FAQ

1. How do you make a living charging 0.5%?

I have been successfully applying this commission structure for nearly 9 years with Your Choice Realty Corp (2010 – 2019) and 5 years at STEPHEN PAIGE, Brokerage. In this business, you need to List to Last. By offering such an outstanding incentive, then exceeding service expectations and delivering successful results, my clients become my best advocates. They give me repeat business and spread the word to friends and family. Also, though I may not make much income on one listing, there is certainly added value to having my name on a successful sale. Here are a few intangible values:

• Neighbors see my name on a sold sign which may prompt them to call me.
• I may meet potential clients at your open house. It gives me the opportunity to plant the seed and exchange contact information.
• Unrepresented buyers may call me from seeing the listing.
• I can send out postcards with information about the successful sale. This gives me additional credibility.

This 0.5% rate is sustainable and mutually beneficial.

4. Do you offer free home staging?

I do not offer any type of home staging. During a home evaluation, I will give you helpful tips and assess the presentation of your home. Sometimes a vacant home appears larger and leaves more to the imagination than with furniture. Sometimes moving a couple pieces can make a difference. Remember, buyers aren’t buying used furniture, they are buying a home. The key is to make the home appear as large as possible and showcase the features. Decluttering is much more important than adding furniture in my opinion. Sellers certainly have the option to have their home staged at their expense. If I feel there will be a true benefit, I will make that recommendation.  At 0.5%, there is not enough profit margin for me to pay for professional home staging. Would you rather pay 2-5 times the commission to hire an agent that offers free home staging? If so, be sure the “home staging” is done by professionals and not by the agent dusting off some basement furniture.

7. Are there any hidden or upfront fees?

There are no hidden or upfront fees. Full transparency is one of my key principals. I get paid when the sale closes.

2. Is the service discounted or on par with other agents?

The service is NOT discounted! In most cases, my level of service surpasses agents charging ***2 to 10 times the amount of commission. I handle absolutely every aspect of the transaction. For sellers, I ensure the property is professionally and effectively marketed to the right buyers. It will be virtually impossible for a serious buyer not to find your listing. All you need to do is keep the home presentable and accommodate showings. For buyers, I ensure you see every potential home in your budget in the shortest time frame. I believe a buyer must physically see every potential home to truly appreciate the pros and cons. I call this “staying on top of the market”. The more NOs you see, the more you know you found the one when we find it. All buyers need to do is make themselves available and be preapproved.

5. What is the difference between your brokerage and one of the large national brands?

I have just opened my own Sole Proprietorship as of March 29, 2019. There are some similarities and differences, but nothing that will negatively impact the sale of your home. I am registered and insured with RECO (Real Estate Counsel of Ontario), I am a member of CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association), OREA (Ontario Real Estate Association), RAHB (Realtors Association of Hamilton and Burlington) and I am regulated by REBBA (Real Estate and Business Brokers Act).

Here are some differences:

• My office is in my home.
• My name is my brand.
• I handle every aspect of the trade.
• I have no employees.

8. What is Docusign?

DocuSign is an electronic signature app that provides consumers and professionals with a simple way to electronically sign and return documents from almost anywhere in the world, using practically any device. My clients and I absolutely love this app. It makes navigating and signing agreements easy and fun.

3. Will buyer agents try not to sell my home because we offer them 2%?

Absolutely not! There is a Code of Ethics that all agents must follow that clearly states we must act in the best interest of the client. There is no standard or fixed rate, but in my experience, between 2% - 2.5% for the buyer agents has been the trend for many years. The truth is, I would not take a listing that offers less then 2% to the buyer agents because that is when there could be issues that effect the sale of the home and negatively impact my reputation with other agents. My sellers have the option to offer anything above 2% to the buyer agents. If you believe you should offer 2.25%, 2.5%, 3%, that is your choice, but my 0.5% listing fee does not change. My proven track record clearly demonstrates that 2% to the buyer agents does not negatively impact the sale of a listing.

6. Do you advertise in the local newspaper or magazines?

I used to advertise in one of the most popular real estate magazines in the industry. In the 2 years I was subscribed and over $20,000 spent, I did not receive 1 phone call or lead from the magazine. The truth is, the magazine was used to “win the listing”. It was a marketing tool used to separate myself from the competition and “add value” for the client. In todays world, if a buyer is serious, they don’t stumble across a home for sale by looking through the news paper or picking up a real estate magazine at the doctor’s office. They have an agent, or they are on Realtor.ca daily. If I felt there was any “added value” for my clients, I would re-subscribe. The only one that would benefit from a newspaper ad or magazine subscription would be me. It would be a way to build up brand recognition for myself. A very ineffective and expensive form of advertising that I have no interest in.