Gary Bowen Realty

Share
   

         

 
Your Partners through Change

Why Use a REALTOR®?

 Often these days, with access to the Internet and information about real estate readily available, people choose to sell a home or to buy a home without using a REALTOR®. Of course, some people choose to represent themselves in court without using a lawyer. However, as is the case with the legal system, in the real estate world, most people want to be able to rely on an expert to guide them through the system, and with good reason.
 

REALTORS® are University Trained

REALTORS® in British Columbia get their training through rigorous courses from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. Much of this training focuses on ethics, real estate and contract law. After being licensed, a REALTOR® is required to be involved in continuous professional development programs, and all REALTORS® are regulated by their real estate board, in this case the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) and by the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA).
 

More Reasons to Use a REALTOR®

  • REALTORS® are insured such that if something does go wrong with your real estate transaction, there is opportunity for recourse. 
  • Your REALTOR® is your key to the MLS system. As a seller, your REALTOR® puts your property into the MLS system so it is accessible to buyers worldwide. As a buyer, your REALTOR® can get you in to view any property in the MLS system. 
  • Your REALTOR® knows the local market, a critical factor in buying or selling, particularly in an active market such as Nanaimo’s.

Your REALTOR® Represents YOU!

Your REALTOR® is your representative, there to promote and protect your interests, from negotiating your purchase or sale, to writing a solid contract, and to managing the steady stream of information and paperwork that is necessary for a completed deal.
 
You will have an ongoing working relationship with your REALTOR® for at least a couple months, and probably longer, so as with any other professional, it pays to shop around and find someone with whom you are comfortable and in whom you have complete confidence. Probably the best way to find your REALTOR® is to ask around. Get a recommendation from a friend, colleague or relative. The best REALTORS® have little need for advertising as they get all the business they can handle from referrals. Be wary of choosing someone based on the number of signs you see displaying their name. This person may be very successful financially, but with a large number of listings on the go, how much time will they realistically be able to devote to you?
 
In most real estate transactions, buyers and sellers should each have their own REALTOR®. Both parties should have the best representation they can get. Obviously, one person cannot negotiate for both parties, and in point of fact, can negotiate for neither party, yet gets paid full commission for both ends of the sale. As a buyer, if you see a property you are interested in, take the time to find a REALTOR® you are comfortable with to work on your behalf.

Useful Links

Information from the Canadian Real Estate Association on what REALTORS® do and on buying and selling in general.

Vancouver Island Real Estate Board
 
British Columbia Real Estate Association
 
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

© Copyright RealWeb Enterprises Ltd. all rights reserved