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Buying a home is one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make in your life, so choosing the right real estate agent can make or break your home buying experience. An experienced and knowledgeable real estate agent is your guide and your representative for any kind of home transaction. Whether you’re dipping your toes into the real estate market for the first time or you’re interested in investment opportunities, a realtor is your go-to person for real estate expertise.
The majority of homebuyers opt to use a real estate agent to represent them during the home search process when it comes to the complexities finding homes that are a good fit, assessing the value of a home, putting in an offer or negotiating Other activities that your realtor can help you with when you’re buying a home includes:
Find out how you could receive up to $50,000 when you buy and sell in Ontario.
Before you look for a real estate agent, you’ll have to keep in mind that each agent has their own area of expertise. To best find an agent that fits your needs, you need to know what those needs are. For example, are you looking to buy a house or a condo? What city(s) or neighbourhood(s) do you have in mind? What’s your estimated budget? ? If you’re looking specifically for someone to represent you when buying a house, you can always look for an agent who has specific credentials.
Some agents also specialize in a property type, neighbourhood or budgets, so depending on the kind of home you’re looking for you’ll want to find someone who is knowledgeable with homes that fit the criteria you’re looking for. For example, an agent who specializes in Toronto condo living might not be your best bet if you’re looking for a single-family detached home in a suburban area.
Finding a real estate agent in this day and age isn’t as limited as it used to be. As real estate transactions become more digitized, so does the ability to find real estate agents in your area.
Here are some options to consider when looking for real estate agents.
Asking friends and family for referrals makes it easier to find someone who is more reliable and has a successful track record of working with people you know.
As you become more serious about buying a home, you may start reading more articles in news websites or magazines. Agents who are quoted in those stories by journalists, could be potential options to explore for your search for an agent.
When an agent is hosting an open house, you’ll often see signs pop-up in the surrounding neighbourhood with directions to the viewing. These signs often have contact information on them and if you’re interested or have exhausted your other options – it doesn’t hurt to reach out!
Along with online real estate brokerages who can introduce you to realtors, most agents will have some kind of online portfolio that you are able to view from the comforts of your home. Whether it’s a personal website, Google Reviews or Facebook, make use of online tools, social media tools and reviews to find out as much information as you can about their experience as a real estate agent and their experience in representing someone similar to your needs.
Find out how you could receive up to $50,000 when you buy and sell in Ontario.
Before making a commitment to an agent, don’t be afraid to ask more questions about their experience and knowledge. Not only will it help you gage their expertise, but it can also give you a sense of their character and what it would be like to work with them. Interview at least a couple agents before making your decision.
Here are some questions we’d recommend asking them.
A realtor that genuinely has your best interests in mind will be honest with you when it comes to the risks involved with your buying or selling decisions. Rather than an agent who agrees with everything you say, you want a realtor that will tell you honestly when they think that something is a bad idea.
Pay attention while interviewing candidates to see if they’re using data or references to backup their claims. In addition the agent should be open to sharing examples of homes they’ve helped past clients buy or sell, or to sharing references for past clients they’ve worked with for you to contact.
At the end of the day, a realtor who checks off all the boxes in your criteria of expertise and knowledge might not be the right fit for you if you don’t get along or if you don’t feel comfortable with.
Since you’ll be spending a lot of time during your house hunting journey with your agent, you need someone you’re comfortable sharing concerns with,answers your questions with patience and who is open to sharing their knowledge with you. There will be a lot of back and forth communication throughout the home buying process and ultimately you need someone you think you can get along with – trust your sense of character.
Here are some questions to make note of:
Knowing how to choose an agent that fits your needs is an important part of a successful first step into what can be an exciting real estate journey.
Find Out How You Could Receive Up To $50,000 When You Buy And Sell In Ontario.
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Trillium Association of Residential Homeowners (TARH) is in no way affiliated with the Government of Ontario or any other government organization or entity. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract with a brokerage. *Nothing herein shall be construed as to create an express or implied agreement, constitute a contract offer, or create any legally binding or enforceable obligations on any party. Offer and/or Grants subject to change, minimums may apply. Grants are paid to eligible participants in the form of a rebate upon completion of the transaction. Subject to terms & conditions which are located at: TrilliumAssociation.ca/terms. The Grant Rebate is offered directly by our licenced Realtor® partners independently from the TARH.
