In the real estate industry, there are many many many agents (did I say many). What is the most effective way to choose the right one? A talented real estate agent can make a significant difference in the sale of your home.

You should invest as much time and effort into finding the right agent as you would in finding your perfect abode.

The purchase or sale of a house is a substantial investment, and you want to make sure you are working with the right person to get the job done. I have put together some tips on how to choose the right real estate agent for your property sale.

Start by looking for an agent that has local knowledge of the area you are either selling or buying within. Understanding the workings of a city is crucial when developing expectations.

By local I mean the municipal area. This will contain several cities and/or towns.  For instance the municipal area of Durham, comprises Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Bowmanville, Brock and Scugog.  Each of these areas will have several communities.

While Ontario agents are licenced to work province wide – it’s best to find someone whose core experiences and market knowledge resides in the municipal area in which you are looking to sell or buy.

An agent from London who comes to Whitby to find you a house can irreversibly cause problems for yourself and your family. For example, a new development proposal is in motion that would begin construction for 3 years right behind your potential buy. An agent that is familiar with the area will be well aware of this and notify you immediately. An agent with no knowledge of the city could leave you with a 3-year headache.

Once you have found an agent that is familiar with your target area, begin to investigate them professionally.

~ Reading reviews is a helpful way to gain insight into their business practices and their character.

~ How many years of experience do they have? Choosing an agent that has yet to sell a home might not be the wisest idea (bad idea).

~ Are they active on social media? Having an online presence will strengthen their sales tactics when listing your home.

~ Is the agent working in real estate full-time or is it just a part-time gig for some extra cash?  A full time agent will have far more training, experience and dedication to serve you professionally.

~ If you’re a seller, don’t get lured by the lower commission.  When an agent’s resources are limited they will likely have limited resources to market your property and get it infront of potential buyers.

Asking honest questions and seeing what their responses entail should be an imperative strategy for every home buyer/seller.

Get right to the nitty-gritty: How are you going to market my home? What tactics will you employ to get us our dream house when we are battling against another buyer? Answering these questions with educated and confident responses is a sign of a skilled agent.

In the end, you want one of the most significant transactions of your life to be met head-on with knowledge and confidence. Anything less will not do. Working out of the Durham Region, I am well versed in this part of Ontario. I maintain a high level of awareness of the happenings within each city. With decades of experience in the real estate industry, I can overcome any situation that may arise with proven tactics and an experience-based skill-set.

Please contact me today with any questions you may have or to discuss your real estate goals. I am with you every step of the way.

Truly, Dee Sarwan