How to Choose a Real Estate Agent In London, ON: Step By Step Guide

Whether it’s buying or selling a home, there is no doubt that any real estate transaction can be overwhelming. The good news is that you can always rely on a qualified real estate agent in Canada to help you sell your home or buy your next property.

According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, there are more than 150,000 certified agents in Canada. With that said, you need to find the perfect fit in order to simplify your transaction as much as possible.

In this article, we’ll share the reasons why you need to work with a knowledgeable real estate agent when buying or selling a home. We’ll also share 9 insider tips on how to choose a real estate agent in London, Ontario.

When Selling Or Buying A Home, Why Should You Use A Real Estate Agent?

Before going over our tips on how to find a real estate agent, let’s take a moment to review the advantages of finding the right fit.

It doesn’t matter if you’re buying or selling, conducting real estate transactions is a high-stress situation. Both buyers and sellers want to save money, so many choose to work without an agent.

However, conducting a real estate transaction requires a huge amount of time and behind-the-scenes work. In many cases, bypassing the services and expert advice of a real estate agent can actually generate more work, resulting in a more time-consuming and expensive home buying process.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways that real estate agents simplify the buying process.

When Buying, You Should Use an Agent Because

We’ll go over good ways to find a buyer’s agent in the next section, but it’s important to understand the advantages that these experts can have.

The most obvious benefit is that real estate agents are familiar with the local market. They can help you identify the best areas, the up-and-coming neighborhoods, and the locations with easy access to your favorite amenities. More importantly, the perfect real estate agent will help you find the perfect property and help you acquire it at the best price.

When Selling, You Should Use an Agent Because

Hosting open houses, negotiating with other agents, hiring all necessary services, and evaluating multiple offers takes a huge amount of work. These are just a few of the necessary steps you need to take to attract buyers and sell your property.

Realtors and real estate agents are very familiar with the sale process. Besides knowing where prospective buyers look for properties, they also have a huge network of providers and industry discounts. This allows them to cut costs in other areas without sacrificing quality.

9 Tips For Choosing The Right Real Estate Agent Or Broker In London, ON

Finding a good real estate agent is essential when you’re trying to purchase or sell a house. The right real estate agent will be happy to answer questions, provide buying or selling tips, and help create a stress-free experience.

Here are our tips on how to find a good realtor.

1. Research the Firm’s Reputation

Not all real estate agents are created equal. The best way to find the right agent is to analyze each candidate’s track record by reading online reviews.

Reviews on business directories and similar platforms can help you understand the type of experience that other people had working with a potential agent. For example, if you find a lot of negative reviews about an agent’s communication, you know that it’s not that firm’s strong fort.

2. Find an Agent That Specializes in Your Search Criteria

You shouldn’t limit yourself to choosing a realtor that you know and worked with before. Instead, you should find an agent that specializes in the type of property you want to find.

The first thing you need to do to complete this step is to decide what your priorities are. Then, you need to talk to different agents, assess their response to your goals, and take additional steps like analyzing their editorial content to verify their expertise.

3. Get First-Hand Feedback, If Possible

The internet has become a great place to learn from other people’s experiences. That said, first-hand recommendations are still the best way to find a business you can trust.

If you know someone who has worked with an agent you’re interested in, don’t hesitate to ask that person to share their experience with you.

4. Organize Interviews with the Finalists

At this point, you should have narrowed down your list of candidates. Rather than making a decision now, you should organize interviews with each one and pick the provider that makes the best impression.

It may seem like a process, but real estate transactions involve a lot of money. Additionally, comparing finalists head-to-head will give you a refresher on why each realtor or agent made it there in the first place.

5. Choose an Agent that Offers Open Communication Channels

Most agents offer multiple communication options in order to stay in touch with buyers and sellers alike. But, you shouldn’t take this for granted. Make sure that your agent gives you multiple communication channels and is responsive whenever you send a message.

6. Discuss Sales Commissions and Other Charges Beforehand

One of the most important things to remember when learning how to pick a real estate agent for buying or selling is the charges involved.

As a rule of thumb, you should always discuss sales commissions and all other charges beforehand. Also, verify the services and benefits that are included in the additional fees to avoid any surprise charges.

7. Work with an Agent that Adapts to Your Needs

The process of buying or selling a house is fluid, so flexibility is key. You should only work with a realtor or agent who is willing to adapt to your family’s needs. This includes finding a specific type of buyer, verifying that an ensuring deal takes place, or pausing the listing due to an unforeseen event.

8. Ask Questions About How the Firm Uses Online Resources

It’s no secret that most people look to buy and sell property online. Justo, for instance, is a fully digital platform that gives buyers and sellers a great alternative to achieving their real estate goals.

Always ask your agents how they use online resources to sell your property. This will help give you the highest probability of success.

9. Go with Your Gut!

First-time buyers may have to lean on their agents’ advice for this one. But, if you have at least a bit of experience selling or buying property, don’t be afraid to follow your gut and give yourself the best chance at completing the transaction successfully.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that buying a house is a huge investment. On the other hand, selling your home is also an extremely serious decision, especially if you’re not familiar with the local real estate market. Having a good agent in both situations can save you a huge amount of money, but you need to work with a qualified professional that’s a good personality fit.

To learn more about selling or buying a house in London, Ontario, contact Justo. Our team of real estate experts will be glad to help.