How to Choose a Professional Calgary Real Estate Agent

When you are in the market to buy or sell your home you'll need to find a truly professional Calgary real estate agent that you can work with. This is one of the biggest financial decisions that you will probably ever make in your life and you need someone experienced and dedicated by your side. There is only one type of real estate agent that you need and that is a true professional.

What to Know About Selecting a Professional Real Estate Agent

You see, a lot of real estate agents only work part-time and are not dedicated to their career. They look at it as a way to make extra money on the side and don't have a lot of time to devote to your needs. Only by working with a professional agent will you receive the time and the energy that you deserve to sell your house.

What Makes a Professional Real Estate Agent

A true professional will have an unbreakable attitude that remains positive even at the worst of times. When everything seems to be crumbling down in pieces, they look for the opportunity in these pieces and then work on them. If anything should happen during your home sale that looks like a problem, a pro will show you how to resolve it and turn it into something better.

A truly dedicated agent in the field will have great communication and everything about him will appear professional. Their office will be well kept, they will be well groomed and will go out of their way to give you the time needed to answer your questions. You should never feel rushed or feel like you are being a bother when you are talking to your real estate agent.

As well, your agent will look at your home as something unique and will market it based on its own merits. It will not be lumped together with other homes on the market. It will be treated as a separate entity from the others and all of the best features will be marked and noted on the listings.

What to Expect From Your Real Estate Agent

A committed real estate agent stays up to date in all real estate matters and has an effective follow-up system in place with potential buyers and sellers. They are an organized real estate machine that is in the top of their class and willing to put every effort forward into getting your house sold, or finding you the right one, as fast as possible.

Questions to Ask Your Real Estate Agent

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, it’s important to find a real estate agent who meshes well with you and has the experience necessary to meet your needs in a real estate transaction. If you've never hired a real estate agent here in Calgary before here are some of the most important questions that should be asked.

1. What Type of Experience Do You Have?

Find out how long this real estate agent has been in business and the type of training they have that makes him more qualified than other agents in the field. An experienced agent can bring more experience and better negotiation tactics to the table when it's time to do business.

2. Learn More About Their Marketing Plan

Simply ask the real estate agent what type of marketing plan they are going to use to sell your home. A great agent will have an immediate response ready for this question and will be able to list off several marketing strategies they’ve used in the past with great success.

If you are planning a purchase, ask about the home search plan and how this real estate agent can find you a home you want in the least amount of time.

3. Discuss the Fees Involved

It’s important to find out exactly how much commission you’ll have to pay for your sale and it's always good to get this question out in the open and dealt with right away. Real estate agents work hard to earn their commissions and aren't afraid to discuss this matter with you open and honestly.

You can also ask for a rough estimate of the other types of fees and charges you’d be expected to pay as a home seller. As a buyer, you won't have to pay a real estate commission but you should learn more about the expected costs involved in your upcoming home purchase.

4. Are Referrals Available?

Find out if the agent has a list of professionals that they can recommend to help you with the buying and/or selling of your new home. These may include financial advisors, legal representation, home inspectors, home stagers, home building contractors, mortgage specialists, handymen etc. This will save you a lot of time and trouble since you won't have to shop around for these types of service professionals while you're actively shopping for a new home.

Don't be afraid to ask questions when you're working with a real estate agent. You'll want to be dealing with one that has the time available to really listen to what you have to say and is ready and committed to work with you right to the end to help you reach your real estate goals efficiently and quickly.

Types of Real Estate Agents

If you've become confused about some terminology that's used in the real estate world, you're not alone. For this reason, we have assembled a list of the different types of real estate agents and what they do.

Buyer's Agent

This is the agent that is going to help you buy a home. Both you and the agent will sign an agreement authorizing him to help you find your dream home while at the same time keeping all of your personal information confidential.

Seller's Agent

This agent is working for the seller. A potential buyer can approach the real estate agent that is helping the seller and ask any questions. All questions asked must be answered truthfully and fairly by the agent.

Dual Agent

When a seller and a buyer are represented by one agent, they are called a dual agent. They must work for both the buyer and the seller and has separate agreements with each one.

Working with a dual agent can become confusing. While the seller is looking for the highest price, the buyer is trying to get the best deal possible. The agent is supposed to be the intermediary that works on making both parties happy.

In most cases you're better off working with a buyer’s agent or a seller's agent when it's time to purchase or sell a home. While there are times when a dual agent can work out fine, usually you'll be best represented by your own agent to secure the home deal. They’ll be able to pull out their best negotiating tactics and work on your behalf exclusively. This keeps things simple - which is exactly how you want them to be when you're about to purchase what will probably be the largest asset you own.