As a seller, your relationship with a REALTOR is vital - so meet with several before making a final decision. A good place to start is right here on the internet. Does their web site have the tools to properly market your home. Ask Realtors about their track record, their knowledge of neighbourhood selling prices and other reasons why you should list with them.

Choose a REALTOR you feel comfortable with; one who will handle the sale of your home as if it were their own. And when you've made your choice, here's what to expect...

The Selling Process

Your REALTOR will not take it for granted that you know all the in's and out's of the selling process. Instead, he or she will provide you with a full explanation of what to expect - and that's important so you're not faced with any surprises along the way.

Getting to Know You

One of the first things your REALTOR will ask is, "Why are you selling your house?" Your REALTOR will also explore any time constraints you might have, your financial situation and any future plans. It's all part of getting to know you so the sale will be handled to your complete satisfaction.

Getting to Know Your Home

Arriving at an accurate estimate of value for your home is one of your REALTOR's prime tasks. It involves analyzing your home and comparing it to other, similar houses for sale or recently sold in the neighbourhood. It may also include a broader market survey, using sales statistics available only to qualified REALTORS. In the end, you will be sure the price you set reflects the true value of your home under current market conditions.

The Marketing Plan

Depending on your circumstances, and on the prevailing market, you REALTOR will develop a marketing plan that may include:

• An Open House: There are two kinds of Open House: one is solely for REALTORS, so they can assess your home against the needs of their clients; and the second is an advertised Open House for all potential buyers. In either case, your REALTOR takes care of all the details and acts on your behalf at your home while you spend the Open House hours elsewhere.
• Advertising: Effective newspaper advertising, tailored to your home and local market, can be placed for you by your REALTOR.
• Lawn signs and direct mail flyers featuring your home are other forms of advertising frequently used by REALTORS.
• Listing Choices: Your REALTOR may recommend an exclusive listing - which gives sole authority to offer your property for sale for a specified time - or a multiple listing via the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) - which provides access to a much broader base of potential buyers. MLS can be a valuable sales tool when you are anxious to sell your house quickly because your property gets greater exposure. Through MLS, the details of your property are made available to a whole network of local real estate professionals who will seek to match your property with a potential buyer. Only a REALTOR can offer you MLS services. Brokers who are not members of your local real estate board and the Ontario Real Estate Association cannot list on MLS.
• Tips and Hints: Whether or not your home shows well to prospective buyers can determine how long it stays on the market and what it sells for. Your REALTOR can give you tips - fresh paint, flowers, rearranging furniture - to improve the marketability of your home and create a good first impression.

Separating "Lookers" from "Buyers"

Professional REALTORS know how to separate "lookers" from "buyers". Your REALTOR will "pre-qualify" potential buyers to save wear and tear on your home and lifestyle and to assure only serious offers are tendered.

Your Negotiator

REALTORS are experienced in arranging financing and closing deals. On your behalf, he or she will assist in negotiating a better offer, acting as a mediator to head off potential conflicts between you and the buyer, and draw up a legally binding contract.

Professional Service

When you choose a REALTOR, you will sign a listing agreement. This is a legal contract that gives your REALTOR the right to act as your exclusive agent in the sale of your house for a specified period.

The listing agreement spells out exactly what you and your REALTOR will do on your behalf and he or she will take all the time necessary to explain it to you.

The agreement will also specify the amount of professional fees to be paid to your REALTOR from the sale of your home. Usually fees are set as a percentage of the selling price of your home.

Most of the actual work done to accomplish the sale is carried out by real estate professionals operating in a broker's name and for whose actions the broker is legally responsible.

A REALTOR's professional fees are normally shared with the broker who supplies such essentials as office support, training and consultation services.

Honesty and Integrity

Most real estate professionals in our province are members of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) - and only members of OREA can call themselves REALTORS.

When you deal with a REALTOR, you can expect not only strict adherence to provincial laws, but also adherence to a Code of Ethics. And that code is very important to you - because it assures you will receive the highest level of service, honesty and integrity. It's good to know your confidence is justified, isn't it?

Highest Professional Standards

Before receiving a real estate licence, candidates must successfully complete an extensive course of study developed by OREA on behalf of the Ontario Government. And that is only the beginning: in the two years after receiving their licence, the new professionals are required to successfully complete three additional courses as part of their articling with an experience broker.

Then, there are the continuing courses aimed at improving skills and keeping current with the rapid changes in real estate law, market conditions and so on. So you can see, being a real estate professional means a never ending commitment to education and improvement.