I want to buy real estate. What next?
Start with the coach. Then start looking at houses.
The first step in real estate shouldn't be an open house. It should be a strategy. Before you fall in love with a property, have someone in your corner who looks at the whole life decision, not just the sale.
The right order
- 1 · CoachUnderstand the system
- 2 · StrategyKnow your numbers and goals
- 3 · AgentChosen deliberately
- 4 · Property searchWith a plan in hand
Two different jobs
Agent or coach: who does what?
Executes the transaction
Their job is to get a deal done. That's valuable, but it's the sale side of the decision, and emotions run high once you're standing in a kitchen you love.
Prepares the decision
Helps you plan, evaluate your options and run the numbers, with pragmatic thinking, long before you walk through the first front door.
Why the coach comes first
An open house isn't as harmless as it looks.
Walking into an open house feels like simply looking at a property. But you're entering a professional transaction environment, often before you understand how brokerage works, who represents whom, how buyer and seller brokers are paid, and what can happen once your interest in a property is documented.
In Quebec, the seller's broker represents the seller, not you. When you visit a property, your interest can later become relevant to that broker's right to remuneration. The OACIQ notes that, generally, someone who visited a property can be considered a person who was interested in it.
That's why first-time buyers, downsizers, investors and anyone making a major move should talk to a coach before visiting properties or contacting an agent.
Before you start, you should understand
- How representation works
- Who is working for the seller, and who is working for you
- How remuneration can be shared between brokers
- What you're signing, and what your choices are
- That the OACIQ says you can deal directly with the seller's broker or hire a broker of your own to protect your interests
Protect your decision before the sales process begins
Once you understand the system, you choose your professionals deliberately, instead of meeting them for the first time at an open house.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions, straight answers.
Should I talk to a coach before visiting houses in Québec?
It is wise. Once you visit a property, your interest can matter for a broker's right to remuneration, so understand how representation and broker pay work before you start visiting.
Who does the seller's broker represent in Québec?
The seller, not you. According to the OACIQ, you can deal directly with the seller's broker or hire a broker of your own to protect your interests.
In what order should I prepare to buy?
Coach first, then your strategy and numbers, then choose your broker, then start the property search.
Let's look at your situation together.
A free 30-minute consultation, honest and without judgment. In English or French.
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