Top Questions to Ask Your Calgary Realtor
When I first meet with clients I get asked a lot of questions, which is great! I am always happy to answer any questions any clients or potential clients might have. These questions are usually along the lines of What goes into buying or selling a home? Should I stage? How long is this going to take? Will working with a Realtor help me make better buying or selling decisions?
However, there are always those questions that I know people want to ask but never do. Those are more along the lines of:
- What does a Realtor even do?
- Can’t I just sell on my own?
- Where does commission go?
Here, I’ll dive into these questions to help buyers and sellers make an informed decision.
Working with a Realtor: Do You Actually Need it?
I am going to have a biased answer to this question but in my honest opinion having a real estate professional help you through the buying or selling process is necessary. I believe this for many reasons but a couple of those are; you’ll have better access to listings, you’ll get the negotiation experience, and have someone who knows the ins and outs of real estate contracts. We are there to help guide you through the process and help you feel confident in the sale or purchase of your home.
Where do my commission fees go?
Commission fees can be sticking points for many sellers. If you fall into this camp, you probably want to know where the money goes. That’s understandable. Here’s a basic breakdown. Once a deal closes, a seller will typically pay their Realtor a commission which is usually a percentage of his or her home’s price. That might sound like a lot, but usually half of it goes to the buyer’s agent, who also needs to be paid for his work. The Realtor’s commission breaks down further when the head of her agency (a broker) takes some of it. Part of the amount the broker takes goes toward expenses associated with having the Realtor on the team. That leaves the Realtor or agent with a lot less than you may have thought. I can tell you from personal experience that a lot of that remaining commission goes toward overhead, like advertising, fees, staffing and in our case marketing to a very high level.
Are you a full-time real estate agent?
Yes, this is my full-time career. I always say it’s more of a lifestyle than a job as real estate isn’t just a 9-5 job. It’s an evening and weekend job so you have to love it to truly be good at it. Someone dabbling in the business part-time to make some extra money might lack the knowledge and the time required to market and show your property, and to negotiate the best deal on your behalf. This is where finding someone like myself who lives and breathes real estate is best.
Have questions that I haven’t answered yet? Shoot me an email at info@jasonsaville.ca as I would love to chat further and answer those questions for you!
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