“Why should I use a realtor?” may be a question you have already asked yourself.The benefits of using a BC Realtor® are numerous. You gain much more than just their experience and knowledge. For instance, you are gaining a partner who has your best interests at heart and can help you make one of the smartest financial decisions you could ever make.Realtors® specializing in buying and selling homes and are here to walk you through each step of the real estate process.Get help understanding current BC housing market trends and get irreplaceable and extremely valuable real estate advice when you need it most.Here, are just 9 benefits or advantages of using a Realtor® to sell or buy a home in BC, outlining the best reasons why it is so important to work with a good, qualified BC real estate agent.

1. Realtors® Are Trained Professionals

Perhaps the very best advantages of using a realtor is that BC Realtors® are required to complete extensive pre-licensing courses in order to obtain their credentials for practicing real estate in BC. Just as you would hire a trained professional to replace your roof, file your taxes or manage your mutual funds, it is also in your best interest to hire a professional BC real estate agent.

2. Realtors® Continuously Upgrade Their Training

Another advantage of using a real estate agent is that BC Realtors® must stay up to date in their training by taking continuing education courses to enhance their knowledge on a wide range of real estate related subjects. This is essential in order to continue to provide consumers with the most current and up-to-date real estate guidance and information.

3. Realtors® Know & Strictly Abide by BC Real Estate Laws, Rules and Protocols

Another advantage of using a real estate agent to sell or buy your home in BC is that Realtors® must be registered under Canadian provincial laws that govern exactly how BC real estate can and cannot be bought or sold. A good Realtor® understands BC real estate laws and any enforced rules that you are responsible to abide by when buying or selling your home. You’re real estate professional will ensure that you avoid any legal complications that could potentially have a detrimental and lasting financial impact for you and your family.

4. Realtors® Have Exclusive & Special Access to MLS Information

The MLS system is one of the most powerful and important tools for buying and selling a home in BC. BC MLS real estate listings do provide some limited information to the general public but only to a certain extent. Much of the available MLS information is restricted and accessible only to licensed BC Realtors®.The benefits of using a real estate agent to mine important MLS listing information is that they have access to important information such as what homes have been selling for, how many times a home has sold in the last number of years, plus information about easements and right of ways on the home you are looking to purchase, and if the home was ever used for illegal purposes; plus much, much more.When you are looking to buy a home in BC in an extremely competitive market, your BC Realtors® unrestricted access to new listings can give you the upper edge in submitting your offer before others even know the home for sale is on the market. As your BC Realtors® we will also send you immediate notifications when new BC homes for sale are listed, which saves you the hassle of having to look every day. Our role as your BC Realtor® is to help make the home buying process as simple as possible for you.

5. Realtors® Often Have Connections to Homes Not Listed on MLS

Another advantage of using a real estate agent in BC is that often times the home you would love or the neighborhood you dream of is not actively advertised on the BC housing market. As your local Langley, South Surrey and White Rock Realtors® Property Sharkz real estate agents have connections and access and to information that can help make these condos, townhouses or houses accessible to you first.

6. Realtors® Make the Home Buying & Selling Process Easier

There are many unforeseen aspects that come into play when buying and selling BC real estate, much of which you may not be familiar with. There is a real advantage to using a real estate agent to help you work through it all. When selling or buying a home in BC, the contract of purchase or sale should be something that is clearly explained to you so that you fully understand what you are signing.Another advantage is that your real estate agent can make sure that your mortgage is completed on time. Our Sutton real estate agents will communicate with your mortgage broker to keep things moving along when writing an offer to buy. Sometimes, your real estate agent can also help you get a better mortgage rate and terms.Once an offer has been made, we can also help you to remove subjects, such as helping you choose a qualified home inspector, one who is certified and carries errors and omissions insurance. A qualified home inspector can help identify potential problems with the home such as dry rot, asbestos, termites, faulty structure, corrupted soil conditions, roof condition, any water damage, etc., just to name a few. If a number of unexpected conditions are found as a result of the home inspection our Sutton real estate agents can help adjust your offer so that it properly reflects the condition of the home.There are numerous other advantages for using a real estate agent at this stage of the buying process; for instance, checking the Title of a property. It is important to make sure there are no easements or other rights that could potentially affect the property and may influence your buying decision.

7. Your Realtor® Is Working For YOU

A home is an investment. But whether you are an investor or a home buyer; whether you are selling your home or buying real estate; perhaps the best advice is to make sure you have a good team to support you.Your team may be comprised of your bank, your accountant, your mortgage broker, and definitely your real estate agent.We always recommend assembling and working alongside professionals you can trust; a team that is working for YOU, with your best interest at heart. There are some real advantages to using a real estate agent as part of your team.Using a Realtor® to Sell Your Home – Many individuals do not realize that a real estate listing agent is working strictly for the seller and looking out for the seller’s best interests. This can mean helping to list the property at the right price, properly advertising and marketing the home for sale and even getting the best possible results during the negotiation process.Using a Realtor® to Buy a Home – Many home buyers underestimate the real benefits of using a real estate agent to buy a home, such as doing your “due diligence”. Your BC Realtor® is on your side, to provide you with correct information and make sure you are not paying over market value. As your real estate agent, we will do our due diligence every step of the way to make sure you are aware of every possible scenario and risk. We will negotiate the best price for you. A lot of people believe they will save money by simply buying through a listing agent. But remember, this is almost never true because the listing agent is working for the seller!We will do our best to get you the absolute best price possible whether you are selling or buying a home in BC. Hire a professional real estate agent, one you can trust and one that is looking out for your best interests.

8. Realtors® Specialize In Marketing Real Estate and Staging Your Home

Your BC Realtor® needs to be a proficient property marketer and one that is well connected to a network of agents (and their buyers). A good BC Realtor® will know how to produce captivating ads for your home and market your BC home for sale in all the right places. You, as an owner, will have an emotional connection to your home and may find it difficult to realistically and objectively evaluate your own property.Staging a home is also something that should be taken seriously. The advantage of using a real estate agent to stage your home is that your BC Realtor® will have a lot of experience in this area and will be able to present your home in the most professional manner. Your BC real estate agent can help get your home presented in the best possible light so that buyers recognize the home for its full and true potential.

9. Realtors® Are Experienced Negotiators

When it comes to selling and buying a home in BC, professional Realtors® are essential when the time comes to bargain and negotiate price. It is normal for negotiations to get heated and emotional for both the buyer and seller.As your BC Realtors® Natasha and Ryan are here to make sure things go as smoothly as possible and that emotions do not get in the way of the best possible results for you. We are professional and experienced at using negotiating techniques that work. We are here to help you make an informed and smart home buying decision.Selling a home also takes much more effort than just hanging a sign up in the front of your property. To help you understand the benefits of using a real estate agent to sell your home, consider the following:

• How do you know if your home is priced right?
• Are you anxious to sell your home quickly?
• How will you market and advertise your home?
• What kind of advertising will you use and what form of advertising is available to you?
• How will you know if you are getting the value of what your home is worth?
• How will you balance your own full time job and the full time job of marketing and selling your home?
• Will you be able to take calls and promote your home at all hours of the day?
• Will you have the knowledge to avoid legal complications?
• Do you know how to screen callers to figure out if they are suitable buyers? Not everybody who calls is even suitable to walk through your home, but how do you tell?
• When individuals try to sell their home themselves they always run the risk of being taken advantage of by savvy buyers and home buying sharks.

To learn more about the advantages of using a real estate agent to sell or buy a home in BC, please contact us and let us show you first hand, the many benefits of using a Realtor® to sell or buy a home in BC. Contact Cristina Baldini with Century 21 Kootenay Homes (2018) for neighbourhood specific expertise.