The right real estate agent will alleviate stress and maximize value.
Deciding to sell your home unboxes a whole new world of uncertainty and doubt. Especially since selling your home is something you’ve likely never had to do before. Deciding to sell is easy, but getting the most value for your home is enough to keep most people up at night.
One of the first things you will need to find is a Greater Toronto Area realtor you can trust to bring in qualified buyers to your home. But how do you know the GTA realtor you picked is going to get you the best value? How can you trust they will give you and your home the attention that it deserves?
With some research you can tell the good real estate agents from the poor. Here are a collection of tell-tale signs that you have picked the right real estate agent to sell your home.
1. They provide you with a sense of comfort
You should like to be around your realtor. It’s great if you start off with a great rapport, before you get into the nitty and gritty with them. If you feel you and the realtor won’t get along or you won’t be able to build a good sense of security with them, maybe it’s time to part ways before you spend several days or weeks in the future working together.
2. You feel like you are a priority
When you are stressed out and have questions, your real estate agent owes you answers. If you feel there are significant gaps in responses to your e-mails or your calls are constantly going to voicemail, then it’s not a good working relationship. Maybe the realtor is taking on too many projects, they are inexperienced and don’t know how to communicate bad news, or just don’t value your time as well as they should.
The sale of your Toronto and GTA home is one of the most important things in your life, and the best real estate agents will make you a priority. Look for the successful realtor who also has a support staff working with them.
3. They’re willing to break the bad news
Good real estate agents will be willing to tell you news that you don’t like to hear – even if it’s something that will get in the way of them making an extra dollar. The best ones will present you all the options available and still fight and guide you to help you reach your desired goal.
4. Find out their reputation
Every GTA realtor should have a website with testimonials of clients ranting and raving about their service. It helps to look a little deeper as well and perhaps reach out to some of their former clients as well. You should also be able to easily find out what type of credentials, accomplishments or awards the realtor has achieved and how long they have been in business. Also, a great realtor will also do their part and give back to the community.
5. How is the real estate agent marketing their current listings?
Roughly 90% of homebuyers begin their home hunting with an online search and over 50% of homes purchased in 2016 began with an online search. So how well does your Toronto real estate agent market homes online?
Marketing is probably the most important element in getting your Toronto and GTA home sold for the best price. There is a cost to providing you with the best exposure. Its simple, if a buyer is not aware of your property being for sale and what features it has, how can they buy it? A marketing plan must be all encompassing to reach the largest audience and most buyers possible. It should include but not be limited to Print (Newspapers, Magazines), Radio, Television, The Internet, Billboards, Network and this must include local, national and international exposure. This must be ongoing for full time professionals. With this you will notice a track record of success and negotiating experience that adds tremendously to the value of your agent.
Are you also seeing a lot of your realtors listings being marketed? The only way to ensure your home receives more qualified offers, is if it is being marketed effectively and in as many mediums as possible. If your home is up for sale and you can’t find it online or anywhere else, neither will your potential buyers.
Find The Best Toronto Real Estate Agent
The best Toronto and GTA real estate agents are educated, well experienced, know the Toronto and GTA housing market inside and out, are honest, have an extensive network, are tough negotiators, and are excellent communicators.
There are some of those agents out there, but they can be difficult to find. Hopefully with the advice in this article, you will be able to better sort the good ones from the bad and know when it’s time to consider getting the best realtor for your situation assisting you.