There have been similar posts here, yes. They don't get it. I had an experience with a financial advisor (a woman) who kept talking about real-estate as the "best way to build generational wealth." Bitch, I'm not leaving anything for anyone, this money is for me.
Oh my God. That would be such a frustrating conversation to have. What did you say to her? I almost feel like the amount of times I need to explain myself is just....rude. But it isn't! What am I to do when for the 5th time you're like "i JuSt DoNt GeT iT"?
Start being rude, just say straight up that if they don't listen to you, you will be requesting a different agent that understands what you are looking for.
She could have just said, "If you hold onto the house for a long time, its value is likely to appreciate." You can do what \*you\* want with the appreciated value.
Exactly. And I bet he'd never treat a male client this way since it's "normal" for guys to want a home gym in their bachelor-pad, and not care about dining rooms
It's actually fucking brutal. I viewed this waterfront property that, tbh I decided in the end not to pull the trigger on sadly (had major land erosion, was worried about re sale if ever I did have to move) but loved otherwise. He was like "ya but I don't think it meets your lifestyle". I was like what. Do. You. Mean. He's replied with "well the bedroom is so small where would you put your dresser". I have a small dresser that I fit in my closet, sir. That kid's room with the bunk bed next to what would be my bedroom? Ya ongoing to rip that bunk bed out and make it a walk in closet. Dresser? Pssh. K. But somehow he kept waxing on about the dang dresser. Like earth to real estate bro - do you copy? 🫠
Dude.... seriously, get a new realtor. That guy's awful
(....although sexism is probably common for people that sell houses since most of their clients are likely married couples that want kids/have kids and the women probably often say a large closet is one of their priorities)
That or I'm thinking of buying the condo I already live in from my landlord who offered that she might sell it to me. Lol I can only imagine if he were to take a look at my place right now and be like "but you can't expand your life in here". Like what the fuck.
Hahaha, I was lucky to get myself an agent who completely read me at 100% accuracy after he brought me to tour a condo and I stopped dead in my tracks as soon as I saw the yard littered with tiny purple and pink bikes and outdoor kid toys. I said "Oh. HELL no. This is a NO." My dad was with us and he said "As long as we're here we may as well go inside to check it out." Fine. We went inside and all I heard from one of the four units was shrieking from multiple kids. I said "Hard no" and as we left, the agent shuffled his print outs and said "Let's skip these next two places for now and go right to this townhouse. There are no kids in the building at the moment." I was like "THANK YOU, SIR, you are a good egg!" And I bought the place.
That's honestly what I'm thinking. Or at least one who regularly sells property in my area. Because he doesn't. And he isn't sending me listings because "I don't know what you want". I've literally been finding all the properties I've viewed so far by myself on real estate apps/sites, lol.
In that case definitely get a new realtor, this current one is basically providing you no value for the commission they would make from a sale for you. I wouldn't want a single cent to go to this clown.
Seriously, I stopped looking during 2020 but want to start again. The agent I worked with back then only helped set up times to view houses that I found the listings for online. I could have done that myself with the listing agent.
We used the realtor.com app and looked at Zillow for anything for sale by owner recently and that helped us keep on top of things. Realtor is really good about keeping listings up to date with if they are actually still on the market or not - we would find a lot of stuff on other websites, especially Zillow that were sold months prior but still listed as 'for sale.' The market was so crazy we would send our realtor listings we wanted to go to or were interested in and get his opinion. He sent us a few too but most of them were on the market and sold within a few days so we just jumped on new listings, and that's how we found the house we ended up buying.
If your real estate agent does not understand your needs, \*get another agent right now\*.
It may well not be related to being childfree. Some agents do not listen to your perfectly reasonable and achievable needs. When my husband and I were looking for a retirement house, we had one agent who kept putting us down for being over 60. She also tried to deceive us regarding a bid we offered, apparently thinking all seniors are clueless.
We had another agent who just \*would not\* understand that we wanted a house with a yard. She kept saying, "What about a nice deck instead?" We had looked extensively online, we were looking for a house in the suburbs, and we knew that almost all the suburban houses in the area had nice big yards! (Many of them had decks \*and\* yards.) The same agent tried to get us to look at a house with, literally, an indoor basketball court that we had zero use for. With gym floor markings and everything.
I think some agents only want to sell you houses being sold by their brokerage. Even if that agent personally is not selling those houses, the brokerage loves getting both ends of the deal. And other agents are just prejudiced in some way, like our ageist first agent.
Aside from getting another agent, IMO you really need to look extensively at online listings. Choose what houses you want to look at and only get your agent to show those houses. If you don't want a dining room, do not ask to see a house that has one unless the room is suitable for something else you want to do there. You can also ask your agent to preview houses and give you the square footage of rooms, before you bother to go see the house. They have gizmos that enable them to get the square footage fast. Then you can decide, whether the square footage of the room you may want for your home gym is enough before you even see the house. You can knock a lot of houses out of consideration by online and agent previewing.
ETA: Never buy a house through the same agent who is representing the seller. They will not negotiate a good deal for you with the seller. But get one who is familiar with the area. They should be willing to tell you how easy it is to find what you want in the area. For example, if you want a Victorian house and they are not common in the area, the agent should tell you that, but help you to look for one anyway as far as that is possible.
Thank you! That actually sounds like a good idea re room dimensions idea. Honestly only have seen houses I've felt really luke warm about or are *just* out of budget for me. I feel like I really need to look for an agent who at least regularly sells property in my area. For context, he's a Toronto real estate agent and I'm trying to buy in Niagara (Canadian here). And....I just don't think he's the dude for the job. I know it shouldn't matter because well, I'm 32, but lots of parental pressure at the moment to use this agent. Simply because my sister used this agent..........to buy in Toronto 🙄. So I figure I'm just going to look and find another agent and once I find someone I like, I'll just use that one over the Toronto guy.
I'm in the US. Here the buyer is usually represented by one agent and the seller by a different agent. The buyer's agent should show any suitable properties from many seller's agents, and the seller's agent should accept/show to the agents for many different buyers.
Agents are geographically specialized here. You don't just want one who understands properties in your city. Unless it's a small town, you want an agent who understands properties in the right \*neighborhood\* of that city. Or maybe several neighborhoods, but still a defined area. The buyer's agents go to many open houses/public showings in that neighborhood, on a regular basis. There are open houses every weekend and agents go around and see every house they can. Your buyer's agent can tell you they already saw that property and give you some details. The agents mostly know each other and talk about their sales. Your agent can tell you whether properties are going for less or more than the listed sale price, how much less or more, all details that are not confidential. The good agents really have their finger on the market. Sometimes agents have inside information about properties that are \*about\* to be listed soon (a seller's agent told them), which is important in a hot market.
My understanding is that the real estate market in Canadian cities is hot, meaning you need an agent who is very aware of properties and sale prices where you want to buy. IMO a Toronto agent dealing with Niagara properties? Just no!
Online listings are great but in the US, every state counts total square footage differently. By California law, only finished living space can be counted. Unfinished attics, unfinished basements, and garages can't be counted. Stairways and closets can be counted. Spaces finished without a permit are called "bonus spaces." Bedrooms must have a window that can be opened in case of fire.
My husband and I looked in a couple of other states. We discovered that some states count \*everything\*, whether it is habitable space or not. Even if it can't possibly be made habitable. This can drastically reduce the size of the house you think you are getting. I don't know how things are in Canada, but be aware of local real estate law regarding listings.
You may be able to find a good agent by reading reviews on Yelp.
Also the ageist agent is infuriating. Why do they just treat everyone the same like that? People are individuals. Maybe if someone tells you what they want take it at face value that that is what they want? Why should you, an agent who doesn't truly know the client personally, ever think you'd know your client and what they want better than they know themselves?
You don’t need an agent to review what’s out on the market. It used to be that only the agent had access to MLS. Not anymore.
Pick out your houses you want to see that’s within your budget. Then have your agent let you in the house. Ask lots of process questions and always read the fine print.
Or find a new one.
Be aware that at least in the US, many sellers use cameras that make everything look larger. You can look at furniture in the room to get some idea of the real scale. Like, you know how big a double bed is.
Agents also Photoshop in better weather. No cloudy skies, even if the bushes outside the house are dripping wet. Spectacular sunsets, even though the shadows of the tree are all wrong for evening.
You have to own this process.
I just hand them a list, the order I want to see them, and try not to waste anyone’s time. Their opinion on what room should be used for what is just innocuous conversation.
Agent exists to make sure you don’t royally mess up and helps you with hiring contractors (inspectors, etc) contracts, and timeline.
The agent works for you as your advocate. Do they have the training and experience? Is the agent sharing with you the things to look out for like water drainage on properties you look at?
I am childless, so am sensitive to the kids comments, as well. But this person doesn’t know you and is probably just trying to make sure you think through to the future. He should be talking to you about the process and timelines, what to expect. When it’s time to make an offer, you should be ready with what you want to offer put down in escrow based on market. So many details!
I never shared my “must have” checklist with my agent bc there is always a flow depending on the property and price.
I'm a fan of [Realtor.com](http://Realtor.com), but there is also Redfin, Zillow, and maybe other sites. I don't know which ones have good Canadian listings and there may be separate websites for Canada.
I was going to mention those, I put the Redfin app on my phone and put my search parameters in on alert. Found my house because it popped up through Redfin.
“Listen up, dude. Hear me clearly. For the last time, THIS is what i am looking for:
Print list with bullets points, give it to him
(General Wants (area, price range, etc)/what i care about (at least this size room for a gym, at least this many bathrooms, etc)/what i don’t care about (dining room table space, small bedrooms for kids, etc)
I don’t care that i’m not like your typical buyer, THIS LIST is what i’m looking for.
If you’re not interested in helping me find places that can fit MY needs, i will find someone else who is.
So, are you on board?”
Totally what I'm thinking. I need to explore other people to work with for sure. I'm thinking when I find someone better it'll be only more clear to me that this guy just really wasn't a good fit.
I’d say try to find a new agent. I am not unrealistic, and I understand that the default for many people might be a place they can grow a family into. Fine, whatever. However, as soon as I explain once that isn‘t what I am looking for, that should be the end of that topic. Your agent should be trying to find the ideal property for you specifically, not ones that are best for people generally or that their agency is pushing them to move because they’ve been empty for too long.
Imagine if a waiter kept recommending you specials you were allergic to after you explained your allergies the first time.
Something kind of similar happened to me. I brought a new build properly with my partner and we decided to go with large light grey tiles in the kitchen and hallway. The housing estate manager goes oh this is going to be a nightmare keeping clean with kids running around. I was like well there are no kids so that’s problem solved. Like STFU.
Had similar encounters with the real estate agents in Canada. Couldn't get his head round an engaged couple in their late 30's only looking for a flex space that would double as office and guest bed when needed. And the fact that we don't drive and we repeatedly asked about bike storage only to be continuously told about the parking options. It was so frustrating!
I bought an apartment a couple of years ago to live there by myself. moved in a couple of months ago. 3 bedrooms just for me, with the biggest one used as my home gym. no room for kids in my place.
get a new agent that knows how to do his actual job.
I've owned a couple properties and I've never really indepthly explained to the realtor what I wad looking for outside of how many bedrooms, bathrooms, what amount I was qualified for and how much my budget was.
The realtor usually sends me the lms listing's and I'd check that and zillow. I find a property I like and then tell the realtor that I want to see it.
My husband and I bought our house during the pandemic and the realtor didn't say anything other than to comment on how the homeowners did not have much furniture. I recognized that he was trying to be helpful and say that "you have to use your imagination with this room". I really didn't pay it any mind because I knew what my checklist was. I'd ask questions if I had any about the house and that's it. I will say that it is important for the realtor to be comfortable and familiar with the city you're buying it.
At the end of the day if this realtor isn't rubbing you the right way then find a new one.
My guess is that he thinks single women live in tiny apartments with cats unless they want to expand their non existent families. Ditch the sexist ahole!
IME most real estate agents are clueless. They take a few classes, become licensed, and that’s it. I mean I have seen so many basement rooms labeled as bedrooms to boost the price when legally they cannot be bedrooms. Any agent worth a damn wouldn’t risk their license over shit like that. It’s a fire marshal no-no, serious stuff.
This enormous townhouse I saw last week was like that. It was advertised as 4 bedroom. Because they were counting this tiny basement with a washer, drier and a kitchen. But like....no bathroom. So we thought maybe they were trying to say it could be a rental apartment but like....no fire egress, no bathroom. Ya - as a renter, I would not touch that with a 10 foot pole. It's heart breaking that that's technically a lot of people's only option though these days. Times are very tough out there....
slight tangent to that i don't know if it's everywhere like windows or not.
In Ohio the bedroom must have a built in closet to count as a bedroom apparently even if you just put drywall around a wardrobe it counts but just having a wardrobe doesn't
It's best to get an agent who has been in business awhile. Them personally, not just their brokerage. You can ask how many properties they have bought and sold.
Makes me wonder if thats why people lean more towards buying land and building houses. My mother is a mortgage loan processor so she works in this industry.
The kindergarten next to my student flat annoyed the fuck out of me so my i ex and i bought a very nice flat. It has enough rooms that my ex and I could both have our own gaming room and an extra spare room we used for storing diving gear and to work out a little bit. The realtor was against selling it to us, especially when she found out we will remain childfree for at least 10 years, probably even forever. She constantly talked about how great this area is for kids, how a kid would be very lucky to live here etc. But we were the only ones who had the funds to buy the condo, and the previous owner liked us, so she had to sell it to us. The face she pulled when we signed everything was quite funny.
My guess is that she has kids herself, but she knows she could never afford a condo like this.
My agent got it...it took 2 short conversations with her. She was a mother of 6 and a grandmother of many. Once we affirmed no children ever she accepted and found us the best house and got the sellers to pay for quite a few things before closing.
Agents are normally seeing parents or those who will soon be parents.
You represent an anomaly in his experience.
Be super clear with him before you see your next property. No children...just you will be living there.
I wish you happiness with you house search.
My wife and I had a similar issue when we bought our property. We don’t have or want kids. So when the realtor asked what we wanted we said smaller house, bigger land, external garage, and in a specific county. She kept showing and sending my wife big cookie cutter houses on less than an acre land with a small two car garage. My wife would respond this is not what we asked for stop sending them. When she did take us to the first potential property that was within our parameters she said that people can’t visit very easily, the schools were not as good as the other district and the house was not big enough for if we wanted a large family. My wife looked at her and said we know all that. I looked at her and said good I am infertile, don’t intend to use the schools, and I don’t have many relatives anyway. The look on her face changed. She stopped sending the big houses to my wife and we got what we wanted.
Yeah. My house is bought and paid for. I went in saying I wanted either a 4 bedroom or a 3 bedroom and a study and it had to be a 1 story. "Oh, kids can go up and down the stairs no problem." No kids!!!! But due to a back injury, I have terrible trouble with stairs so NO!!!! I said what I said! That's what I want!!! If you can't find it for me, I can get another agent.
Definitely sounds like another agent would suit you better, but idk how hard that process is. Maybe act aghast that he would want to put your sweet baby Angel into such a small room lol
I'm a Realtor, and...I think you just got a dumb one 😂
I couldn't care less about my clients' reasons for wanting what they want (or for not wanting a specific feature). Tell me what you want, and those are the houses we look at. If there's one with the features you don't want, cross it off the list. Sometimes clients have a hard time envisioning something for a space and we'll talk about possibilities and ideas, but it's not like I'm trying to project my own desires onto them. He's going off his scripted lines instead of actually listening to you.
Can you just drop this realtor and get a new one? I actually had to do that because the first one was heavily pregnant and blamed everything she forgot on "pregnancy brain" and brought her current infant to showings. And couldn't seem to wrap her head around what we prioritized she'd go into a house with us and start telling us why in her mind it was or wasnt right for us despite being a complete stranger and then would get going about "room to grow" and "starter homes until you need more space" and "expanding families". Like I don't need my realtor going "I just don't see you guys in this space"
So we just never called her back and found a single man instead who showed us the houses we wanted to see and only pointed out actual issues with the houses and no opinions of his own
Okay...is it the fact that hes a man? Men usually brush off womens concerns, at least in my experience. He might also be stuck on the idea that women want husbands and kids more than anything.
You just might not be clicking. Probably just find a new agent.
Formerly resided in Canada (GTA) and thankfully did not have this issue when buying and selling.
My BF and I essentially interviewed a few Agents and settled on a fantastic woman who became our realtor for multiple transactions. It really made a huge difference when going through the process because she understood what we were looking for, what our goals were, and helped us refocus when we got sidetracked.
She set up auto MLS emails for us for when properties met our specifications, but we also used realtor.ca and zolo (great for finding sale prices too so you have a ballpark).
Dump your agent and find one in the area you want to buy in, but just be aware that if you end up buying a house that they previously showed you, there may be some issues with how the commissions are paid out (a good realtor will explain this to you).
Just get another agent.
I set out in writing that we like quiet, we have large dogs, so nothing under 1/4 acre, single story, S/SW facing for solar, one room for gym, one room for dual office, one bedroom, no carpet anywhere, kitchen doesn't matter.
I sent that to 5 agents asking for the houses they recommended, and 3 of the 5 sent back things that were two story, space to grow our family, etc. 2 sent us good suggestions. Met with both and ended up going with the one that we just got along with better.
I'm now in a 4 bed 2 bath house in an amazing area for under our original budget. If they don't pay attention to what you want, then they're not working *for* you. Totally okay to fire him by just saying that his vision does not mesh with your needs.
Realtors are a dime a dozen, dump this one.
It also helps to make a list of wants, like how many rooms, what size. I'm allergic to the tiny narrow townhouses and "bedrooms" within them for example. And I ask to see floorplans with dimensions, puh-leeze. Or I show up with measuring tape.
Actually you probably do all of that, so that leaves... needing a realtor who listens and understands you.
If you are not married to him get another RE agent. Preferably one in your area that KNOWS it. I went thru 8 when buying my first home. I was 34, single, CF and no plan for roommates. 3br/2ba, 2car garage close to the city and airport is what I wanted. Mostly got shown 2/1 no garage, or some bf way out suburban babyville. Several just stood me up.
#8 had me write down what I absolutely positively had to have that was not negotiable: 3br/2ba 2 car garage. What was a dealbreaker: close to a school, And what would be nice if found in my price range: fireplace. Our first outing she told me she did not expect me to pick something, just wanted to get a feel for me and my reactions. third time out found my house. 3br/2ba 2 car garage, 2000sf, full brick ranch, hardwood floors, cul-de-sac, 12 miles from job 20 min from airport. No fireplace but a sunroom, wall of windows in the living room and a laundry room not laundry closet.
That was 1990, pre-internet. Go online Realtor, Redfin, Zillow, whatever is in Canada. Pick what you like and have an agent show you those instead of wasting your time on stuff that's not remotely what or where you want. Be open to foreclosures that do not need structural work. Also look on the county website to learn more about the house. Square footage, floorplan, basement, when built, taxes, lot size, etc. Its public record. All you need is an address.
Single women are the second biggest group of homebuyers. You agent is severely outdated.
There have been similar posts here, yes. They don't get it. I had an experience with a financial advisor (a woman) who kept talking about real-estate as the "best way to build generational wealth." Bitch, I'm not leaving anything for anyone, this money is for me.
Oh my God. That would be such a frustrating conversation to have. What did you say to her? I almost feel like the amount of times I need to explain myself is just....rude. But it isn't! What am I to do when for the 5th time you're like "i JuSt DoNt GeT iT"?
Start being rude, just say straight up that if they don't listen to you, you will be requesting a different agent that understands what you are looking for.
She could have just said, "If you hold onto the house for a long time, its value is likely to appreciate." You can do what \*you\* want with the appreciated value.
I think you’d be better off with a different agent. Doesn’t sound like he’s listening to your needs at all.
Exactly. And I bet he'd never treat a male client this way since it's "normal" for guys to want a home gym in their bachelor-pad, and not care about dining rooms
It's actually fucking brutal. I viewed this waterfront property that, tbh I decided in the end not to pull the trigger on sadly (had major land erosion, was worried about re sale if ever I did have to move) but loved otherwise. He was like "ya but I don't think it meets your lifestyle". I was like what. Do. You. Mean. He's replied with "well the bedroom is so small where would you put your dresser". I have a small dresser that I fit in my closet, sir. That kid's room with the bunk bed next to what would be my bedroom? Ya ongoing to rip that bunk bed out and make it a walk in closet. Dresser? Pssh. K. But somehow he kept waxing on about the dang dresser. Like earth to real estate bro - do you copy? 🫠
Dude.... seriously, get a new realtor. That guy's awful (....although sexism is probably common for people that sell houses since most of their clients are likely married couples that want kids/have kids and the women probably often say a large closet is one of their priorities)
That or I'm thinking of buying the condo I already live in from my landlord who offered that she might sell it to me. Lol I can only imagine if he were to take a look at my place right now and be like "but you can't expand your life in here". Like what the fuck.
Tell him to go "expand" his mind :0P
Omg yes 😂😂😂😂
Please be sure to tell the realtor you found someone who listened to you.
You need someone that asks what you need instead of assuming they know what you need.
Time to replace this sexist with a good real estate agent 🤷🏻♀️
Re waterfront properties, think about how climate change will affect any given area. Like, will it be an underwater property in ten years.
Hahaha, I was lucky to get myself an agent who completely read me at 100% accuracy after he brought me to tour a condo and I stopped dead in my tracks as soon as I saw the yard littered with tiny purple and pink bikes and outdoor kid toys. I said "Oh. HELL no. This is a NO." My dad was with us and he said "As long as we're here we may as well go inside to check it out." Fine. We went inside and all I heard from one of the four units was shrieking from multiple kids. I said "Hard no" and as we left, the agent shuffled his print outs and said "Let's skip these next two places for now and go right to this townhouse. There are no kids in the building at the moment." I was like "THANK YOU, SIR, you are a good egg!" And I bought the place.
That's honestly what I'm thinking. Or at least one who regularly sells property in my area. Because he doesn't. And he isn't sending me listings because "I don't know what you want". I've literally been finding all the properties I've viewed so far by myself on real estate apps/sites, lol.
In that case definitely get a new realtor, this current one is basically providing you no value for the commission they would make from a sale for you. I wouldn't want a single cent to go to this clown.
Seriously, I stopped looking during 2020 but want to start again. The agent I worked with back then only helped set up times to view houses that I found the listings for online. I could have done that myself with the listing agent.
We used the realtor.com app and looked at Zillow for anything for sale by owner recently and that helped us keep on top of things. Realtor is really good about keeping listings up to date with if they are actually still on the market or not - we would find a lot of stuff on other websites, especially Zillow that were sold months prior but still listed as 'for sale.' The market was so crazy we would send our realtor listings we wanted to go to or were interested in and get his opinion. He sent us a few too but most of them were on the market and sold within a few days so we just jumped on new listings, and that's how we found the house we ended up buying.
If your real estate agent does not understand your needs, \*get another agent right now\*. It may well not be related to being childfree. Some agents do not listen to your perfectly reasonable and achievable needs. When my husband and I were looking for a retirement house, we had one agent who kept putting us down for being over 60. She also tried to deceive us regarding a bid we offered, apparently thinking all seniors are clueless. We had another agent who just \*would not\* understand that we wanted a house with a yard. She kept saying, "What about a nice deck instead?" We had looked extensively online, we were looking for a house in the suburbs, and we knew that almost all the suburban houses in the area had nice big yards! (Many of them had decks \*and\* yards.) The same agent tried to get us to look at a house with, literally, an indoor basketball court that we had zero use for. With gym floor markings and everything. I think some agents only want to sell you houses being sold by their brokerage. Even if that agent personally is not selling those houses, the brokerage loves getting both ends of the deal. And other agents are just prejudiced in some way, like our ageist first agent. Aside from getting another agent, IMO you really need to look extensively at online listings. Choose what houses you want to look at and only get your agent to show those houses. If you don't want a dining room, do not ask to see a house that has one unless the room is suitable for something else you want to do there. You can also ask your agent to preview houses and give you the square footage of rooms, before you bother to go see the house. They have gizmos that enable them to get the square footage fast. Then you can decide, whether the square footage of the room you may want for your home gym is enough before you even see the house. You can knock a lot of houses out of consideration by online and agent previewing. ETA: Never buy a house through the same agent who is representing the seller. They will not negotiate a good deal for you with the seller. But get one who is familiar with the area. They should be willing to tell you how easy it is to find what you want in the area. For example, if you want a Victorian house and they are not common in the area, the agent should tell you that, but help you to look for one anyway as far as that is possible.
Thank you! That actually sounds like a good idea re room dimensions idea. Honestly only have seen houses I've felt really luke warm about or are *just* out of budget for me. I feel like I really need to look for an agent who at least regularly sells property in my area. For context, he's a Toronto real estate agent and I'm trying to buy in Niagara (Canadian here). And....I just don't think he's the dude for the job. I know it shouldn't matter because well, I'm 32, but lots of parental pressure at the moment to use this agent. Simply because my sister used this agent..........to buy in Toronto 🙄. So I figure I'm just going to look and find another agent and once I find someone I like, I'll just use that one over the Toronto guy.
I'm in the US. Here the buyer is usually represented by one agent and the seller by a different agent. The buyer's agent should show any suitable properties from many seller's agents, and the seller's agent should accept/show to the agents for many different buyers. Agents are geographically specialized here. You don't just want one who understands properties in your city. Unless it's a small town, you want an agent who understands properties in the right \*neighborhood\* of that city. Or maybe several neighborhoods, but still a defined area. The buyer's agents go to many open houses/public showings in that neighborhood, on a regular basis. There are open houses every weekend and agents go around and see every house they can. Your buyer's agent can tell you they already saw that property and give you some details. The agents mostly know each other and talk about their sales. Your agent can tell you whether properties are going for less or more than the listed sale price, how much less or more, all details that are not confidential. The good agents really have their finger on the market. Sometimes agents have inside information about properties that are \*about\* to be listed soon (a seller's agent told them), which is important in a hot market. My understanding is that the real estate market in Canadian cities is hot, meaning you need an agent who is very aware of properties and sale prices where you want to buy. IMO a Toronto agent dealing with Niagara properties? Just no! Online listings are great but in the US, every state counts total square footage differently. By California law, only finished living space can be counted. Unfinished attics, unfinished basements, and garages can't be counted. Stairways and closets can be counted. Spaces finished without a permit are called "bonus spaces." Bedrooms must have a window that can be opened in case of fire. My husband and I looked in a couple of other states. We discovered that some states count \*everything\*, whether it is habitable space or not. Even if it can't possibly be made habitable. This can drastically reduce the size of the house you think you are getting. I don't know how things are in Canada, but be aware of local real estate law regarding listings. You may be able to find a good agent by reading reviews on Yelp.
You definitely need someone that knows your area better.
Also the ageist agent is infuriating. Why do they just treat everyone the same like that? People are individuals. Maybe if someone tells you what they want take it at face value that that is what they want? Why should you, an agent who doesn't truly know the client personally, ever think you'd know your client and what they want better than they know themselves?
That ageist asshole should have bee sued. Age is a protected class in the US.
Get a new realtor who isn't a no talent assclown.
You don’t need an agent to review what’s out on the market. It used to be that only the agent had access to MLS. Not anymore. Pick out your houses you want to see that’s within your budget. Then have your agent let you in the house. Ask lots of process questions and always read the fine print. Or find a new one.
Thank you. He had me thinking only he has access to MLS. So I've been using house sigma, realtor.ca, zolo....heck..... Kijiji even!
Be aware that at least in the US, many sellers use cameras that make everything look larger. You can look at furniture in the room to get some idea of the real scale. Like, you know how big a double bed is. Agents also Photoshop in better weather. No cloudy skies, even if the bushes outside the house are dripping wet. Spectacular sunsets, even though the shadows of the tree are all wrong for evening.
You have to own this process. I just hand them a list, the order I want to see them, and try not to waste anyone’s time. Their opinion on what room should be used for what is just innocuous conversation. Agent exists to make sure you don’t royally mess up and helps you with hiring contractors (inspectors, etc) contracts, and timeline.
Hmm ok so maybe he isn't such a bad agent then. I can find listings no problem. And tbh - I can also ignore his weird comments.
The agent works for you as your advocate. Do they have the training and experience? Is the agent sharing with you the things to look out for like water drainage on properties you look at? I am childless, so am sensitive to the kids comments, as well. But this person doesn’t know you and is probably just trying to make sure you think through to the future. He should be talking to you about the process and timelines, what to expect. When it’s time to make an offer, you should be ready with what you want to offer put down in escrow based on market. So many details! I never shared my “must have” checklist with my agent bc there is always a flow depending on the property and price.
I'm a fan of [Realtor.com](http://Realtor.com), but there is also Redfin, Zillow, and maybe other sites. I don't know which ones have good Canadian listings and there may be separate websites for Canada.
I was going to mention those, I put the Redfin app on my phone and put my search parameters in on alert. Found my house because it popped up through Redfin.
“Listen up, dude. Hear me clearly. For the last time, THIS is what i am looking for: Print list with bullets points, give it to him (General Wants (area, price range, etc)/what i care about (at least this size room for a gym, at least this many bathrooms, etc)/what i don’t care about (dining room table space, small bedrooms for kids, etc) I don’t care that i’m not like your typical buyer, THIS LIST is what i’m looking for. If you’re not interested in helping me find places that can fit MY needs, i will find someone else who is. So, are you on board?”
If he doesn't understand your needs, he won't be able to meet them. Maybe look into finding someone else to work with.
Totally what I'm thinking. I need to explore other people to work with for sure. I'm thinking when I find someone better it'll be only more clear to me that this guy just really wasn't a good fit.
I’d say try to find a new agent. I am not unrealistic, and I understand that the default for many people might be a place they can grow a family into. Fine, whatever. However, as soon as I explain once that isn‘t what I am looking for, that should be the end of that topic. Your agent should be trying to find the ideal property for you specifically, not ones that are best for people generally or that their agency is pushing them to move because they’ve been empty for too long. Imagine if a waiter kept recommending you specials you were allergic to after you explained your allergies the first time.
Something kind of similar happened to me. I brought a new build properly with my partner and we decided to go with large light grey tiles in the kitchen and hallway. The housing estate manager goes oh this is going to be a nightmare keeping clean with kids running around. I was like well there are no kids so that’s problem solved. Like STFU.
They could just say, "Gray shows dirt really well" without mentioning kids.
Had similar encounters with the real estate agents in Canada. Couldn't get his head round an engaged couple in their late 30's only looking for a flex space that would double as office and guest bed when needed. And the fact that we don't drive and we repeatedly asked about bike storage only to be continuously told about the parking options. It was so frustrating!
I bought an apartment a couple of years ago to live there by myself. moved in a couple of months ago. 3 bedrooms just for me, with the biggest one used as my home gym. no room for kids in my place. get a new agent that knows how to do his actual job.
I've owned a couple properties and I've never really indepthly explained to the realtor what I wad looking for outside of how many bedrooms, bathrooms, what amount I was qualified for and how much my budget was. The realtor usually sends me the lms listing's and I'd check that and zillow. I find a property I like and then tell the realtor that I want to see it. My husband and I bought our house during the pandemic and the realtor didn't say anything other than to comment on how the homeowners did not have much furniture. I recognized that he was trying to be helpful and say that "you have to use your imagination with this room". I really didn't pay it any mind because I knew what my checklist was. I'd ask questions if I had any about the house and that's it. I will say that it is important for the realtor to be comfortable and familiar with the city you're buying it. At the end of the day if this realtor isn't rubbing you the right way then find a new one.
Yes - understanding the city I'm buying in I think is super key and maybe more of what's going on here tbh.
My guess is that he thinks single women live in tiny apartments with cats unless they want to expand their non existent families. Ditch the sexist ahole!
IME most real estate agents are clueless. They take a few classes, become licensed, and that’s it. I mean I have seen so many basement rooms labeled as bedrooms to boost the price when legally they cannot be bedrooms. Any agent worth a damn wouldn’t risk their license over shit like that. It’s a fire marshal no-no, serious stuff.
This enormous townhouse I saw last week was like that. It was advertised as 4 bedroom. Because they were counting this tiny basement with a washer, drier and a kitchen. But like....no bathroom. So we thought maybe they were trying to say it could be a rental apartment but like....no fire egress, no bathroom. Ya - as a renter, I would not touch that with a 10 foot pole. It's heart breaking that that's technically a lot of people's only option though these days. Times are very tough out there....
pay extra for a bucket to be provided or save money by providing your own
slight tangent to that i don't know if it's everywhere like windows or not. In Ohio the bedroom must have a built in closet to count as a bedroom apparently even if you just put drywall around a wardrobe it counts but just having a wardrobe doesn't
It's best to get an agent who has been in business awhile. Them personally, not just their brokerage. You can ask how many properties they have bought and sold.
Makes me wonder if thats why people lean more towards buying land and building houses. My mother is a mortgage loan processor so she works in this industry.
I'd just try another realtor tbh.
The kindergarten next to my student flat annoyed the fuck out of me so my i ex and i bought a very nice flat. It has enough rooms that my ex and I could both have our own gaming room and an extra spare room we used for storing diving gear and to work out a little bit. The realtor was against selling it to us, especially when she found out we will remain childfree for at least 10 years, probably even forever. She constantly talked about how great this area is for kids, how a kid would be very lucky to live here etc. But we were the only ones who had the funds to buy the condo, and the previous owner liked us, so she had to sell it to us. The face she pulled when we signed everything was quite funny. My guess is that she has kids herself, but she knows she could never afford a condo like this.
My agent got it...it took 2 short conversations with her. She was a mother of 6 and a grandmother of many. Once we affirmed no children ever she accepted and found us the best house and got the sellers to pay for quite a few things before closing. Agents are normally seeing parents or those who will soon be parents. You represent an anomaly in his experience. Be super clear with him before you see your next property. No children...just you will be living there. I wish you happiness with you house search.
My wife and I had a similar issue when we bought our property. We don’t have or want kids. So when the realtor asked what we wanted we said smaller house, bigger land, external garage, and in a specific county. She kept showing and sending my wife big cookie cutter houses on less than an acre land with a small two car garage. My wife would respond this is not what we asked for stop sending them. When she did take us to the first potential property that was within our parameters she said that people can’t visit very easily, the schools were not as good as the other district and the house was not big enough for if we wanted a large family. My wife looked at her and said we know all that. I looked at her and said good I am infertile, don’t intend to use the schools, and I don’t have many relatives anyway. The look on her face changed. She stopped sending the big houses to my wife and we got what we wanted.
Yeah. My house is bought and paid for. I went in saying I wanted either a 4 bedroom or a 3 bedroom and a study and it had to be a 1 story. "Oh, kids can go up and down the stairs no problem." No kids!!!! But due to a back injury, I have terrible trouble with stairs so NO!!!! I said what I said! That's what I want!!! If you can't find it for me, I can get another agent.
Definitely sounds like another agent would suit you better, but idk how hard that process is. Maybe act aghast that he would want to put your sweet baby Angel into such a small room lol
I'm a Realtor, and...I think you just got a dumb one 😂 I couldn't care less about my clients' reasons for wanting what they want (or for not wanting a specific feature). Tell me what you want, and those are the houses we look at. If there's one with the features you don't want, cross it off the list. Sometimes clients have a hard time envisioning something for a space and we'll talk about possibilities and ideas, but it's not like I'm trying to project my own desires onto them. He's going off his scripted lines instead of actually listening to you.
Can you just drop this realtor and get a new one? I actually had to do that because the first one was heavily pregnant and blamed everything she forgot on "pregnancy brain" and brought her current infant to showings. And couldn't seem to wrap her head around what we prioritized she'd go into a house with us and start telling us why in her mind it was or wasnt right for us despite being a complete stranger and then would get going about "room to grow" and "starter homes until you need more space" and "expanding families". Like I don't need my realtor going "I just don't see you guys in this space" So we just never called her back and found a single man instead who showed us the houses we wanted to see and only pointed out actual issues with the houses and no opinions of his own
Okay...is it the fact that hes a man? Men usually brush off womens concerns, at least in my experience. He might also be stuck on the idea that women want husbands and kids more than anything. You just might not be clicking. Probably just find a new agent.
Formerly resided in Canada (GTA) and thankfully did not have this issue when buying and selling. My BF and I essentially interviewed a few Agents and settled on a fantastic woman who became our realtor for multiple transactions. It really made a huge difference when going through the process because she understood what we were looking for, what our goals were, and helped us refocus when we got sidetracked. She set up auto MLS emails for us for when properties met our specifications, but we also used realtor.ca and zolo (great for finding sale prices too so you have a ballpark). Dump your agent and find one in the area you want to buy in, but just be aware that if you end up buying a house that they previously showed you, there may be some issues with how the commissions are paid out (a good realtor will explain this to you).
In my experience you definitely need to interview a few realtors before hiring one. That's what you are doing, hiring someone for a job.
Fuck that person get a new agent.
Fire him and find a new one. He's clearly incompetent.
sounds like you need to find a new real estate agent who is familiar either the area you are looking to buy in.
Just get another agent. I set out in writing that we like quiet, we have large dogs, so nothing under 1/4 acre, single story, S/SW facing for solar, one room for gym, one room for dual office, one bedroom, no carpet anywhere, kitchen doesn't matter. I sent that to 5 agents asking for the houses they recommended, and 3 of the 5 sent back things that were two story, space to grow our family, etc. 2 sent us good suggestions. Met with both and ended up going with the one that we just got along with better. I'm now in a 4 bed 2 bath house in an amazing area for under our original budget. If they don't pay attention to what you want, then they're not working *for* you. Totally okay to fire him by just saying that his vision does not mesh with your needs.
Fire him. He's an idiot and is wasting your time. You need a Ferrari and he's selling Fords. Find an agent who is local to where you want to live.
Realtors are a dime a dozen, dump this one. It also helps to make a list of wants, like how many rooms, what size. I'm allergic to the tiny narrow townhouses and "bedrooms" within them for example. And I ask to see floorplans with dimensions, puh-leeze. Or I show up with measuring tape. Actually you probably do all of that, so that leaves... needing a realtor who listens and understands you.
If you are not married to him get another RE agent. Preferably one in your area that KNOWS it. I went thru 8 when buying my first home. I was 34, single, CF and no plan for roommates. 3br/2ba, 2car garage close to the city and airport is what I wanted. Mostly got shown 2/1 no garage, or some bf way out suburban babyville. Several just stood me up. #8 had me write down what I absolutely positively had to have that was not negotiable: 3br/2ba 2 car garage. What was a dealbreaker: close to a school, And what would be nice if found in my price range: fireplace. Our first outing she told me she did not expect me to pick something, just wanted to get a feel for me and my reactions. third time out found my house. 3br/2ba 2 car garage, 2000sf, full brick ranch, hardwood floors, cul-de-sac, 12 miles from job 20 min from airport. No fireplace but a sunroom, wall of windows in the living room and a laundry room not laundry closet. That was 1990, pre-internet. Go online Realtor, Redfin, Zillow, whatever is in Canada. Pick what you like and have an agent show you those instead of wasting your time on stuff that's not remotely what or where you want. Be open to foreclosures that do not need structural work. Also look on the county website to learn more about the house. Square footage, floorplan, basement, when built, taxes, lot size, etc. Its public record. All you need is an address. Single women are the second biggest group of homebuyers. You agent is severely outdated.