REALTOR® Business Model 101: Solo Agent Vs Our Team

Selling a home takes hundreds of separate tasks between the first meeting and closing day. We counted more than 450 on a typical Ottawa sale: pricing research, repairs and staging, photos, the listing write-up, showings, offer review, negotiation, conditions, the lawyer, the lender and the move. The question every seller should ask is simple: who is doing each of those tasks, and how much of your agent's day is actually spent on you?

How a solo agent's day really works

A solo agent does everything. On a normal day that means bookkeeping, marketing, chasing paperwork, answering other clients, prospecting for the next listing and driving between appointments. In our experience about three quarters of a solo agent's working day goes to tasks that are not selling your home. That is not a criticism of anyone. There are only 24 hours in a day, and you are rarely their only client.

• Pricing and market research get squeezed between other files.
• Showing feedback and follow-up calls wait until the evening.
• Offer nights compete with everything else on the calendar.

How our team splits the work

At Charlebois our REALTORS® focus on one job: getting you the best result on your sale or purchase. Support staff handle scheduling, paperwork, marketing production and coordination with lawyers, inspectors and lenders. Because we are a real estate and mortgage team, the mortgage agent on the file is in the same office, so financing questions on either side of a deal get answered the same day.

• One plan. You get a written plan for price, preparation and timing before the sign goes up. See our home selling process.
• One point of contact. Your REALTOR® stays your contact from the first visit to closing day, with the team behind them.
• Clear numbers. You see the full cost of selling up front. See what it costs to sell a house in Ontario.

Questions to ask any agent before you sign

• Who will I actually deal with day to day, and who handles the paperwork?
• Who prices my home, and what sales is that price based on?
• How will buyers' feedback reach me, and how fast?
• Who negotiates on offer night if there are several offers?
• If my buyer or my next purchase needs financing, who helps with that?

Does a team cost more?

No. Working with a team does not cost you more than working with a solo agent. The difference is how much time and attention goes into your sale. Agents are not created equal, and neither are the resources behind them.

Thinking about selling in Ottawa? Start with a free home evaluation, read our 6-step plan to sell your house in Ottawa, or call the office at 613-422-7653.