For most of us, buying or selling a home is probably the biggest financial decision we’ll ever make. Whether you’re purchasing a property or looking to sell your current home, one of the first and most important decisions you’ll likely make is choosing the right REALTOR® to help you do it.
In addition to walking you through every step of the buying or selling process, your REALTOR® is the person you’ll be counting on to keep you up to date on local market conditions, offer expert tips and advice on everything from choosing a mortgage to setting an asking price or making an offer, and help you negotiate the best possible deal.
So to make sure your next home sale or purchase goes as smoothly as possible, here are our top 10 tips to help you find and choose the right REALTOR® for you.
1. Get a referral
To choose a REALTOR®, start by asking for recommendations or getting a few referrals from family members, friends or coworkers whose opinions you value and trust.
2. Do your research
Next, put together a list of all the recommendations and visit their websites to assess their experience, get a sense of how they communicate, and check out some of their other listings.
3. Read the reviews
Read customer testimonials, visit each REALTOR’s® social media feeds, and check out their online reviews to get a better idea of their reputation in the local market, their relevant experience, and to see what past clients had to say about them.
4. Check their credentials
Check with the BC Financial Services Authority’s Find a Real Estate Professional online search to make sure each REALTOR® you’re considering is a licensed real estate agent. Being a licensed agent means they’ve completed all the required training and education and passed the necessary exams to become a certified REALTOR®. It also means they currently hold an active license to provide real estate services in the province of B.C. and are committed to following the REALTOR® Code of Ethics in all their dealings.
5. Schedule interviews
Interview multiple different agents in person to find out how they work, assess their experience, and see whether or not you click. Meeting in person with a few different REALTORS® also gives you a good chance to get to know their personalities, their priorities, their communication style, and how well they share your goals and understand your needs.
6. Ask (a lot of) questions
Be sure to ask as many questions as you can. Don’t be shy—this is a chance for both of you to get to know each other. So feel free to ask things like how long they’ve been in business, what their commission structure is like, or what kind of experience they have with homes or neighbourhoods that are similar to the one you’re selling or looking to buy.
7. Assess their experience and expertise
Using the information you’ve gathered, list and assess each REALTOR’s® experience, skills, and areas of expertise. For example, you may want to focus on REALTORS® who are familiar with the area where your home is located (or where you want to move to) and who have experience working with homes, neighbourhoods, or budgets like yours.
8. Pay attention to how they communicate
At the same time as you get the answers to your questions, you’ll also be able to evaluate how each REALTOR® communicates. Are they available and responsive to your questions? Do they get back to you quickly? Are the two of you compatible? Are you able to understand each other easily and talk openly and honestly?
9. Check out their marketing skills
It can also be a good idea to check out each REALTOR’s® online presence to see how they’ve marketed other homes in the past. A strong online presence could speak well of both their professionalism and their marketing abilities—two skills that come in particularly handy when buying or selling a home. You can also view their current listings to see how they describe the properties and whether or not they use professional-looking photos and videos.
10. Review the paperwork
Once you’ve decided which REALTOR® is the best fit, go over all the paperwork with them, and be sure to review the fine print. This includes reviewing the listing or buyer’s agreement to confirm how long it’s for, what the commission structure is like, and the termination or cancellation clauses. If you’re a seller, discuss how they plan to market your property to buyers.
Bonus tip: focus on what’s most important to you
Last but not least, if you have any particular needs that are important to you—for example, if you want a REALTOR® who can recommend a great mortgage broker, knows a lot about fixer-uppers, has experience dealing with military relocations, is active in the local community, or who is fluent in your mother tongue—be sure to ask about those areas before you sign on the dotted line.
Getting the answers to all your questions and concerns upfront will ensure you and your REALTOR® have a good working relationship, and help make sure your real estate journey is as smooth and successful as possible.
Find out more
Interested in finding out more about what a REALTOR® can do for you? Contact us today!