Friday, February 22, 2008

Using a REALTOR is an easy choice

"If knowledge is power, then a realtor is the most powerful professional ally you can have when it comes to selling or buying your home" according to the Canadian Real Estate Association.
When you’re searching for a property you wish to buy, the first obvious advantage of utilizing a REALTOR is that usually they can efficiently find suitable properties or "listings" for you to consider. REALTOR’S apply knowledge of the market together with computer technology. A realtor can also provide you with selling prices of the types of homes you are interested in. There is plenty of information available about the asking prices of properties. However, for actual selling prices of comparable homes, which are key, a realtor is the best source. If you aren't fixed on one location, a realtor can give you advice as to which locations are best from the point of view of future appreciation potential. Different locations and properties vary greatly in this respect.
One would think that buying or selling a property should be fairly straightforward most of the time. However, most every transaction seems to have a new twist or problem to be dealt with and resolved. That's one reason having a professional REALTOR on your side can be an enormous asset. One of the most nerve-wracking areas is the negotiation of price and terms. Experience has found that having the buyer and seller negotiate face-to-face is often disastrous. A lot of money is at stake, and the naturally high emotions can overwhelm the facts and create obstacles to finding a win-win agreement. The process works much better with a good realtor providing advice and passing information back and forth during the negotiations.
In Alberta, a purchaser gets their REALTORS help for free, so it's probably wise to take advantage of this fact and use their services. Besides helping you with searching for properties, with evaluating the pros and cons of specific properties, with negotiating favorable price and terms, and generally providing advice to help you make informed decisions, a REALTOR can also orchestrate the many details of a real estate transaction as your advocate. There are numerous advantages of working with a highly trained professional…a REALTOR, an easy choice.

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