As an extraordinarily high-value asset, choosing the right agent to sell your home or property is not to be taken lightly.

Toronto’s vast market is home to more than seventy thousand professional real estate agents – presenting a substantive challenge for discerning sellers. While daunting, the prospect of sourcing a quality professional for your home is not impossible.

In this article, we will offer critical guidance on how to identify and evaluate top-performing real estate agents before hiring.

Why Must Sellers Be Selective?

While the local industry is bountiful with registered real estate agents, there is a vast spectrum in terms of quality. Key characteristics such as industry experience, degree of service, professional skill sets, and connectivity can vary drastically from one agent to another. To that end, simply hiring the first agent one comes across (rather than performing due diligence) can be detrimental.

Consider this, recent annual data provided by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) reports that of the city’s expansive pool of agents, less than ninety percent sold more than five homes a year on average. In comparison, a high-performance agent in Toronto may sell upwards of ten, fifteen, and twenty properties each year.

The more productive an agent is, the more evident their skills and ability to consistently sell homes are. Therefore, Toronto home sellers must be extraordinarily selective in their agent-vetting process.

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Seeking further insight into the home selling process? Explore these related readings.

• How Are Toronto Home Sellers Taxed?
• Essential Considerations For Selling a Condo
• The Abiding Value of the Open House

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How to Evaluate Real Estate Agents

The process of hiring the best-suited professional for your home sale can be divided into two steps – agent sourcing and agent evaluation.

Real Estate Agent Sourcing

This process involves scouring Toronto’s vast pool of real estate agents to identify a small selection of potential candidates that may be a good fit. Below are strategies for accomplishing exactly that.

Target Your Micro-Market

In our contemporary market, most sellers begin their search for real estate agents online. While the internet is a valuable resource, it is also incredibly vast.

Because trends and conditions can shift at a deeply local level, it is imperative to partner with an agent who specializes in your home’s micro-market. Therefore, as you browse through various options, incorporate search terms that are relevant to your neighbourhood or region of Toronto.

Approach Your Personal Network

Along with performing targeted research online, it can be extraordinarily helpful to seek personal recommendations from family members, friends, and peers. Given how encompassing a real estate professional’s role typically is, speaking to someone who has worked with an agent will offer insights not found elsewhere.

Once again, as you discuss another person’s experience with a particular agent, consider how similar their circumstances were to yours. For instance, while they may have had a first-rate experience selling in the East End, their agent’s expertise may not carry over to Midtown.

Real Estate Agent Evaluation

After sourcing a selection of agents, it is imperative to perform your due diligence to determine their suitability.

Interviewing Candidates

It is imperative to perform a thorough interview with any agent who you may consider working with. Beyond garnering insight into their unique selling processes, this meeting is also an opportunity to assess their personality, communication style, and overall fit for your needs.

Prepare a list of questions covering their experience, market insights, marketing strategies, and approach to handling challenges. Pay attention to how they address your concerns and how well they understand your goals.

Seek Testimonials

After speaking with an agent directly, take time to read any available testimonials from past clients. Consider this step to be like a reference check.

Beyond reading the hand-selected testimonials found on an agent’s website or brochure, do not neglect to seek out search engine reviews as well. These testimonials will be less curated and can offer a more transparent image of client satisfaction overall.

Analyze Existing Listings and Marketing Materials

In today’s increasingly digital world, a significant volume of high-end buyers will discover their future home online. Take a moment to explore each candidate’s website and social media presence. Analyze how they market and promote existing listings.

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The agent you work with is only one variable in a high-result home sale. Consider these related articles for further insights.

• Finding Peace of Mind When Selling Under Pressure
• How to Sell Your Toronto Home in a Buyer’s Market
• How to Effectively Prepare Your Home For Sale

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Selling Your Home With Armin Group Real Estate

Ahead of their sale, Toronto home sellers must navigate a vast pool of industry professionals before selecting an agent representative. Introducing Armin Group, leaders in Toronto’s vast, famously intricate real estate arena.

Anchored by our unparalleled market presence, advanced industry network, and specialized insights, our meticulous selling strategies propel us beyond ordinary agents.

Unpacking your intentions behind selling, we will create a bespoke plan of action to help you achieve the best results possible. Begin with preparations, we suggest and coordinate improvements to highlight your home’s full potential. Next, our top-calibre marketing – complete with stunning, high-definition imagery broadcasts your home with far-reaching exposure.

Approaching a home sale? Unlock a stress-free, expertly crafted selling experience tailored to you. Reach us at ar********@************ty.ca or call 416.960.9995.