land for sale in Saskatchewan

Preparing to Buy

Organizing Finances

Viewing Homes

Making an Offer

Closing the Purchase

Choosing the Right Agent

 

How to choose the right agent

 

When you decide the time has come to shop for a new house, you want to stack the deck in your favour. That means working with a good real estate agent, and there are none better than the sales representatives at Royal LePage Landmart.

 

 

Defining real estate agents and REALTORS


All real estate agents must be licensed. In addition to having a real estate license, most Royal LePage agents are also REALTORS®. The term REALTOR ® is a trademark that identifies a licensed real estate agent as a member of The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). All REALTORS ® make a pledge to adhere to a strict code of ethics and standards.

Your agent or REALTOR ® will act as your eyes, your ears and your voice throughout the home buying process. You need to feel assured that you're receiving the best information and advice, so you can have confidence that you're making a savvy real estate investment. That makes choosing the right agent for your needs a top priority.

You’ll be working closely with your real estate agent, so it's important to choose someone who understands your situation, knows the local real estate market, and can give you the advice and guidance you need.

Asking the right questions

 

We encourage you to interview several agents before choosing the one you want to work with. Determine which features of your new home are most important to you (see Needs vs. Wants), and ask the prospective agent about their knowledge in those areas: How well does he know your desired neighbourhood? How familiar is he with the issues associated with older homes? If you’re prepared to do some renovations, to what extent is he familiar with remodeling pricing? If you’re a senior or have other particular needs, does he hold a Seniors Real Estate Specialist designation, or specialize in your needs?

 

You may have to settle for a little less in the way of extras, too. Conditional offers that may have included appliances or extra fix-ups in a buyer’s market may well be rejected in the seller’s market.

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Balanced Market

 

Buying in a balanced market is a much more predictable endeavour. With sellers and buyers in equilibrium, housing prices stabilize and the atmosphere on both sides of the transaction becomes relaxed.

 

The table below lists the influences that different conditions may have on you. Impact and expenses may vary, depending on your area.

 

Think back to high school economics. Remember those lessons on the laws of supply and demand, and how you swore you’d never need to know that stuff in the real world? Well, if you’re looking to buy a house, it could come in handy.

The concept is a simple one, but it teaches a valuable lesson in how housing market conditions affect price, and how understanding the market can affect your buying strategy.

In a nutshell, when there are more homes for sale than there are potential buyers, house prices drop. When there are fewer houses on the market than there are buyers, house prices will climb. When the number of homes on the market is roughly equal to the number of buyers, it’s called a balanced market.

Market conditions can vary widely across the nation, across provinces and even across neighbourhoods. The demand for housing in a given locale may be influenced by any number of factors. Swings in the economy (both national and local), the availability of property (supply), and the fickle nature of consumer trends can determine if a given neighbourhood is hot or not.

As an expert on your local real estate market, a Royal LePage agent is an excellent place to start understanding the state of your local market. You may also want to consult the Royal LePage Survey of Canadian House Prices. This is a quarterly report geared to help you learn more about housing price trends in your area as well as housing markets across the country.

Here is a quick rundown on how the changing housing market can impact buying and selling behaviours: 
 
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