Why should you work with a commercial REALTOR® for your real estate transaction? In effect, they are a business partner with training and expertise to help make sure you get the best possible deal. That’s basically everyone’s goal, whether buying or selling, leasing or looking for tenants.
Of all the time-saving elements that REALTORS® provide for their clients, managing, understanding and deciphering all the necessary paperwork involved in a real estate transaction is usually at the top of the list. In a commercial transaction that includes the implications of municipal zoning — making sure you can do what you want to do in the location you’ve selected.
In a 2007 national survey of business professionals involved in real estate, 92 per cent of all respondents said they would describe the services of a commercial REALTOR® for a transaction as highly useful or useful.
• Eighty per cent of all respondents said using the services of a commercial REALTOR® would save them time.
• Eighty per cent of respondents said using a commercial REALTOR® would help avoid hassles and complications.
• Eighty-six per cent of all respondents said using a commercial REALTOR® means market knowledge.
That market knowledge includes access to various property listing sources. The Canadian Commercial Council of REALTORS® operates the public ICX.CA website as one resource for investors, sellers, and tenants.
REALTORS® are in the real estate business to advise, recommend, caution, and counsel their clients with a level of expertise that brings value to the transaction.
Have a REALTOR® work on your behalf to bring your real estate transaction to a successful and timely conclusion.
Among those who had used the services of a commercial REALTOR® in the past two years:
• Seventy-seven per cent said they were satisfied with the knowledge the REALTOR® brought to the transaction.
• Seventy-four per cent were satisfied with the professionalism of the REALTOR®.
• Seventy-one per cent were satisfied with the information the REALTOR® provided.
A REALTOR® can be similar to a business partner during the real estate transaction. Your property or commercial obligation is important and a qualified real estate professional should be one of your most valuable resources and team members. A purchase, lease or sub-lease is a major commitment, for both parties, and requires the services of persons knowledgeable about market conditions and industry terms.
Selling or buying property is one of the biggest business transactions most of us will ever make. Leasing the right space will be a critical factor in the successful growth of your company or business. REALTORS® have the qualifications and experience to help make a successful purchase, sale or lease.
You should interview potential REALTORS® and ask for a proposal. To select a REALTOR® who’s right for you or your company, begin by identifying several and interviewing at least two or three before making the final decision. If you were pleased with the services provided by the REALTOR® who helped you successfully complete a previous transaction, they may be your best choice again.
Also, pay attention to the primary business of the REALTOR®. Some REALTORS® specialize in selling commercial property, while others focus on residential real estate. Finally, do a little digging to see how other people feel about the REALTOR® you’re considering. REALTORS® who have a strong reputation for excellent service and professionalism are usually highly recommended.
Other key values a REALTOR® brings to the transaction involve education and licensing. Private individuals and institutions selling their own real estate or lending their own money as mortgage funding do not require a licence. For instance, a company selling their own building or a bank lending mortgage money may do so without a licence.
However, when a person acts on behalf of another person in a real estate, property management or mortgage transaction, the appropriate licence issued by the province is required. When unlicensed people carry out activities requiring a licence, the client is put at risk. A REALTOR® has gone through the licensing and continuing education program in your province.
When you deal with a commercial council member you should expect to receive:
• Access to a high degree of specialized knowledge and experience of commercial, industrial and investment business transactions.
• A commitment to the real estate brokerage profession.
• Access to a resource base of commercial buyers, sellers and leasing opportunities.
• An opportunity to have your listing placed on CPIX® operated by WinnipegREALTORS®, and placed on ICX.CA, the commercial information exchange website operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association.
If you are taking steps to purchase or sell a property, build or lease, visit the Services tab on www.howcommercialrealtorshelp.ca to learn more about the variety of professional services a commercial REALTOR® may provide.
Visit www.winnipegcommercialrealtors.ca to find a list of your local commercial REALTORS®
(Source: www.howcommercialrealtorshelp.ca Used with permission of the Canadian Real Estate Association.)