How can a real estate agent help with your home shopping?

[caption id="attachment_921" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Photo credit: Alan Cleaver/Creative Commons)[/caption] With the Internet providing everyone a wealth of information at their fingertips and a real estate industry that's seeing a shakeup, you might wonder why you would want to use a real estate agent when shopping for a home. While you don't pay any upfront fee or commission to your real estate agent during the transaction, the seller accounts for the commission of their agent and your agent, which can be about six per cent split between the two, in the sales price that you pay. You may narrow down the type of the house you want and the neighbourhood you want to live in, but a real estate agent can help you navigate the real estate process. If you're a first-time homebuyer, a real estate agent serves as a good guide into everything you need to know about how to buy a home, why a home inspection is important, as well as details on obtaining a mortgage, submitting an offer or negotiating the transaction. Buying property can be a daunting experience and the right realtor can put any worries you have to rest. Regulations on buying a home may change and it's the realtor's job to stay abreast of these updates. Also, the contracts you're required to sign can be lengthy documents and a realtor can point out important details you should be aware of, such as the closing date and any other clauses. Agents may also offer a third-party perspective with insight into your area's real estate. For example, you may have your eye set on a certain house since it's located in the neighbourhood you want, but there are aspects you might not consider, such as whether it backs out onto a large road or renovations that could affect the property's resale value in the future. For many first-time homebuyers, it may be difficult to imagine transforming a space into a dream home, especially if it's a fixer upper property. A real estate agent with a good eye can point out the potential of a space, despite its outward appearance. As in any occupation, you've likely heard of situations where a real estate agent is looking out for their own profits rather than your interests. Even if you're using a realtor, it's important to do some legwork of your own when it comes to researching a potential property purchase. You'll want to know details about the neighbourhood, the sales of other homes in the area, any future developments in the area and the neighbourhood's safety. All this information can be found with a little digging. Honesty and good advice goes a long way in having a good relationship with your realtor. If there was an incident at the property you're considering, whether there was a fire or someone died, these are all details that your realtor should disclose to you since this could affect your decision to purchase it. Since you're paying a lot for advice on the biggest purchase of your lifetime, don't be afraid to ask questions and voice any concerns to your realtor. You know what you might be willing to compromise in your home or what's important to you and if you don't feel that your realtor has your best interests in mind, consider making a switch and always be careful of any fine print. If you bought a newly built property, whether as an investment or for personal use, you could qualify for an HST housing rebate. With the help of Rebate4U, put some money back into your pocket by filing a claim with the CRA. We strives to provide our clients with the most professional and quality service in obtaining rebates for their new and extensively renovated homes. We are proud to offer our clients the most personal and attentive service, and we make sure that all of our clients are 100% satisfied.