How to choose a real estate agent
Sizing up a prospective real estate agent properly is a small thing but it can make a big difference on the commission a homeowner may wind up paying and their experience in selling that home.
Anne Da Silva, president of the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors, suggests interviewing real estate agents and asking them questions. Among the most pressing would be to ask how long they’ve been in the business, what percentage of the sales price they want as a commission, what services they offer and what marketing strategy they employ, how they communicate with their clients, and how many similar homes they’ve sold in the past few years.
“You’re interviewing a service provider. It’s no different than if you’re interviewing your accountant,” said Da Silva.
A realtor with Keller William Select Realty in Bedford, Da Silva suggests homeowners and homebuyers seek out testimonials about the realtors before signing with them.
“People are getting ranked on Facebook and Google with all kinds of blogs,” she said. “There are lots of ways to qualify people. You have a choice in every geographic region.”
On its website, the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission provides a searchable database of real estate brokers and their sales staff. The real estate commission also publishes its Disciplinary News bulletin online in which it lists fines and penalties levied against those in the industry in that province who ran afoul of the regulations and policies.
“If someone has been slapped on the hand or disciplined, it is published in the newspaper and on the (real estate commission’s) website,” said Da Silva.
The Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission advises homebuyers and sellers that they can negotiate a flat fee with their realtors, work out an hourly fee-for-service arrangement or negotiate the amount of commission that will be charged.
“Every brokerage will have its own policy on its service and fees and consumers are free to negotiate their own agreement with the brokerage of their choice,” the real estate commission notes on its website.