you come across, you’ll want to do your own research, explore a few different options, and ask certain questions before deciding who to hire.
In this blog, I’m talking about why it’s so essential to pick the right Realtor, sharing a few research tips, and covering a handful of important considerations to keep in mind while you hunt for the right agent.
Hi, I’m Melissa. I’ve been helping my clients reach their goals for more than two decades. Find out what I bring to the table as a local real estate agent.
Choosing a Realtor When Buying a Home
First, let’s explore why it’s important to choose the right agent when buying real estate.
Searching for your dream home can be an exciting journey, but it’s often a lot more intricate than people think – especially in a market like Toronto. Unlike most other purchases you’ll make in your lifetime, buying a house isn’t as simple as picking out the one you like, paying for it, and getting on your way.
In reality, even just finding a house that suits both your needs and your budget can be tricky. Not to mention crafting the perfect offer, competing with other buyers, negotiating, and ensuring the deal gets closed on time.
Each of these details will have a major impact on your journey. You’ll want to have an expert buy your side with the knowledge and strategies to help you make an informed purchase.
Buying a home soon? Check out these blogs for more advice!
- Insider Tips For Buying a Home in South Etobicoke
- How to Buy a Home After You’ve Already Sold the One You Live In
- Should You Buy a Tear-Down Home in South Etobicoke?
How Does a Real Estate Agent Help Buyers?
A good real estate agent can offer a lot of value for buyers. First and foremost, an agent is your connection to great homes. They’ll scour the market to find opportunities that match your needs and budget, while filtering out homes that aren’t a good fit. This is extra important if you’re interested in buying a condo and don’t know how to sort through a sea of options.
Once you find a place you love, they’ll help you make a strong offer that appeals to the seller while still protecting your bottom line. After negotiating a deal that works for both parties, your agent will work with your lawyer to get the deal done with as little hassle to you as possible.
Don’t forget – as a home buyer in Toronto, you’re not responsible for paying Realtor fees or commissions – that responsibility belongs to the seller. You get all the benefits of working with a professional expert at no extra cost.
Choosing a Realtor When Selling Your Home
When you’re finally ready to sell your home, there’s a lot on the line. That’s why you could argue that choosing a real estate agent wisely is even more important when it comes to selling.
Your Realtor is essentially the pilot of your home sale. On top of guiding you through the complicated listing and closing processes, it’s their job to help you get the best result possible. Without the right approach from the right agent, you could wind up selling your home for less than it’s worth, have it spend weeks or months on the market, or not be able to sell it at all.
Hoping to make the most of your home sale? Check out these other blogs for even more helpful advice.
- How to Get Your South Etobicoke Home Ready For Sale
- Should You Sell Your Home Before Buying a New One?
- How to Sell Your Bungalow Fast
How Does a Real Estate Agent Help Sellers?
When it comes to selling your home for the most money in the least time possible, every last detail counts. With that in mind, one of your agent’s most important responsibilities is to help you get the best result from your home sale.
Starting with preparation, they’ll help you take the right steps to make your home even more appealing to local buyers, however that may look. Your agent is also responsible for staging your home – a specialized process that can add a ton of value.
Next, they’ll help you set the right asking price based on the current market conditions, optimizing appeal without leaving money on the table.
After that, they’ll use a variety of marketing strategies to get the word out about your home – getting it in front of as many buyers as possible. As a heads up, marketing is an area where agents’ expertise (and level of investment) can vary dramatically. Always ask a Realtor about their approach to marketing before you decide to work with them.
Right now, Toronto real estate is a bit of a buyer’s market. However, with the right agent, you can still sell your home for a great price in as little time as possible. If you’re interested, you can read about my approach to selling in a buyer’s market.
Questions to Ask a Realtor
Once you’ve found one (or a few) agents who you think may be a good fit for your buying or selling journey, here are some questions to ask them. Of course, feel free to ask anything else that’s not on this list – there’s no such thing as a silly question in real estate!
- How long have you been a Realtor?
- What areas and neighbourhoods do you work in?
- How many homes have you sold in the last year?
- How many homes have you sold in my neighbourhood?
- What’s your approach to staging homes?
- What’s your approach to marketing homes?
- What’s your communication style, and how often will I hear from you if we work together?
Buying or selling? Call or text me at 647-239-7587 or email melissa@southetobicoke.com to get started.
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