How to Find the Right Real Estate Agent in Collingwood

Whether you're looking to buy or sell your home in Collingwood, a good real estate agent is essential - and can be hard to find. Here are the top 10 things to look for in a potential agent.

Tell Me About Yourself

What you want to hear: how long the agents been practicing, her best sale, how she refers to past clients, a sense of professionalism and the ability to be honest with you. Once the agents done boasting, ask her to send you information about her business. You will see how quickly she responds to your request and how professional the material is (which will give you an idea what your sell sheet will look like if you're selling your home).

Selling Skills

How many Collingwood homes has the agent listed and sold in the last six months? This question will tell you where the agents strength lies - in helping clients buy or sell homes - and her rate of success.

Home Sense

Does the agent excel in helping clients buy or sell homes? Do they know the starter-condo market or the 18th century, multi-million-dollar estate market? What type of home did she last buy or sell?

Knowledge of Collingwood and its Surrounding Communities

What area of the town is the agent most familiar with? You want an agent who knows the neighbourhood you're looking to buy a home or sell a home in.

Organizations & Affiliations

There are more than a dozen organizations and qualifications a Canadian real estate agent can hold. Find out how many your agent belongs to (since they can be a great source of networking, they can also be an indicator of the number of people your agent knows. More acquaintances can translate into a bigger turnout at your open house).

Tip: Want to check up on an agent? Visit www.reic.ca (the Real Estate Institute of Canada) to do a name search of an agents qualifications and affiliations.

Local Collingwood References

Ask for three references. This will give you key information:

1. how quickly the agent offers up three sources
2. how long ago these people were clients
3. what type of home they were buying/selling and what their experiences were like with the agent.
   

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Does the agent practice full-time or on the side of another job? Will she be available to show your home to potential buyers or show you homes when its convenient for you - or will you have to rearrange your schedule for her?

Competition

There are almost 400 Real Estate Agents in the Collingwood area, find out who the agent sees as his main competition. What sets her apart? You'll learn not only other agents to contact for comparison, but how each agent responds to this question - positively or negatively and whether the other agents are selling homes in the area you're interested in.

Whats the Marketing Plan?

Whether you're buying or selling, your agent-to-be should have a plan (open house, public or private open house, appointments, number of viewings a day, professional listing video of your home that can be shared in the virtual world). Whether you want to look at a new home every time one is available, or save up six for a Saturday morning, your agent and you should be on the same planning page. If you're not, tell her what you want or look for a different agent.

Respecting your Finances

How does the agent respond to your budget requirements or desired price for the home you're selling? A good agent will understand your needs, offer her advice (she should know whether your expectations are realistic) and then support you (not telling you to say yes to the first offer if you're not happy with it). Be wary of an agent who looks too eager to make a quick sale. A good agent will want to build a solid relationship with you, so that you call her when you want to buy or sell your next home in Collingwood.