Finding a real estate agent who is right for you requires doing a little homework, and asking the right questions. Experience, interests, and expertise vary from agent to agent, so you should be asking very specific questions in order to align your own needs with the abilities of an appropriate representative.  Use the following list of questions as a guide to finding the agent that is right for you:

1. How long have you been involved in residential real estate in this area?

If the agent...

The thousands of dollars in rent you’ve already paid to your landlord may be a staggering figure—one you don’t even want to think about.  Buying a house just isn’t possible for you right now, and isn’t in your financial cards for the foreseeable future.  Or is it?  The situation is common and widespread: countless people feel trapped in home rental, pouring thousands of dollars into a place that will never be their own—yet they think they’re...

Whether seeking solace, activity, schools, churches, or green space, every homebuyer looks for a different combination of attributes in a new community.  Choosing a neighbourhood that suits your needs and wants is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the home-buying process; your choice of environment will affect the way you experience your new home.  This is a very personal decision, influenced by countless unique factors, but you should always keep the following in...

Selling your home is a complex process that can be stressful and time-consuming.  An experienced Realtor has the knowledge, skills, and connections to help you through the process every step of the way.  Consider the following benefits of working with a Realtor:

Professional Experience:

With knowledge and training in marketing strategy, negotiation tactics, and the workings of the current real estate market, a Realtor will be able to guide you through the steps of the home-selling...

After putting in a huge amount of time and effort to get your home looking good and ready to sell, your hard work is finally going to pay off:  your home is on the market—you’re ready to begin showing.  Your house should always be at-the-ready for a tour, as agents may bring clients by with very little notice.  If they catch you unprepared and you aren’t able to show the house on the spot, you could be losing out on a sale.  Concentrate on the following areas...

Where to Start:  Begin to Prepare your Home for Showing

“You never get a second chance at a first impression.” And while you are preparing your house to sell, it should not be far from your mind.  While logical factors such as price and location narrow the pool of houses a potential buyer will look at, the ultimate decision to buy a particular house is fuelled by a mixture of logic and emotion... and emotion often wins out.  The same might be said for the process...

Budgeting for a new home can be tricky.  Not only are there mortgage installments and the down payment to consider, there are a host of other—sometimes unexpected—expenses to add to the equation.  The last thing you want is to be caught financially unprepared, blindsided by taxes and other hidden costs on closing day.

These expenses vary:  some of them are one-time costs, while others will take the form of monthly or yearly installments.  Some may not even apply...