1. REALTORS® and Real Estate Agents
All Realtors® are licensed to sell real estate as an agenta broker. Realtors® belong to the Canadian Real Estate Association, The Ontarioi Real Estate Association and then their Local Real Estate Board. In My Case I belong not only to the Toronto Real Estate Board but also the Mississauga Board. Realtors pledge to follow the Code of Ethics, a comprehensive list containing 17 articles and underlying standards of practice, which establish levels of conduct that are higher than ordinary business practicesthose required by law.
2. Referrals
Most real estate agents stay in business because satisfied clients refer them to friends, family, neighbours and coworkers. Ask the people around you who they have used and ask them to describe their experiences with this real estate agent. Successful agents make customer satisfaction their number one priority and put their customers' needs before their own. Try to find an agent who goes above and beyond his responsibilities. He'll be the agent whose praises your friends sing loudest.
3. Search Online for Agent Listings
There are plenty of Web sites that will refer agents to you but that is no assurance of quality. The agents they refer are those who have paid the Web site owners a fee to be listed in their directory. A better bet is to Google the top real estate companies in your area, go to those Web sites and look up profiles of individual agents at offices near you. Agents who are experienced will tell you but newer agents might have more time to spend with you. Look for customer testimonials. Google top 10 placement for Homes in west toronto, Humber Bay Shores Condos is also a top ten on Yahoo.ca
4. Attend Open Houses
By going to open houses, you can meet real estate agents in a non-threatening working environment and interact with them. Collect business cards and make notes on them. If you're thinking about selling your home, pay attention to how the agent is showing the home. Is he polite and informative; appear knowledgeable? Does he hand out professional-looking promotional material about the home? Is he trying to sell features of the home?is he sitting in a corner reading a book, ignoring you? Did they ask if you were under contract with another REALTOR as it will affect responses.
5. Track Neighbourhood Signs
Pay attention to the listing signs in your neighbourhood. Make note of the day they go up and when the sold sign appears. The agent who sells listings the fastest might be better for you than the agent with the largest number of "for sale" signs. Results speak volumes.
6. Using Print Advertising
Real estate agents run real estate ads for two purposes. The first is to sell specific real estate. The second is to promote the real estate agent. Look in your local Sunday newspaper for ads in your targeted neighbourhood. Then look up the Web sites of the agents who are advertising. These agents could be specialists in your neighborhood. Call and ask them about their experience. 7. Recommendations from Professionals
Ask other real estate agents for referrals. Agents are happy to refer buyers and sellers to associates, especially if the service you need is not a specialty of the agent who is referring you. Some agents specialize in residential resales while others work exclusively with new home builders. Other agents sell only commercialinvestment property. Mortgage brokers are also a resource for agent referrals as many brokers have first-hand knowledge of exceptional agents. Pros tend to refer pros.
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The best agent for you is an experienced professional who will listen to you, conduct herself in an ethical manner and knows your market.