Buying a House and Real Estate Agents

I would like to tell you about our experience with the real estate agents when we went to buy a new home. We knew, by reputation supposedly, that they tend to stretch the 'truth' when it comes to describing a property. But what we found is that they don't listen to what you say in regard to the sort of home you want to buy. I spend time putting together what might be our ideal home, knowing that might be a "Pie in the Sky" wish. I emailed a copy to each agent who was looking for us. Below is the shorter version of the wish list.

Our Wish List

Our first preference is a low set brick house on a level block around 400m2 in area.

We would consider a one level town house.

Features:

• At least 3 bedrooms;
• A study;
• 2 bathrooms;
• 1 separate toilet;
• Double/two garages with remote control opening;
• Covered patio;
• A/C and fans in main rooms;
• Security screens and doors plus deadlocks;
• Flyscreens;
• Kitchen with separate eating area;
• Lots of storage space;
• Easy to care for garden;
• Solar hot water and electricity panels and tank/s optional;

However there were some features that were not negotiable that seemed to make no real impression.

The non-negotiables were:

• The house was to be one level.
• It had to be on a flat block.
• It needed two bathrooms since we often babysat our grandchildren.
• Two toilets;
• We preferred two garages.

This not listening or reading our wish list cost us many wasted hours and many kilometres of wasted fuel in our car. We got to a stage that, with every recommendation we got via email or telephone, we would first check where it was on a road map to see if the area was desirable and then, before any inspection, we would drive to the house to check it out and to see the general environs of the house. Only then would we decide to inspect.

The classic error by an agent was to think I would buy a house near a golf course because I was a golfer. Although that was tempting, the house had only one bathroom which had a tall spa bath with the shower over it. The agent expected us as retirees around 70 years of age to use that bath.

Often the house had only just come on the market or was about to be listed. I'm sure, in many cases, the agent had not been through the house or even driven past it. So, if we were to go through the buying process again, I would ask the agent if he had been through the house. If he had, then I would ask him a series of questions based on our wish list. I would have created a written copy of these questions in consultation with my wife. That is important as it is the wife that is targeted with questions and comments about the house by the agents. They believe if they can win over the wife, the husband will just along with her decision. have a peek here Real estate agency near me

Business name: Sarah Lizee RE/MAX Real Estate Leduc Branch
Address: 5306 50 St, Leduc, AB T9E 6Z6, Canada
Phone number: +17802983637