I feel as if i must start this post out as a "state of the union" address. We are not getting to a point but we are there, where if YOU as a buyer are not working with a real estate professional you are DEFINITELY missing out. I would think that housing is now less than a couple days on the market before it has a conditional offer on it. We know that it is for sure 1 full day before a listing hits the MLS.ca website, one of the most viewed real estate site today. So put 2 and 2 together and that means that if a house is priced properly YOU as a buyer are missing out.

 Case in point  ( the reason i am so passionately writing to you today ). I had a listing (past tense) on Ave C. North that was priced properly at $199,900, for the condition of the house and the area. Well it was not on the market for 3 hours and i had the first offer on it. By 5 pm i had 3 offers on it and at the end of the night it was conditionally sold. Starting the morning after, so day 2 on the market, when it hit MLS.ca, the calls from the public started pouring in. To be perfectly honest with you i feel really bad when i have to tell them it is no longer available because i can hear in their voice that they either really liked it, or they are borderline desperate to get a place in that price range. Believe me it happens in all price ranges.

 So how dose the public protect themselves or give themselves the best chance of being competitive in an active market??? Work with a professional. Now don't get me wrong, this is not a plug for you the reader to call me and work exclusively with me, but you should work with some one, here's why!!!

The main reason is to protect yourself by having someone looking out for your best interests. A Realtor has access to listing instantly and in the case of Re/Max with 40% of the market share, even a few days before a property hits the market. So when you call the day after it is not already sold. Most people do not understand how complicated a real estate transaction can be, and without the knowledge, skill and expertise of a licensed Realtor you are setting yourself up for at the very least disappointment and the flip side financial ruin. When someone has a sore tooth they go to a dentist, a sore arm the doctor, a sore head a shrink, but when they are investing in the most expensive, most important financial decision of their life they ...go it alone?

 Here is my recommendation to you. Call and interview a Realtor, even if over the phone. Ask him what he can provide for you, how he will provide it (email, pick you up and show you property), how often he will be in contact with you. Those sorts of questions. You will be able to gage right away the seriousness of him or her right away as to whether they will work hard for you. You should be willing to meat them at their office for a face to face meeting, and also be willing to commit to them as a professional will commit to you.

If you require more information about the services of a Realtor contact the Saskatoon region association of Realtors (SRAR). Please also feel free to call me or anyone member of our team we are always available for you.

 

Thanks,

Scott Ziegler
Team Toledo