Why should you use a REALTOR®

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/10/2019 (2147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Taking the plunge into homeownership is an exciting time! From the relief of getting pre-approved for a mortgage to the anticipation of waiting for your offer to be accepted, there can be a rollercoaster of emotions involved in this life changing process. But, don’t fear! A REALTOR® can greatly reduce the unknown leaving you with confidence and excitment throughout the entire process.

My partner and I are currently looking to buy a home. We met with a Realtor who not only eased our fears, but also helped us to focus on our wish list.

In our initial meeting our REALTOR® explained the process, including the value of a strong deposit and what to expect along the way. With a pre-approval in hand, our REALTOR® set us up with listings to review that were within our budget and wants, based on our discussion. Some key areas of focus for both of us were neighbourhood, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, yard size and a garage. For myself, the layout of the kitchen is a huge consideration, while my partner wants a cozy fireplace and large, south facing windows to keep his many houseplants happy and healthy.

Although we haven’t yet found the right home for us, we have visited a few, which is the most fun part in the process! Thankfully, when we do find a home we wish to see, we let our REALTOR® know and she works with the listing agent to arrange a time for a viewing. She handles all the logistics!

Upon arrival, she shares a few more details on the house such as property taxes and other neighbourhood considerations then we walk around the exterior of the home and the yard. We take note of the shingles, windows and even garage door. Once inside we head straight for the mechanical room to review the condition of the furnace, hot water tank and electrical panel. This is especially important in older homes.

Walking through the home our REALTOR® listens carefully to our comments and points out a few things for us to consider such as size and flow of the main living space, location of the laundry room and even possible layouts of a basement for future improvements. In one home, she knew a large and well-equipped kitchen was important to me, thankfully she pointed out that there was no pantry. Without her keen eye I may have been so caught-up in the excitement of the home and overlooked that critical element to a functional kitchen. Once we decided that the home isn’t the one for us, we still stick around to review the elements of what we liked so that she can bring those observations to the next showing.

My partner and I are committed to taking our time to finding the right home to start this next chapter in our lives. Thanks to our experienced and friendly REALTOR®, we are excited about what options she’ll show us next!

If you are looking to start your home buying journey, I suggest reaching out to family and friends for a referral to find the right REALTOR® for you!

Amanda Bibeau is a Winnipeg-based food blogger who is passionate about affordable food for all and ‘food without judgment.’ Amanda enjoys hiking, exploring Winnipeg’s craft beer scene and working her 9 to 5 as a sr. recruiter with RBC.