Don’t be shy – your Ucluelet REALTOR® is interviewing you just as surely as you are interviewing them! When you sit down for a consultation with one of the REALTORS® of the Gray Team, they will be asking you a variety of questions to get to know you better, and also see if you are a good fit to work together, because good agents are selective about their clients. It's nothing personal, but we do want ensure that both parties will benefit from making a mutual agreement.
Real estate isn't a business that can carbon copy each transaction. In the same way that not every agent is right for every client, not every customer is a good match for the way the agent works. So, as a smart consumer, you will certainly want to interview your real estate agent before deciding who to work with.
Please feel free to ask questions. We expect you to!
Here are some questions to ask every REALTOR® you sit down with, whether you are home-hunting here in stunning Ucluelet, or elsewhere, before you sign anything or agree to let them help you find a home, you will want to know:
How Long Have You Been in the Business?
You might think you want to work with a real estate veteran who does a huge amount of business each year, but if you are a first time buyer who requires a lot of hand-holding through the process, such a relationship may prove disastrous; busy REALTORS® who head up huge teams may not be available to answer your questions or spend a lot of time showing you homes. Freshly licensed agents can be valuable, especially if like a part of the Gray Team, they have access to competent mentors. Newer agents will likely have more time to concentrate on you and your needs, and have often embraced new technologies that will make your home search easier.
Each agent may have a different answer for the following questions, so we cannot answer each of these questions here in this post, you will get valuable insight by asking:
In order to really get to know your REALTOR® you might want to know:
A good agent won’t hesitate to answer this question and will be ready to fire off why they are best suited for the job. A lot of this can come down to individual personality, as well as your own likes and dislikes, but in general, you want someone who is:
Can I Review Contracts Before I Am Asked to Sign Them?
A professional will make forms available to you for preview before you are required to sign them – preferably, with ‘plain English’ translations. As a buyer, ask for copies of the following:
Will You Help Me Find Other Professionals?
Let the real estate agent explain to you who they work with (lawyers, home inspectors, mortgage brokers etc.) and why. Ask for a written list of professionals and ask if there are any benefits to you for using such partners.
Are There Any Guarantees?
If you sign a buying agreement and later find that you are unhappy with the arrangement, can the agreement be cancelled without penalty? Will the agent stand behind their service to you?
What Happens When The REALTOR® Is Not Available?
Agents work long hours and try to be available whenever and wherever you need them. But however accommodating we try to be, we are not always available. Ask your prospective real estate agents what arrangements they have in place when they are not available.
We hope this has given you some insight into what you will want to know before you start the great adventure to Start Living in Ukee! As always, please feel free to Contact Us, with any additional questions you may have, or to begin the process of finding your very own piece of west coast paradise.
