Finding the right real estate professional to assist you and your family with buying your first home is very important.  One of the top questions most first time home buyers ask is “how much does it cost to work with a real estate professional when buying my first home?”.  Now keep in mind that the answer to this question is nothing – it’s absolutely free to work with a real estate professional to buy a home or property.

Finding a real estate professional who you are able to effectively communicate and build a good rapport with is important.  Remember, ultimately you are the boss and will be signing the dotted line on the agreement of purchase and sale as well as the mortgage papers.

Each real estate professional is unique and most will have their own niche or area of expertise. Some may be more familiar with certain areas of the city while others may have more knowledge about certain types of homes. It’s a good idea to ask the professional about what it will be like working with them, here are some questions to keep in mind:

• How do you prefer to communicate, phone, email, other?
• How often can I expect to get notified of new listings that meet my criteria?  How will I receive this information?
• Do you preview the properties before we go to see them?
• How far in advance do I have to book my showings with you?
• What happens if you go on vacation or are sick?
• Do you work as part of a team?
• What measures do you and/or your company take to keep my records confidential?
• Are you familiar with the different school zones and districts?
• What happens if I want to view and/or purchase a home that is for sale by owner?

Some real estate companies in Ottawa include (in no particular order):

• Royal LePage
• Remax
• Keller Williams
• Coldwell Banker
• Century 21

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) provides information on Realtor services, Realtor code of ethics, as well as information on buying a home. The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) is also a great resource to answer your question about real estate and assist in finding an agent.  And don’t forget about the Ottawa Real Estate Board (REBOC) find an agent or the howrealtorshelp.ca website.