Choosing the right Calgary real estate company will be essential to your buying or selling process. Once you have narrowed down your options, you will want to prepare a list of questions that can help guide you in choosing the right REALTOR®. While every brokerage has to abide by specific rules and regulations, there are still things that different brokerages offer their clients. At the end of the day, you want to be sure you’re working with a real estate professional with your best interest at heart. Whether you are hoping to buy or sell, you want to work with a REALTOR® whose goal is to help you along the way.
1. “What is your brokerage fee, and what does it include?”
While every brokerage has some sort of fee, each brokerage will include different services in its fee. For example, our brokerage fee at Realty Unleashed is 7% of the first $100,000 and 3% of the remaining balance of the sale price when we sell your home. Half of this fee is offered to the brokerage of the licensed Real Estate Agent Edmonton representing the buyer. If we facilitate the transaction, which means we help on both sides of the transaction, our brokerage fee is 5% on the first $100,000 and 2% on the remaining balance of the sale price. This fee includes all of our excellent services: home staging, interior and exterior cleaning, seasonal yard maintenance, eco-station and donation center runs, and zero cancellation fee (prior to accepting an offer to purchase).
2. “Do you work more with home sellers or home buyers?”
While most Calgary REALTORS® are articulate enough to help on either side of a transaction, you might want to think about working with a real estate professional who specializes in your needs. For example, Realty Unleashed is primarily a listing brokerage. We certainly help buyers too, but our services appeal to those listing a property. Because we offer free home staging and cleaning services, we tend to work more with sellers. Clients preparing to list their property find that we are incredibly helpful in making their selling and moving process as smooth as possible.
3. “Do you have a list of other professionals you can refer me to?”
Regardless of whether you are buying a home or selling one, you will be working alongside more than just a REALOR®. If your real estate professional has the experience, they will surely have a list of professionals they can refer you to! You want to rely on others involved in the buying/selling process, just as you would your REALTOR®.
Any Calgary real estate company should be able to pass along the following professionals:
- Real estate lawyers
- Mortgage brokers
- Mortgage lenders
- Title company
- Moving companies
- Home inspectors
4. “What hidden fees or cancellation fees should I know about ahead of time?”
Please don’t be shy when asking about hidden or cancellation fees; your real estate professional should always be transparent with you. Before signing with any real estate professional, you should review your contract thoroughly. For many people, it’s a deterrence if they have to pay their REALTOR® a fee even if their home doesn’t sell; you will want to confirm whether or not they have a cancellation fee. Fun fact: Realty Unleashed allows our clients to cancel their listing at any time with zero cancellation fees before accepting an offer to purchase – we don’t believe in locked-in contracts. We earn your business every step of the way.
5. “Do you work full-time or part-time as a REALTOR®?”
Some real estate professionals work part-time, and some work full-time. In a hot and demanding market, it’s ideal to work with a REALTOR® who works full-time because things move quickly. All of our REALTORS® at Realty Unleashed are full-time and are committed to helping our clients move through the market quickly and efficiently. When vetting real estate professionals, asking about their availability and communication is vital. You can expect to be able to communicate with a REALTOR® who is full-time a lot more than one who works part-time. When you begin to look for a Calgary real estate company, definitely inquire about how often their REALTORS® are around for their clients!
Who is Realty Unleashed?
As we mentioned earlier, Realty Unleashed offers free house staging in Calgary and free home staging in Edmonton. We believe in home staging because we have seen it work time and time again. If you are ready to sell your home and are looking for a Calgary REALTOR® or Edmonton REALTOR®, feel free to reach out to us! We would love to help you sell your home or buy a home!
