When you buy or sell a house, you are committing to one of the biggest financial transactions of your life, so having the right agent in your corner is of the utmost importance. Referrals from friends or family play an important role in choosing a real estate agent.
There’s nothing wrong with this approach, and it won’t hurt you in the long run, but you should always conduct your own research before you choose a real estate agent.
It may seem like a bit of a challenge to find the right agent among over 60,000 Toronto real estate agents if you aren’t sure where to start. Whether you’re buying or selling a home, here are some tips on choosing the right real estate agent:
Hire a Neighborhood Professional.
The value of a REALTOR who works regularly in your target neighborhood will be higher than that of someone willing to travel all over GTA to receive a commission check. Choosing a top agent is knowing what you know and what you don’t. Visit Lake and Park Real Estate to learn more.
Hire an Experienced Agent.
Getting a real estate license is relatively easy since there is not a high entry barrier. However, it is not so easy to be a good realtor (and certainly not a great one). You might be the guinea pig for thousands of new agents every year.
Toronto realtors sell an astounding number of properties per year – do you want to be that one sale? You should also ask: How long have you been in business? What number of homes do you sell every year?
Be Cautious Of Real Estate Agents Who Have Second Jobs.
It is common for realtors to work long and irregular hours, seven days a week. They keep updated on what’s going on in the market by inspecting properties and neighborhoods when they’re not working with clients. Full-time realtors are used to seeing part-time agents (and they’re worth about the same!)
Avoid Working With Family Or Friends.
Everyone has a real estate friend – or worse, knows a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend who knows a friend – but business and friendship rarely go hand in hand. Hire away your friend if you are able to fire them without damaging their friendship. However, it usually does not work out that way.
Hiring An Agent Who Knows The Local Market Well Should Be Your Choice.
A good real estate agent can answer all your questions regarding the local market with confidence. How do the neighborhoods of the area differ from each other? Is there a nice school or park nearby? How much does it cost on average to list and sell a property? A good agent should have knowledge of the areas you’re interested in.
Your own study should be compared to theirs. You should be able to find out the optimum price in your local market with the help of an expert, enabling you to make the right choice.