Buying and selling your home, whether you are a first time homebuyer, selling your starter home and moving up to your dream home, or downsizing as an empty nester, is a big deal! Real estate is a hefty investment and you want to make sure that your investment is protected. Working with a Realtor® is the smartest way to ensure you are paying a fair price when buying and maximizing your profit when selling. But not every Realtor® has the knowledge and experience to guide you well. Here are some of the most important qualities to look for when you choose an agent to represent you in your next real estate transaction.
What Makes A Great Realtor®?
Communication
Even though your Realtor® might be juggling several clients, your home sale or purchase is the most important thing to you right now. Buying or selling a home (or both) can be time-consuming and stressful. If you feel like your Realtor® is not responsive or available when you need them, this can add a whole other layer of concern. Clear and effective communication between you and your Realtor® is critical. Your agent should be committed to responding to your questions and concerns in a timely manner, be respectful of your schedule for showings, and you should always feel heard and understood. Your agent should take the time to explain every step of the process and be transparent with challenges and obstacles. Your Realtor® should be committed to honesty, even when the truth isn’t good news. For the best access to a Realtor® consider working with a whole team dedicated to buying or selling your home.
Market Knowledge
It can literally pay to have a Realtor® with in-depth market knowledge and experience buying and selling in your area. General market knowledge means your Realtor® understands the current conditions, trends, and property values, and can predict what might be coming. Your agent should be committed to your education and sharing this knowledge with you. A Realtor® who specializes in a particular real estate niche, such as inner-city living, will have insight on taxes, schools, neighbourhood amenities, and transportation. This knowledge can be invaluable when pricing and marketing your property to sell, but also as you search for the perfect place to call home.
Network
The very best Realtors® will have been around long enough, and have taken the time, to cultivate a robust network for their clients to leverage. This network should include other agents, buyers, and sellers, but also other professionals to ease the process. These connections should include mortgage brokers and lenders, inspectors, appraisers, lawyers, contractors, organizers, stagers and designers, photographers, landscapers, and more. The more extensive and trustworthy your Realtor’s® network, the more support and professional guidance you can count on as you buy and sell.
Negotiations
When you do find your dream home or the perfect, qualified buyer for your property, it all comes down to the negotiation. A thoughtful and kind Realtor® will mean nothing if you cannot count on them to represent you effectively at the negotiating table. An expert negotiator will always strive to put their client in the most favourable position. Your Realtor® should be your advocate and understand your goals for buying or selling, but they should also be invested in the other party’s goals as well. This, paired with creative problem solving and patient persistence, will achieve the most optimal outcome.
Partner With The Right Realtor® For You
Perhaps the most important consideration when choosing the right realtor® to work with as you buy or sell your home is trust. You need a trusted partner to guide you through the process and stand beside you as you make some very important decisions. As you journey to buying or selling a home, choose a Realtor® you feel good about, one that can help you realize what home means to you.
The Tanya Eklund Group is Calgary’s Inner City Real Estate Team. Buying or selling, we will guide you through the process and share our experience, knowledge, connections, and resources so when your contracts are signed, you will know that the city’s top real estate professionals are on your team. It is our goal to provide our clients with an elevated real estate experience. This means we are committed to standing beside you and advising you through each step of the process. Your goal becomes our goal and a successful transaction for you means we feel the satisfaction of a job well done. We strive to ensure such a positive experience for you as you buy or sell, that you feel part of our community. Connect with our team by calling (403) 863-7434 or through our contact form.