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1. Experience: considering that most real estate agents write forty or more transactions per year; that makes nearly one sale a week. Some people may buy a home every 15 years. Well, that means that the average person will not be up to date in legislation or mortgage financing requirements or legal matters concerning the purchase or sale of a house. And they will loose more often than win when side by side a skilled negotiator.
2. Access and Impartial: Most sellers provide access to their house trough a highly secure lock box allowing the buyer agent to enter the house freely and to tour room to room unhindered. They can look in closets and explore the home without the watchful eye of an anxious seller. Although the seller will be selling their home, the real estate agent sells all available homes and has access to all of them so if one home is not right, perhaps another home will work better. Maybe the location will be attractive or the side of the street will be nicer due to the sun rise and set location. These are important matters and the real estate agent can offer general as well as specific insight without fear of offending an owner or neighbour.
3. Skilled and Schooled: Real estate agents have extensive training as well as related skills learned prior to receiving their broker’s license. They are knowledgeable about acceptable building standards from various building periods.  People ask me all sorts of things that matter to them. You don’t have to fear the: This may be a stupid question but, where does the water go when you flush the toilet? Or how about the question; can I open up the living room space by removing this wall? Sounds funny but similar questions are common.
Real estate agents should know when a home owner renovations are acceptable and when something needs further investigation by an engineer or specialist home inspector. Agents have experience buying and selling and have encountered many situations. They have found techniques to manage risks through negotiation and effective compromise. And when events take a turn for the worse they know how to exit the negotiations without risking the buyer’s or seller’s position. Everyone has an interest to protect. The agent is the trusted expert to pull magic from a hat, making the deal work or knowing when to back off and avoid stigmatizing the house. Sometimes they must “think outside the box”, “thinking on the run” takes experience and a level head when under emotional stress. 

4. Fun and Entertaining: Yes! it’s fun to look at homes, to visualize how the furniture and think how nice it will be to play with the kids in the back yard. I often say that the best house should easily accommodate a party. So think celebration and see if it works! 


Open Houses can be exhausting. On the other hand, touring homes can be relaxing and enjoyable. Visiting six to eight similar homes will save time and money by focusing in on the essential wants and needs. I like the dialogue that grows with a seller or buyer helping them see the most important factors in the buying and selling situation and helping them focus on their goal. It’s like a trusted sports coach; you have a confidential relationship with your real estate agent guiding you toward the goal of home ownership. Its fun!
1. Warning: If there is one warning then its just this one! When a relationship between the real estate agent and the client is not comfortable, when there is a lack of trust or when the values of the parties are not on par it’s time to agree it’s not working and find another real estate agent. Simple! You most likely have signed an agency relationship. Say you’d like to cancel the arrangement and ask for their help in arranging that. No fuss. That simple! It’s happened to me even when I try hard to please difficult people. I can please most, delight others but can’t please everyone. Do you have question I should add?  www.martinelder.ca