Why you need a Realtor more than ever in the internet age

These days, there are more options than ever when it comes to buying or selling a home. It seems a new website, or sale-by-owner service is popping up every week. And while there is most certainly room for technology, progress, and a fresh approach within the real estate industry, this inevitably creates a lot of noise out there cluttering up your decision making process.

Now may be one of the most important times to look to a professional Realtor to cut through all of that noise and make the business of buying or selling your home a stress-free proposition. Our mission at Chestnut Park is to guide you through this process with the least interruption to you and your familys daily life; this is the value and service a Realtor can provide that the internet simply cannot.

Data Analysis
The internet has revolutionized the real estate industry, and we certainly are thankful for all that it has provided from sharing listing information quickly and easily with our clients, to communicating with the office from the road. But with all of this free-flowing information, there becomes an endless well of data. Average home prices, inventory per neighbourhood, school rankings, etc. Sure, the information is all out there, but are you reading and analyzing it properly? A professional Realtor is trained to know exactly what data is relevant to your purchase or sale, and exactly how it applies to you.

Local Knowledge
The web is in fact, a fantastic place to begin research when wanting more information on a particular neighbourhood; from schools, to demographics, to walkability and lifestyle. And while there is a wealth of knowledge to be found online, including local forums and message boards, there is no substitute for a Realtor who has worked (and in many cases lived) in a particular area for their entire career. Not only will they have the inside scoop on all the neighbourhood quirks, but they will be able to share hard facts about the local real estate market specifically.

Pricing
If you are a homeowner, chances are you have a fairly good idea of what your home is (or should be worth) based on things like what you bought the home for, how long youve owned it, how much (if any) work you have put into it, how much your next door neighbour just sold for, etc. But when it comes to selling your home, timing (and what the market will bear at that exact timing) is everything. A qualified Realtor will guide you through the pricing process by analyzing myriad variables such as comparable home prices, current interest rates, level of inventory, interest in your neighbourhood and/or school district and much more.

Hunting & Gathering
If you are looking to buy a new home, the hunting and gathering stage is where a Realtor will save you the most time and energy. Instead of trolling online daily looking for a property that will suit your needs, your Realtor will take this step off your plate, comparing and contrasting whats out there, and sending you only what they know will work for your needs. A Realtor also has access within their own network to homes that may not yet be on the market. As for selling, a professional Realtor will come up with creative solutions to lure qualified buyers to your property. Which brings us to

Marketing
When it comes to selling your home, marketing is perhaps one of the most important aspects in the process. How will you maximize the best offers if people dont even know that your home is for sale? A Realtor will work night and day to market your home in the right way, from open houses to online and print ads, to wild and creative options to showcase your property in the right light.

Dispelling Myths
Much like planning a wedding, or having a baby, buying or selling a home brings unsolicited advice and personal anecdotes out of the woodwork. Your neighbour may be convinced that home values in your area have gone up 10% since you bought, and your cousin may be insisting that you hold out until spring to list your home, but only a Realtor will be able to give you the inside info on what will or wont work for your particular circumstances.

Connections
When it comes down to the transaction of buying and/or selling your home, there can tend to be a lot of moving parts. From real estate lawyers, to home inspectors, and stagers to contractors, your Realtor is plugged in to a community of other professionals who support and enhance the real estate industry.

This entry was posted on May 21, 2016 by Jim and Iris

Words of Appreciation

“Thank you for the memorable sales and closing experience of finding the cottage of our dreams. A perfect fit for our needs.”

I & E – Lake Muskoka cottage buyers

“Jim and Iris Gardiner were both amazing to deal with. A truly professional team. They shared a great deal of knowledge with us and really shed important light regarding potential Island Cottage ownership – all the pros and cons. Not only did they sell our existing cottage in 24 hours for much higher than our asking price they helped us find our new slice of paradise on Lake Muskoka in a very tight market. We are thrilled with our new cottage and love being on Eilean Gowan Island! We would highly recommend either Jim or Iris for any of your Real Estate needs!”

J & D – Sold on Echo Lake and bought on Lake Muskoka

Jim did me a favor 20 years ago and I wanted to return the favor – I approached him and Iris at the cottage show and, even though I already had a real estate agent, he recommended a cottage property that I purchased and enjoyed for those 20 years. I therefore, tracked him down and had him be our agent in selling that property. Our priority was to find new owners that would be friendly and fit in well with the neighbors and Jim and Iris found the perfect couple Jim and Iris made the entire sale most enjoyable. The experience was so smooth and enjoyable that the sellers, the buyers and the real estate agents all got together for supper the following summer at our old cottage!

K & L – Lake Muskoka

It is with great pleasure and appreciation for me to recommend the services of Jim Gardiner and the entire Gardiner Team. Jim’s awareness of community by-laws and market related activities extracted incremental value for us when we were finalizing the purchasing agreement.

JB – Mirror Lake

Just want to tell you that you did a fine job for me on the cottage sale on Lake Muskoka. The sale has removed a huge load from my shoulders. Iris, just a note to thank you again. Money is in the bank!!!!!!

BJ – Lake Muskoka