BUYING OR SELLING A HOME IS THE MOST 
IMPORTANT FINANCIAL DECISION YOU WILL MAKE IN YOUR LIFETIME. THE PROCESS REQUIRES EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TRUST. TRUST IN YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT.
If you have been through the process a few times in your life and have found a real estate agent that you enjoy working with, that's wonderful! For most home buyers and sellers, especially first time home buyers, finding that perfect agent is a critical and daunting task.
What do I look for? How do I begin? What questions do I ask?
I am a local Alliston and Everett area real estate agent and I'd like to give you some guidelines to help you through this process, and tell you a bit about myself at the same time.
Does the agent work for a respected brokerage/office? Is this their full time profession?
Alliston and Everett area real estate agent Charles Cooper works with HomeLife Integrity Realty Inc. Brokerage in downtown Alliston. We are a Full Service Real Estate Brokerage ( more on that later ). This is absolutely my full time job. Working as a real estate agent full time allows me to give my clients the attention and high level of service they deserve. It also gives me the freedom and flexibility to be available for my clients AFTER regular office hours as well as during.
Find out where your agent lives and always work with someone who knows the local markets.
I have lived in the area for close to 25 years and currently reside in Green Briar ( Alliston), Ontario. I'm an area market expert and have made many local resources available to clients on my website. I have detailed write-ups on each major area I represent, New Tecumseth (Alliston), Adjala-Tosorontio (Everett) and Essa Township (Angus). I try to provide the information that would be most important especially for those new to the area such as health & safety info, school districts and available shopping. I add links for reference and have compiled the most concise information lists for those areas available online. I have over 14 years of experience helping clients buy and sell their homes in the Alliston and surrounding areas and would love to help you buy or sell your home!
Does the Realtor have an online presence? What social media marketing tools are they using?
YES! I have spent months having my website redesigned and search engine optimized. When you list with me, Alliston real estate agent Charles Cooper, you can be sure that your home will be listed and prominently displayed on my personal website, our HomeLife Integrity Realty Inc. Brokerage office site, MLS (Realtor.ca ®), my professional Google + page, Facebook, etc. In today's digital age over 85% of buyers will see their new home first ONLINE. I've worked hard to establish an online presence that will work to your advantage. I am constantly expanding this, with a new YouTube Channel and videos coming soon!
How else will you reach potential buyers for my home?
Even though the home search process for many these days starts online, that's still not the case for everyone. We still do newspaper advertising as well, because it STILL WORKS! We don't want to miss the one buyer who still buys their house that way. Selling your home only takes ONE buyer, and I do everything I can to find that ONE buyer.
In what others ways do you go above and beyond?
We organize open houses and recommend home staging. (See our article on home staging with before and after pictures here). We take professional photographs to showcase your home (no iPhone photos here!) which we update as required if you've made visible changes to your property. We also use virtual tours which we link to on our personal site as well as realtor.ca. Our large distinctive lawn signs prominently display all the needed listing information including our web address where potential buyers can find more details on your listing. We also recommend excellent service providers in the area who can help you obtain a mortgage, assist with home repairs, home inspection, painters, and so on. You can see our list of recommended service providers here.
What are some other skills or areas of expertise that you bring to the table as a realtor?
When you're buying a home it can be difficult to evaluate and assess the houses you are interested in. I have extensive home construction knowledge and know what to look for while touring a potential property. Canada is a "buyer's beware" market, unlike in the States so having as much information as possible about your future home before making an offer is critical.
Negotiation skills! So important if you want to get top dollar for your home or the best price for a place you'd like to buy. My excellent negotiation skills come from a combination of experience and knowing the market...understanding what the property values realistically are in an area means I will negotiate a great price whether you are buying or selling. A natural tenacity helps too, I work hard for my clients!
Your real estate agent should be a professional you enjoy working with! If they're doing their job right you will be dealing with them a lot!
Thinking about buying or selling a home in the Alliston, Green Briar and surrounding areas? Start and end your real estate agent search with me, Charles Cooper, call me today at (Office) 705-435-4506 or (Direct) 705-440-7851 and we can chat.
"Experience" is the Difference!