You’re about to list your house for sale in Guelph’s hot real estate market. The question you’re pondering is, “Why do I need to use a realtor in Guelph when I know my house is going to sell?’
You wouldn’t be the first person who felt they didn’t have to use the services of a professional realtor to list their home in a seller’s market. However, if your goal is to maximize the sale price of your property, working with a realtor is still your best strategy.
“Working with the right realtor could be more important than ever because the needle can be moved that much more,” said Hudson Smith of the Hudson Smith Real Estate Group. “Think about a tough market. You need the right realtor because the goal is just to sell. That’s going to happen anyway. In a strong market, the question is who can create the best selling atmosphere so the price gets pushed to its highest point. That way, a seller has no doubt they’ve reached their highest point of value in a way that brings the least amount of stress to their life.”
Despite the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought to almost every industry, the real estate market in Guelph has remained hot. There are multiple reasons for that according to Smith.
“I think we’ve always had a great location, but for years it seemed like we flew under the radar,” he said. “Then in 2016 and 2017, it seemed like the secret was out. Not only were we an affordable option for buyers looking west of Milton, but people started to realize it’s also a wonderful place to live. It’s a university town, it’s a great distance to cottage country, to the U.S., and to the GTA. Guelph has the right feel and the right location. Once the secret was out it had a compounding effect.”
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One of the primary effects has been an influx of buyers from the GTA, which has helped to drive the market and escalate sale prices. Smith says those conditions make it critical for sellers to work with the right realtor.
So how do you determine who the right realtor is given the highly competitive nature of the real estate sales industry?
“It’s a delicate balance,” said Smith. “You want someone that’s busy but not spread thin. You want someone that has name recognition, you see them around, but it’s not just based on perception. Referrals are an excellent place to start. Who can you talk to that can give you honest feedback about their working experience with that realtor? Not just, ‘hey it went well, we think we got good results.’ If you’re hearing glowing reviews of a realtor and the value they brought to the process, you’ll be able to identify that when you’re talking to people who have used them.”
Given the new realities of life in a pandemic, using a professional realtor is also a way to ensure the necessary precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of buyers and sellers according to Smith.
“An extra requirement to expect from your realtor is to make sure they’re making a conscious effort to stay safe. That means making sure sellers have a safe atmosphere when they come home, and that buyers have a safe atmosphere when they come in. Whether the market’s good or bad, the person that you choose to represent you in the sale of what might be the most expensive thing you own, has to bring value.”
Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, contact Hudson Smith Real Estate Group, a trusted team of local real estate professionals. Visit them at 824 Gordon Street. Or call 519-821-3600.