You may be very surprised to find that out of 66.000 Realtors that belong to the Toronto Real Estate Board - there are some shocking differences between them? Here are 5 differences that will help you make the right choice when the time comes to make a real estate transaction! Counting down from five to one:
5. Geographic or Property expertise - many Realtors specialize in a geographical region, giving them deep knowledge on the benefits of the area as well as the real estate market - right down to what streets are better! Similarly, there are Realtors that specialize in a type of property whether it is pre-construction developments, commercial properties, cottages or downtown condos. When you interview your realtor, it's important to make sure they have experience where you need it - you may be shocked that this is that part of our professional regulations and ethics is a requirements!
4. Their brokerage - all Realtors must belong to a brokerage - my brokerage is Keller Williams. You may be surprised to find not all Real Estate Brokerages are created equally! There are limited fee brokerages where sellers can just post on MLS for sale, full service brokerages (like Keller Williams or Re/Max) and discount brokerages that charge low fees and attract a lot of part-time Realtors. You may want to ask some questions about the company they belong to and why they chose that brokerage when selecting an agent!
3. Experience - with over 58,000 Realtors in the GTA, you may be surprised to learn over 80% of them do only 1-2 transactions a year. Very few do more than 10. If you choose an active, high-producing agent you will get the benefit of their expertise to predict and get ahead of any problems that might arise. A wise move, since a real estate purchase is likely to be one of your most expensive & important decisions!
2. Specialty designations - Did you know that Real Estate agents can get specialty designations? In my opinion, the best agents are always training! For example, I have two specialty designations for dealing with Senior issues related to Real Estate as well as 3 specialty designations for Negotiation!
1. Negotiation Training - Top negotiators are trained - why shouldn't you expect your Realtor to have the same? Not only have I studied many negotiation books authored by experts like Chris Voss, I have my Masters Certificate in Real Estate Negotiation. Make sure your Realtor has specialty training to help you achieve your goals!
Call me to learn more at 416-562-5002!