Chris and Cynthia came to us after having bid on four houses and losing. Feeling discouraged, they were questioning their choices, strategy and whether or not they should even be buying a home now. They knew something clearly wasn’t working and that something had to give. So, they googled real estate agents in the neighbourhoods where they wanted to live and contacted us for a meeting.

This scenario is, unfortunately not a unique one in a seller’s market. The choice to work with an agent and selecting the right one becomes that much more critical in a competitive marketplace. So many things could have been the cause of Chris and Cynthia’s failed home purchase. There are a lot of things that need to align for success:

– Knowing what you want and what you can compromise on;
– Knowing your financial limits and any risks;
– Understanding your threshold for repairs and renovations;
– Enabling a trusting relationship with your agent;
– Choosing an agent with relevant experience, expertise and knowledge;
– Good communication all around;
– Establishing realistic expectations;
– Realistic timing;
– Focusing on the right things – avoiding needless distractions

Asking the right questions is key to selecting the right agent for you, but so is chemistry and of course, recommendations from others you trust. If an agent is focused on referral business, this can only be good for you! It means that providing a good experience is a priority. Some other things to consider:

– Can your agent accommodate you? How busy is he/she and is there back up?
– Does your agent know about the type of home you want – if it’s charm you want, a knowledge of old homes is a must! Likewise, if newer is your choice is your agent familiar with the local builders?
– What types of strategy does he/she employ to “win” multiple offers?
– Is your agent a good listener and is he/she open with constructive advice?
– Can he/she suggest neighbourhoods based on knowledge and housing types?

Timing is everything. Chris and Cynthia came to us in January before the spring market. By the time the market hits its stride in April, they will have all the preliminaries out of the way. Their agents (us!) will know exactly what they like and they will understand the options so they will be in a better position to make a decision when the right one comes along.

Talk to us NOW about your 2019 home purchase!