Choosing a Realtor in the Durham Region
Posted May 28th 2020
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Looking to trade in real estate but unsure what realtor you should pick? This is one of the most confusing stages of the whole process. There is an abundance of realtors and sometimes it is hard to find the cream of the crop. This blog will help you take steps to finding the best realtor in your neighbourhood.
First you need to look for referrals from friends and family. Past performance predicts future behaviour so a good referral is strong indicator that you can trust the realtor as much as you trust the source of the referral. Look for neighbours who bought / sold recently. Go to them! They won’t see you as a burden, remember, they’ve just been through it and understand.
Do your own research online. I suggest you look at reviews. Google Reviews are a great way to weed out the undesirables and shine a light on the top service providers. Don’t just choose one agent and immediately hire them. Interview at least three agents so you can get a good idea of the type of realtor you need.
Things to consider when interviewing
Does the realtor have experience in your neighbourhood and understand the nuances of that specific market? Learn about their experience in the neighbourhood, their skills, strategy and how they negotiate single or multiple offers.
Marketing strategies – a good agent will be confident in their approach to selling your home. They have a plan already in place. Each home needs a unique marketing strategy, if the realtor is just going to place it on MLS and facebook this is not good enough.
If you are interviewing a “big name” agent or a team that is well known in your area, find out if you will be dealing with the team leader or a member of their team. Most big name teams will be appointing one of their members to you. This means the big name may never actually work on selling your property. People are often surprised by this. If you decide to go with a realtor for their expertise and you want their personal involvement, ask for their direct cell. This way you can have nightly discussions to recap the selling activity and next steps.
Rapport and comfort level are key. It is imperative to rely on facts and information to narrow your choices, but the next step is to consider your own feelings and thoughts about the person. You will be spending a lot of time with this person, most likely having multiple conversations a day and the topic of discussion will sometimes be stressful. You must ensure that you find the person relatable, trustworthy and real. You need to feel confident in their abilities. Most importantly you need to know that they have your best interests at heart. Be honest and transparent about what you’re looking for and if your needs are not being met don’t be afraid to point this out to your realtor.
Another thing to consider is not to feel pressured into using a family member or a friend especially one who has just got their licence. If your friend or family member has what it takes, great!
Finally, cheap doesn’t equal good: Many sellers today are concerned only with the fees they are paying an agent. With real estate you will most likely be getting what you pay for. If one professional is offering their service at a reduced rate compared to another realtor you interviewed then you must find out what aspects of service are being sacrificed i order to offer this discounted service. Some services to ask about – Photography, staging, cleaning, moving services, hours of operation, customer service. Will all of these be included in the fee?
If you are thinking of buying or selling and in the process of interviewing clients we would love the opportunity to meet with you and show you why we are in the top 1% of realtors in the Durham Region.