Selecting and Working With a REALTOR®

If you are interested in buying a home, you will want to work closely with a REALTOR®. When you work with a REALTOR®, you have direct access to a vast library of information and experience. After all, REALTORS® have considerable knowledge of market values, the properties available in your price range and homes that will match your individual needs. They also have direct access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS®), which provides details on a wide variety of properties in the markets you are exploring. How to find a REALTOR® There are a number of ways to find a REALTOR®. One is to note the names of REALTORS® in newspaper real estate advertisements and REALTOR® publications. As you drive through neighbourhoods you are interested in, you should also jot down the names and telephone numbers of REALTORS® shown on "For Sale" signs. Open houses are another great way to meet REALTORS® working in an area that you are interested in. As well, it is a good idea to ask friends and co-workers for names of REALTORS® they can recommend. And, since you'll be working closely with a REALTOR® for weeks or possibly even months, it is a good idea to choose someone you feel comfortable with: someone who listens to what you have to say, asks intelligent questions and shows a genuine interest in helping you. You may even want to interview two or three REALTORS® to make a comparison. Some questions you might want to consider asking are how successful are they? Is their brokerage firm well-established in the markets you are interest in? What, specifically, will the REALTOR® do for you? You might even want to consider asking for references from buyers with whom the REALTOR® has worked before. Be honest and open Once you have selected a REALTOR®, be honest in discussing your financial situation and carefully review the features you are looking for in a home. This will help the REALTOR® find prospective homes best suited to your needs and will save you a great deal of time as well. Most importantly, remain loyal to the REALTOR® you have chosen if the REALTOR® earns your trust. After all, this person will be spending a lot of time and effort on your behalf. House hunting with a REALTOR® Once the REALTOR® has a clear understanding of what you want and what you can afford, you are ready to view homes. This is where the REALTOR®'s knowledge of the market will really pay off - and save you a lot of unnecessary time looking at homes that aren't right for you. No matter what kind of condition the market is in, house hunting isn't a process that should be rushed. How long will it take and how many houses are you going to see? The answer is different for every buyer. However, it is a good idea to look at a few rather than many; if you and the REALTOR® have done your homework, you should only have to visit a handful of homes to make an informed and wise selection. Much of your search can be done through the Multiple Listing Service and preliminary discussions with the REALTOR®. As you visit and react to each home you see, the REALTOR® will have an increasingly better idea of what you want and don't want and will refine the search process until you find the house that is just right for you. Keep in mind that it is important to remain objective and avoid letting a particular feature of a home affect your judgement. Take the time to look at each promising home carefully and avoid being pressured by anyone into making a decision before you are completely satisfied. REALTOR®, MLS® and Multiple Listing Service are registered trademarks of the Canadian Real Estate Association. "REALTOR®" describes a real estate practitioner who is a member of the Association.