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The vast majority of all residential home sales in Canada are completed with
the help and participation of Realtors – and for good reason. Placing
your transaction in the experienced hands of a real estate professional will
pay you big dividends.
Your Realtor is Your Agent. You contract a Realtor to sell your home by signing
a “Listing Agreement”. This agreement establishes the formal agency
relationship between the real estate company and you. Under the relationship,
your Realtor is responsible for looking after your best interests, which include
full disclosure of any information that may influence your decisions, as well
as complete confidentiality.
Assistance with Every Step. Your Realtor will never take it for granted that
you know the in’s and out’s of the selling process. You’ll
receive a full explanation of what to expect from the beginning, as well as
answers to all your questions along the way. This ongoing assistance provides
you with a great deal of confidence as you progress towards a successful sale.
Comprehensive Knowledge of Your Home and The Market. Your Realtor’s first
job is to become familiar with your home – it’s best features and
the things that will help it sell most quickly. Then he or she will apply a
vast knowledge of the local market and sophisticated comparative market analysis
in helping you establish a selling price that will appeal to buyers interested
in your type of home.
Experience to Help You Enhance Your Home’s “Saleability”.
When it comes to selling your home, your Realtor will do much of the work for
you. But you can help by ensuring that your home looks its very best. First
impressions help make the sale. Your Realtor will offer you a number of helpful
hints and tips – fresh paint, minor repairs and dozens more – to
make your home sparkle.
Ability to Maximize Your Home’s Market Exposure. Only Realtors have access
to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which puts your home in front of a broad
base of potential purchasers. Through MLS, the details of you property are made
available to an entire network of Realtors who will seek to match your home
with a buyer. MLS is an invaluable tool for maximizing your home’s exposure
in the marketplace, which can help deliver fast action and the best possible
price.
Develop and Implement a “Marketing Plan”. Based on your sales objective
and prevailing market conditions, your Realtor will put together a specific
plan to market your home effectively. Strategies can include: the MLS listing;
open houses for other Realtors and the public; and advertising in newspapers,
specialty publications and cable TV. Moreover, the cost for implementing this
plan is included as part of the Realtor’s service to you.
Pre-screen and Pre-qualify Potential Buyers. Your Realtor will attempt to separate
the “lookers” from the “buyers”, identifying those who
are likely to be interested in your home and qualified to purchase it. This
can be a real time saver for you because it helps ensure that only serious buyers
visit your home.
Negotiating Experience When You Receive an Offer. Your Realtor has the knowledge
and experience to negotiate an agreement on your behalf and according to your
instructions. He or she will help mediate the process to head off potential
conflicts between you and the buyer, and will participate in drawing up a legally
binding contract that protects your interests throughout the transaction. These
important services allow you to remain at “arm’s length” from
the buyer, enabling you to make decisions that are more objective and less emotional.
Extensive Knowledge of Financing and Legal Requirements. Sometimes a sale can
become bogged down over financial and legal complications. Perhaps your buyer
could use assistance in arranging financing, for example, or has a concern over
a property easement. Your Realtor has the experience to recognize these potential
hurdles early, and the resources to help you find solutions and get the process
back on track quickly.
Experience to Help you Complete the Sale. Eve after you and the buyer sign
a legally binding agreement, there is still much to be done before the transaction
is completed. Your Realtor will help make sure the proper documentation is finalized
and sent to the lawyers, that both parties meet their obligations in fulfilling
any “conditions” to the offer, and that your questions and concerns
are dealt with to your complete satisfaction. From the moment you put your home
on the market, until the proceeds form the sale are in your bank account, you
can count on a Realtor’s support…. Every step of the way.
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