Buying or selling a home can be one of the most important and complicated transactions you make in your lifetime.  With this transaction comes plenty of paperwork, endless decisions to be made, and unknown obstacles.  A Realtor can help you through the process of buying or selling a home from beginning to end, and ensure your financial and legal protection along the way.  Realtors differ from other licensed or registered real estate agents or brokerages in that they are member of The Canadian Real Estate Association, and as such must adhere to the REALTOR® Code and Standards of Business Practice.  These regulations, ethics and high standards ensure you will receive the best possible assistance while buying or selling your property.  Below is an explanation of ways in which a Realtor can help you.

Skill

Realtors have professional marketing and negotiating skills that can help you buy or sell your home at a price that works for you. 

Knowledge

A Realtor knows the ins and out of the industry and uses his or her education and experience to your advantage.  In addition to their training, Realtors constantly update their knowledge through professional education programs. 

Resources

Realtors have a plethora of resources at their fingertips, which can help you buy or sell a property faster and broaden your options.  Realtors have access to the Multiple Listing Service; thus if you are buying a home, a realtor can find properties other Realtors are selling, or if you are selling they can list your home so other buyers can discover it through the Realtor with whom they are working.  Realtors can also post signs which can direct buyers’ attention to a home that is for sale and being handled professionally.

Protection

Realtors must follow strict regulations and adhere to a code of ethics that is designed to protect you, the client.  A Realtor is bound to client confidentiality and also must offer you his or her undivided loyalty; he or she must “protect the client’s negotiating position at all times, and disclose all known facts, which may affect or influence their decision.”  Realtors must also “obey all lawful instructions of the seller” and “account for all money and property placed in a brokerage’s hands while acting for the client.”  Furthermore, a realtor can legally incorporate a Property Disclosure Statement into a Contract for Purchase and Sale, ensuring you buy a home with full knowledge of any defects of which the seller may be aware.

Vancouver Real Estate Market

The latest report from the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board reveals a real estate market that is favourable to home buyers.  A continued rise in new listings, coupled with a 10.4 % decline in sales from this time last year, means increased options for Vancouver home buyers.  May 2010 marked the third consecutive month that over 7000 new properties hit the Vancouver real estate market.  This pattern has opened up a broader selection of listings for Vancouver home buyers, whether they are looking for detached, attached or apartment properties. 

These statistics, however, do not necessarily denote a negative sellers’ market: a larger selection of properties can mean more buyers.  Moreover, the benchmark price of detached, attached and apartment properties increased by 19.1%, 14.8% and 13.9%, respectively, from May 2009 to May 2010.

False Creek Real Estate

The False Creek waterfront of Yaletown is home to some of Vancouver’s most desired real estate listings, not least of which are the King’s Landing condominiums at 428 Beach Crescent.  Overlooking George Wainborn Park and one block from David Lam Park, the property is a dream for Vancouver residents who love boating, tennis, rollerblading, cycling, or running.   At the King’s Landing, the seawall is literally at your doorstep, as is the off-leash dog park, marina and tennis courts.   David Lam Park hosts various concerts and events throughout the year, and the nearby Urban Fare provides gourmet grocery shopping within walking distance.  Numerous cafes and restaurants pepper the seawall this side of False Creek, and the Canada Line ensures one is connected to other parts of Vancouver, including the city centre and South Cambie.

The property itself is stunning, boasting secure underground parking and a full health club including gym, indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool and steam room.  Suites feature washers and dryers, hardwood floors, heated ensuite floors, rainforest showers and steam showers.  The incredible kitchens include a wine fridge, granite countertops, and gas ranges.  Condos at Vancouver’s King’s Landing are simply that: fit for a king.