Hiring ‘Hyper Local’ is Crucial When Choosing a Real Estate Agent
What if your best friend is a real estate agent but lives in the community two hours down the highway from you? Can you still hire her to help you buy or sell a house?
Yes, technically, you can. Real estate licensing is provincial jurisdiction in Canada. That means an Alberta Realtor can represent you on a real estate anywhere in the province. So, for example, while I’m based in Lethbridge, I could trot up to Edmonton this weekend and help a friend secure a home there, if they asked me to do it! Heck, I could even list a home in Fort McMurray if I had enough time on my hands.
Fort Mac may be hundreds of miles away mind you, but hey, it’s ‘within my license.’
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should! Real estate is a local affair. The agent who lives, works and is connected in the community you want to do business in is the agent who can speak ‘local’ and get you the right deal. Consider all the aspects of buying and selling real estate:
How much to offer on deposit
Multiple-offer conventions
Neighbourhood values
Locational stigmas and challenges
Structuring an offer for perceived value
Resale value of various types of homes
These variables are all dictated by the local market!
Hire a local real estate agent who knows the community and can guide you through a transaction with total confidence. Don’t know anyone? Ask your bestie to make a referral 😉
