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CONTACT INFO |
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REALTORS® Association
of
Hamilton-Burlington |
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505 York Blvd.,
Hamilton, ON. L8R
3K4
Phone: 905-529-8101
Email: info@rahb.ca |
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Buying & Selling |
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Using a REALTOR® |
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REALTORS® play a key
role in a real estate transaction.
REALTORS® are licensed professionals
governed by a high standard of
professional service and a strict code
of ethics. They are licensed by the
Province of Ontario, and governed by
the Real Estate Council of Ontario.
RAHB REALTORS® are committed to
providing the highest standard of
practice to their clients and
customers.
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Working with a REALTOR® |
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Buying
or selling a home in today's market
requires a lot of work and a lot of
knowledge about sales and real estate.
It's most likely the largest purchase
or biggest business transactions many
of us will ever make.
Whether you are a buyer or a seller,
there are distinct advantages to using
a REALTOR®. A REALTOR® is a licensed
real estate professional who is a
member of a local real estate board,
as well as the Canadian Real Estate
Association (CREA) and, in Ontario,
the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).
This individual has the experience and
qualifications needed to successfully
conduct a purchase or sale. In
Ontario, you can expect strict
adherence to provincial real estate
law and a code of ethics. This ensures
you receive the highest level of
service, honesty and integrity.
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The
Right REALTOR® for You |
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Like
finding the right house, selecting a
REALTOR® you can trust and work with
comfortably is very important. Just as
you would be serious in your decision
to choose a doctor or other
professional, you need to do the same
when choosing a REALTOR®. One of the
best ways is to ask your family,
friends and co-workers who they used
in their last real estate transaction.
You should also consider interviewing
candidates before making your
selection.
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Interviewing a REALTOR® |
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The
REALTOR® you select should be someone
who shows genuine interest, knows the
current real estate market and has a
good track record in the sale and
purchase of properties you're
interested in. This individual should
make you feel comfortable and that
they have your best interest in mind.
Be sure to get a resume and references
and to ask questions such as: |
- How long have you and the
firm been in business?
- How many homes have you
sold in the last six months?
- How close were the sale
prices to the asking prices?
- What price range of homes
do you generally handle?
- Do you provide multiple
listing of your property
through the Multiple Listing
Service® MLS®? This service
provides access to a much
broader base of potential
buyers.
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If selling:
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- How will you market my
property?
- Will the marketing plan
include an open house for
other REALTORS® and regular
open houses for prospective
buyers, as well as advertising and
flyers?
- How did you establish the
suggested selling price for
this home?
- Was my home compared to
those sold recently in the
neighbourhood and to those
currently for sale?
- What tips and hints can
you offer to make my home show
better?
- What will using your
service cost me?
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If the
REALTOR® is enthusiastic about selling
your home or helping you buy one, and
appears confident in their ability,
consider hiring them. But first check
their references or talk to people who
have recently sold or purchased
property through them.
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Finding a REALTOR® Online |
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Try
this website's online roster at the
left side of the page under Find a
REALTOR® or to search by office name
visit office search at mls.ca
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Using a REALTOR® for Buying |
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In
today's busy, complex world,
purchasing a home can be a lot more
time-consuming and complicated than
other business transactions.
First-time buyers, especially, quickly
discover that there's a lot more to
buying real estate.
A REALTOR® will help guide you in
deciding where you want to live and
what type of house is best for you.
There are many housing options
available in the marketplace including new
homes, resale homes, townhouses, and
condominiums. A REALTOR® can help you
choose the one that best fits your
lifestyle.
Your REALTOR® will provide: |
- Access to MLS® :
A REALTOR® can pre-screen
properties so that you should
only have to visit a handful
of homes to make an informed
and wise selection. Much of
the early search with a
REALTOR® can be done through
the Multiple Listing Service®
(MLS®) and preliminary
discussions. As you visit and
react to each home you see,
the REALTOR® will have an
increasingly better idea of
what you want and don't want.
- Arranging Financing
: REALTORS® have a great
deal of knowledge of the
financing options available.
Your REALTOR® can assist you in
evaluating mortgage options
and obtaining financing at the
most attractive rates and
terms.
- Skillful Negotiation
: REALTORS® are experienced
in arranging fair deals. They
will assist in negotiating an
offer, act as a mediator
between you and the seller,
and draw up a legally binding
contract.
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Using a REALTOR® for Selling |
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Whether you need a larger home to
accommodate your growing family or you
need to relocate because of a job
change, people sell their homes. No
matter the circumstance, it is in your
best interest to use the expertise of
a REALTOR® to sell your home.
Your REALTOR® will provide you with: |
- Market Value of your
Home : Arriving at an
accurate estimate of value for
your home is one of your
REALTOR'S® prime tasks. It
involves analyzing your home
and comparing it to other,
similar houses for sale or
recently sold in the
neighbourhood. It may also
involve a broader market
survey using sales statistics
available only to a REALTOR®. In
the end, you will be sure the
price you set reflects the
true value of your home under
current market conditions.
- Marketing Plan and
Access to MLS® :
Depending on your
circumstances, and on the
prevailing market, your
REALTOR® will develop a
marketing plan that may
include: open house,
advertising and prior to virtual tours.
They may also recommend
that your home be listed with
the RAHB's Multiple Listing
Service® (MLS®) which
immediately posts the
information on your home to
all REALTOR®.
- Qualified Buyers
: REALTOR® know how to
separate 'lookers' from
'buyers'. Your REALTOR® will
pre-qualify potential buyers
to save wear and tear on your
home and lifestyle and to
assure only serious offers are
tendered.
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Property Listings |
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Multiple Listing Service® |
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Multiple Listing Service® or MLS® is an
exclusive service accessible only
through a REALTOR® - and it is an
invaluable tool. Through MLS®, the
details of a wide variety of listed
properties are made available to the
REALTOR® with whom you are working.
That can save you a tremendous amount
of time and effort in your hunt for
the right home. Through MLS®, REALTORS®
have immediate access to the latest
information on properties listed for
sale. In the association's geographical area, we cover
more than 20,000 properties per year,
representing 90 per cent of the market
are listed on MLS®.
Each day, RAHB posts property
listings to mls.ca. Operated by
the Canadian Real Estate Association,
mls.ca is the most comprehensive and
best viewed web site of properties for
sale in Canada.
Property listings for the area served
by the REALTORS® Association of
Hamilton-Burlington can be found on www.mls.ca |
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