Why You Need a Real Estate Agent When Buying

As a professional Real Estate Agent, my primary responsibility is to act on behalf of my clients best interests to the best of my ability, providing unwavering commitment to you whether you are buying or selling. When buying, my ultimate objective is to get you from 'motivated buyer' to 'delighted homeowner' in the most efficient and legally sound manner. Here is what you can expect from me:

To Educate You About the Market Dynamics

As I laid out in the previous article, it is critical that you, as a buyer, are clear on the current market dynamics. This will ensure that you are fully informed, allowing you to make the best decision when the time comes. If you haven't already, please click here for a quick read about this subject.

To Educate You About the Neighbourhood

Choosing your next neighbourhood is one of the most exciting parts of buying a home, and I play a critical role in educating you about the pros and cons of Greater Vancouver's various neighbourhoods. I help you get a feel for the neighbourhood's schools, transportation options, demographics, nearby restaurants/shops/services and any trends with respect to what is happening in that area. 

To Perform Due Diligence on the Property

A large component of my role as a Buyer's Agent is helping you do your due diligence on the property. This involves:

• Fully touring & investigating the property; carefully assessing each room as an extra set of eyes.
• Discussing all critical matters with the listing agent. Things like roofing issues, water damage, renovations and respective permits. Any water issues in the basement? Were the renovations completed with permits? Any issues with the neighbours?
• Finding out about the operating costs of the property for core items like: BC Hydro, Fortis Gas, seasonal maintenance requirements, strata overhead, etc.

In short, I want to make sure that you don’t buy the WRONG house.

To Negotiate Price and Contract Terms

As your Buyer's Agent, I work for you. Period. My  job is to negotiate the lowest possible price with the best possible terms for you. I examine the price history of the homes you’re interested in, the prices of comparable homes in the neighbourhood as well as what’s happening in the market at that time. I'm clear on how the differences between properties affect value, and will guide you accordingly. This includes lot size, construction variables, the number of bathrooms or bedrooms and finishes or view. I protect you by crafting your offer as 'conditional'. This will provide you with the amount of time required to seek additional professional support (like a home inspection), helping you make the most informed decision possible. 

To Help You Find Your Home

Often times Buyers miss out on opportunities because they aren't working with a Realtor or their Realtor isn't working hard enough for them. Your Realtor should be on top of the market every day ensuring that you find what you want, that you get access to view it and that your offer is written with urgency and discipline.

As a Buyer’s Agent, I will also:

• Help you determine your needs and priorities
• Provide financial clarity by helping you determine the full cost of buying a property and the recurring costs of owning it
• See ‘potential’ in a home and suggest ways you can increase the value of your home
• Connect you with the best lawyers, lending institutions and home inspectors
• Be a lasting resource for connecting you with home professionals to help once you own the home

Does Who I Hire Really Matter?

Be advised: who you hire to represent you on the purchase of a home absolutely matters! It will impact the choice of the home you purchase, the neighbourhood you purchase it in and how much you pay for it. It can mean the difference between overpaying and paying fair market value, or buying a house that will cost you $25K in surprise repairs and knowing before you buy.