10 VERY IMPORTANT REASONS

WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE AN KNOWLEDGEABLE PROFESSIONAL

Buying or selling a home is probably THE most important financial transaction you will make during your lifetime, and having a trained, experienced realtor who has the knowledge and expertise is the logical and smart choice.

After all, who would you consult if you had a heart condition.? a cardiologist of course, because you want best there is ... an experienced professional with the knowledge and expertise in this field.

What if your child had a serious illness, you would of course seek out the best pAediatrician so your child would have the best possible care.

It's no different when buying or selling a home.. leave it in the capable hands of the experienced and trained professionals to obtain the desired results with no untoward consequences.

WHY HIRE A REALTOR?

Clients sometimes ask me why they need to hire a real estate agent when so much information is available on-line... and they could easily buy or sell their home through the internet or other marketing and advertising means, without a real estate professional.

Some do, it is true, but many don't, and the ones that do often end up in bad situations because of their lack of knowledge and expertise. One tiny mistake in the wording of the contract could land you in court or cost you thousands of dollars.

• How much should the deposit cheque be?
• Is there an irrevocable time in the Offer for the Seller to deal with it?
• Irrevocable time - what is reasonable?
• What happens if you get more than one offer on the same day?
• If you receive an offer, make a counter offer back to the Buyer, then receive another Offer? Can you accept it?

OBLIGATIONS

• What are your obligations to each Buyer, if any?
• When is the deposit cheque due?
• How many days should you allow for any condition
• What happens if the conditions are not met on time?
• If the Buyer or Seller want to make changes to an accepted offer, can they?

CONDITIONS ARE MET

• What happens when Conditions are met?  What document has to be signed, and by whom and when?
• How do you know the Buyer has been approved to purchase your home?  Can they afford it?
• Under what circumstances should the Buyer get their deposit back?
• If you are selling a condo townhouse or apartment, is a Status Certificate required by the Buyer?
• Who pays for the Status Certificate?
• How long does the Buyer have to review it?
• What happens if the Buyer is not happy with the Inspection Report?
• Do you have an in-ground pool?  What additional clauses are required in the offer?
• What happens when the property closes, the Buyer gets their keys, go to the property and the  Dishwasher does not work? Who is responsible for repairing it?
• What time do you have vacate the home you are selling?

These are just a few of the important things you may encounter when buying or selling real estate.. there are many more scenarios you could encounter.  Would you know what to do?

10 IMPORTANT REASONS

So if you've also wondered the same thing, here are 10 important reasons why you should hire a professional Real Estate Agent to represent you and your interests in the purchase or sale of probably the most important financial transaction you will make.

1.  Education and Experience

In these busy times and with our busy lives, we are all looking for more of that precious commodity, time.  Hiring the professionals gives us that time. You don't need to know about buying and selling real estate.  Hire a real estate professional who does, and t will relieve the stress.  Henry Ford once said that when you hire people who are more knowledgeable that you are, it proves you are smarter than they are.

3. Agents act as Buffers

If you are selling your home, a real estate professional can pre-qualify a buyer before showing them your home, so only qualified buyers are viewing your home. If you are buying a home, the real estate professional who is a member of the real estate board, has access to all up to date listings of homes on the MLS service and can quickly narrow down properties to show you that meet your specific requirements.

3. Knowledge of the Neighbourhood

Real Estate agents have access to a diverse data bank of knowledge pertaining to any specific neighbourhood, i.e. schools, shopping, transportation, places of worship, and other demographics. They either possess that knowledge from working in the area, or know where to find it for you.. They can identify comparable sales and provide these facts to you prior to submitting an offer to ensure you are paying fair market value, and not paying more than you should for a home.

4. Guidance with Pricing

Contrary to the beliefs of some, it is not the agent who sets pricing for sellers or buyers, it is the current market conditions that dictates pricing. An agent can, however, provide information to the Seller to use as a benchmark or guideline to assist them in selecting a price range to offer their home for sale, based on similar homes in their neighbourhood that sold recently. In addition to location, the condition of the home plays a major factor in obtaining the highest sale amount.  An updated home will naturally sell for more than one that has not been updated.

5. Market Conditions

Real Estate Agents have access to current market conditions and activities which they can share with you. This will govern your selling or buying process, i.e. median or average sales price, how many days on the market; ratio of list to sold price, are just a few. All these things will assist you in moving forward with the information you need to make an informed decision. .  Generally the market is a little quieter than normal around Christmas or during the months of July and August.  Let a trained real estate professional guide you through this process.

6. Professional Networking

Real Estate Agents network with many other professional who can provide you with services you will need to buy or sell your home, such as a qualified, certified home inspector, a mortgage agent, or a real estate lawyer. Real Estate agents can provide you with a list of these professionals who have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing and you can then choose which professional you want to hire.

7. Confidentiality and Negotiating Skills

Real Estate Agents negotiate well because real estate agents can remove themselves from the emotional aspect of the transaction. Its part of their job. Real Estate agents are professionals who are trained to present their client's case in the best possible light.

8. Processing Paperwork

A few years ago, real estate transactions required little paperwork, a one page deposit receipt were the norm. Sometimes Agreements of Purchase and Sale Agreements can often run 5, 6 or 7 pages, depending on the number of clauses or conditions contained in the Agreement. In addition to the Agreement itself, there may also be waivers to remove conditions, and sometimes Amendments to the Agreement.

In June, 2008 The Federal Government implemented a mandatory statute in an effort to try to combat money laundering, Each agent has to see a form of photo identification from each client.   A Receipt of Funds document is completed to record when the deposit was received and in what form.  One of these forms completed incorrectly could result in the negation of a transaction or cause legal difficulties.  It could also potentially be grounds for a law suit.

9. Education and Experience

In most scenarios, closings run very smoothly. For those cases where problems arise, your Real Estate Agent is there to assist you. Sometimes questions arise after closing. An honest, Real Estate Agent will be there for you to answer any questions you may have.

10. Develop Relationship for Future Business

Providing a high level of service to clients gives real estate agents incentive.  This often leads to referrals, which is the livelihood for many agents.  It also means that an agent who stays in the business will be there for you when you need to hire an agent in the future to handle your next real estate transaction.

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I live and work in MISSISSAUGA in the STREETSVILLE neighbourhood and service Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, and all the GTA.   Are you considering buying or selling, or know someone who is?  Uniting families and homes for more than 30 years...  Put your most important financial position in the hands of an experienced professional.

Call me at 416-717-6331.. let's have a coffee to discuss how I can help you attain your goals when buying or selling real estate. I'm always here to answer any and all of your questions.

Your STREETSVILLE Real Estate Agent, dedicated to providing outstanding client service to compliment my knowledge and expertise.

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