A buyer agent’s job is to guide you through the entire home-buying journey. They are there from the initial thought of “thinking about buying” all the way to “successfully moved in.” Think of them as your team leader, a dedicated professional supporting you every step of the way.

A buyer’s agent is a licensed professional you hire to represent your best interests. Ethically and legally, they are obligated to advocate for you. Conversely, the seller’s agent has a parallel duty to the seller. While buyers can sometimes work directly with the seller’s agent (a situation called “multiple representation”), the agent’s duties become limited. An agent cannot simultaneously push for the lowest price for the buyer and the highest price for the seller.

Before We Start Your Home Search:

Education is paramount, and it starts immediately. In Ontario, it is mandatory for agents to review the Buyer Information Guide with all new clients.

Once you’ve read the buyer’s information guide, we will work with you to establish a timeline, a budget, and to discuss finances. Your agent should educate you on closing costs, as well as first-time buyer incentives.

This is also when we start discussing the market, what you can buy in your price range, as well a your “wants and needs”. This is an exciting time, because nothing is constant. You might say a walk-in closet is on your must-have, until you see a home backing onto green space, and suddenly that walk-in closet isn’t as important anymore.

The Search: More Than Just Opening Doors

A buyer’s agent plays a very active role during home viewings – we aren’t just there to unlock the door. we use this time to gather information, assess the property, and continue your market education. During this time, we are:

1. • Spotting Red Flags: We have attended thousands of showings and hundreds of home inspections. We’ve developed a keen eye for potential issues. While viewing, we’ll look at the age and condition of critical components (furnace, AC, hot water tank, roof) and search for signs of moisture, pests, structural concerns (settling), outdated systems (knob-and-tube/aluminum wiring, Kitec plumbing, cast iron pipes), and potential area nuisances.
   • Niche Properties: For unique properties like historic homes, we understand specific concerns like arsenic-tainted lumber, lead paint, buried oil tanks, or older unregulated-construction practices.
   • Post-Showing Updates: We keep a keen eye on the market with our clients, and for every property we view that sells, we discuss the price and what the home had to offer. This helps buyers learn the value of their dollar quickly, which is very important in shifting markets.
   • Hyper-Local Advice: The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is vast (7,124 km²) and comprises hundreds of micro-markets, each with its own supply and demand dynamics. A West-End Toronto semi-detached market behaves very differently from the Oakville condo market.  Getting your real estate news from the Globe And Mail is not good enough, you need to speak to an agent that knows how to review data well in your desired neighbourhoods.
   • Comparable Market Analysis (CMA): For every property that you’re seriously considering, we complete a CMA. This compares the subject property to recent sales and current listings, with more emphasis placed on the former. We use our professional opinion to make price adjustments for the differences in properties, making accommodations for differences like size, condition, renovations, lot size, parking, pools, etc. A CMA is a very important step before you place an offer, because the bank will not provide full financing for a purchase if you overpay for the home.
   • Due Diligence: Beyond the physical viewing, we conduct further due diligence. This can include verifying property taxes and utility costs, researching neighbourhood amenities, checking school districts, looking into zoning regulations and permit history, and confirming square footage. If required, we can also pull the title to ensure the sellers can sell the home with a free-and-clear title.

Making an Offer: Strategy, Paperwork, and Negotiation

Once you find the right home, we becomes your strategist and negotiator. Using standard OREA forms (which are legally binding contracts), we craft an offer designed to protect your interests.

• Offer Strategy: Based on market trends, the property’s value, and perceived seller expectations, they’ll advise on a strong offer strategy. We always speak to the sellers before we prepare an offer, because sometimes offer terms are more important than the exact dollar amount. (For example, if a parent is looking at two offers; 1 closing 3 weeks before school finishes, and another closing 1 week after closing, they are going to heavily prefer the latter, even if there is a price difference between the offers.)
• Preparing Paperwork: They  prepare the Agreement of Purchase and Sale, ensuring all terms, conditions, and clauses reflect your needs.
• Explaining the Contract: They will walk you through every page, ensuring you understand your obligations and rights before you sign.
• Negotiation: They present the offer and negotiate with the seller’s agent on your behalf, handling counter-offers and aiming for a mutually agreeable deal. They look for concessions that benefit you.
• Appraisal Considerations: They ensure recent comparable sales support your offer price, advising on potential appraisal shortfalls and how to manage them if necessary.
• Conditions (Contingencies): Agents use conditions to protect you. These must be met for the sale to proceed. Common conditions include financing approval and a satisfactory home inspection. If a condition isn’t met or waived, the offer often terminates, and the deposit is usually returned.

 

Post-Offer Acceptance: Getting to Closing

The work isn’t over once your offer is accepted. Your agent remains your point person, managing the crucial steps leading to closing day.

• Managing Conditions: They track deadlines for conditions, coordinate appointments (like the home inspection), and handle negotiations if the inspection reveals issues beyond average wear-and-tear for the homes age. They can also provide referrals for second opinions if needed.
• Coordination: They work with your lawyer, mortgage broker, and the seller’s agent to ensure everyone has the necessary documents and the deal proceeds smoothly. This is really important, because while most agents are dealing with a couple closings at a time, a lawyer’s office is dealing with dozens of files at a single time. Your agent will ensure your file stays top-of-mind for everyone involved.
• Final Walk-Through: Before closing, they’ll accompany you on a final walk-through to ensure the property is in the same condition as when you offered and that all agreed-upon items are present (or removed).
• Preparing for Closing Costs: Proactive agents often prepare a mock statement of adjustments – an estimate of your final bill from the lawyer – so you aren’t surprised by the final amount needed close to the closing date.
• Addressing Concerns: They remain available to answer any last-minute questions or concerns.

Your Role: Communication is Key

The more information you share with your agent, the better they can serve you. Be open about your plans, even future ones. If you dream of adding a pool, let them know early. They can investigate by-laws and easements that might impact your plans – you’d be surprised how many properties have restrictions preventing pools, or preventing future additions.

The Value of Experience

As in any field, real estate has agents who excel and those who meet the minimum requirements. Truly experienced buyer’s agents bring more to the table than their less-experienced colleagues. They have decades of experience, they’ve viewed thousands of homes, and they have attended hundreds of home inspections; so they can spot subtle issues in homes that other agents might miss, like un-permitted renovations, illegal parking pads, faint signs of water damage, potential zoning conflicts, signs of pests, etc.