Re: Hamilton???
 

All MLS listings appear on the MLS - that's the whole idea of the Multiple Listing Service. Contracts are specifically with the MLS. The only ones that don't are exclusive listings which are similar to listings in England: the guy who lists also shows and sells, no other Realtors are involved.

Re: Hamilton???
 

G'won!

Re: Hamilton???
 

This is slightly disingenuous. The one instance where I think it makes sense to have a "buyer's agent" is in a market where multiple offers are likely to come about.

If you have a buyer's agent from the same brokerage as the seller then you're at an advantage over offerers who do not have such an agent, or have one from another brokerage, because it's in the interest of the seller's agent to make your offer the successful one. Accordingly, the can make your offer the last one and can tell you before you make it what the best previous offer is (and the same through any subsequent rounds of negotiation) this allows you to make a decision without the pressure of uncertainty the other bidders are dealing with.

Your agent can also have a frank discussion with the listing agent about the conditions under which the sale came about, including such things as the quality of the inspection report.

Re: Hamilton???
 

I definitely agree that a "dual agent" scenario is not ideal for any of the parties involved except the dual agent. The dual agent's inherent conflict is that it would be impossible for him to represent the best interests of both buyer and seller. One wants to pay as little as possible, whilst the other wants to get paid as much as possible.

It has been my experience that RE transactions in Canada are not centric around the idea of achieving a fair market price, but rather have an "us against them" mind set, vis a vis the buyer vs. the seller.

We have also been blessed with some great RE agents that are both fair and extremely knowledgeable.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Leaving aside the question of whether "centric" is actually a word; the conceivable advantage of dual agency is that s/he is acting in her/his own interest, rather than either party's.

That interest is making a deal happen so as to move the property off the books ASAP (and of course collect the commission).

Re: Hamilton???
 

I think that, in difficult markets, dual agency provides an appropriate reward for the listing agent. In general I don't think the buyer's agent brings very much to a transaction, the potential purchaser likely finds the house, either online at propertyguys.com or on the mls or by driving by. The potential purchaser decides what to bid and effectively gifts the commission to an agent he or she knows and likes. The listing agent, otoh, has advised on what must be fixed, created a video and marketed the property through Facebook, mls, his or her own website and so on. He or she has also arranged and turned up for open houses and showings. I know that, were I a listing agent, it'd piss me off royally to do all the work and then to see half the money go to a bystander.

I don't see that a buyer's agent actually represents the interests of the buyer. It seems to me that the interest of the agent is in getting the purchaser to take something, ideally a house on the books of the brokerage that's difficult to shift, failing that anything on the books of the brokerage and, failing that, something quickly. Any argument that the agent will act to benefit the purchaser in order to establish a relationship assumes that people use the same agent twice, something I think unlikely except in small towns where there's little choice.

Re: Hamilton???
 

You demonstrate time and time again that you know sweet f.a. about how the real estate business works in Ontario.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Are you a real estate agent?

Re: Hamilton???
 

I was going to suggest rejected former/wannabe lover. Vitriol city. Hell hath no fury and all that.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Lovely.

I was just wondering if BC15 is, in fact, a licensed real estate agent in the province of Ontario. Because if not, then he/she can only provide their own personal experiences and thoughts on real estate transactions. Just the same as anyone else can.

Of course, things could all be different in Hamilton.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Not all of Burlington is as you describe it. Our house is situated right on the escarpment, in fact we are 3 houses away from the bruce trail.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Or perhaps how you'd like it portrayed. I assume you're in the business but choose not to declare the fact.

I don't think I could be more involved in real estate transactions in Ontario than I currently am without being an agent. In which case, of course, I would claim that the TREB has clear rules that all agents can understand and follow and that those agents personally handle their own listings, diligently measuring rooms and representing properties fairly, partly because they hope to build relationships lasting a lifetime but mainly because they are honourable people who have no other sources of income.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Well sure, there's a nice old house in Mississauga, two in Scarborough, but they're not typical of those areas.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Good to hear there are other nice house's in the GTA ;)

Re: Hamilton???
 

My wife spent a few years living in Hamilton and some of her family still live there. She has vowed never to live there again.

Apparently a Canadian newspaper reported that scientists had found that mice exposed to pollutants in Hamilton air became mutated after four generations. :ohmy:

My experience of downtown Hamiton was that it was quite bleak, many prostitutes on street corners, boarded up buildings etc.

My mother in law's house is attached to a house that had a major fire a year ago and is now abandoned She's been mugged twice and there's been many shootings, stabbings and machete attacks in the area.

While visiting we stayed in Stoney Creek (on the Hamilton border) and that seemed OK. The escartment is really impressive, took a nice walk up there (mainly to find out why there was a giant illuminated cross on top).

But hey the first ever Tiim Hortons is in Hamilton so it's not all bad.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Prostitutes, stabbings and muggings? Sounds like great entertainment.

Believe it or not there are some great neighbourhoods in Hamilton.

Re: Hamilton???
 

From the Urban Dictionary

"Some areas of Hamilton are nice like Westdale and McMaster University, Hess Street, Dundas and the Dundas Valley, and Ancaster. However, the north end of Hamilton is vile and horrific.
The north end is home to two of Canada's largest steel works (Stelco and Dofasco). The revolting brown, crumbling mass of factories, slag heaps, and smog turns the image of Hamilton into a city that is a shithole that isn't fit for human habitation.
Hamiltonians also have an inferiority complex next to its larger neighbour, Toronto. However, Hamitonians know that by risking higher rates of cancer, deformed children, and the awful eggy-smell due to the steel works, the rent and quality of life is great."

Re: Hamilton???
 

Hamilton looks like a complete shit hole. Why not move to Hull?

Re: Hamilton???
 

I once got a speeding ticket on the way to clethorpes, which is quite near Hull. I never went back after that - though I did enjoy a round of crazy golf before my brother went and lost his car keys and we saw some pikey dump a bag full of chips on the esplanade which was then demolished by seagulls in about three seconds.

anyhoo - it does sound awful and I'm glad I don't live there.

Re: Hamilton???
 

TREB, actually, not 'the TREB'.

Re: Hamilton???
 

An important and pertinent point, I shall note the need to drop the definite article when in Hamilton.

Since this is now the thread for all matters real estate, here's an approach to a deal, new to me, that may help someone else. I received an offer on a property in which it's proposed that the buyer pays the agent's fees, the cost of the house to be reduced by an equivalent amount (ok the seller is still paying really but in a different manner). I like this because for the buyer it reduces the amount subject to Land Transfer Tax and that may make a deal that otherwise wouldn't happen.

Every day a new wrinkle.

Re: Hamilton???
 

I think I was too quick in conceding that point. My usage, sarcastic, of course, was

"I would claim that the TREB has clear rules"

The TREB board's site

(http://www.torontorealestateboard.co.../faq/index.htm)

has the following:

"The Toronto Real Estate Board is restricted to handling concerns relating to the Multiple"

"The Toronto Real Estate Board issues news releases twice a month"

"TREB is unable to recommend a particular REALTOR"

That is, the definite article is dropped when the abbreviation is used. I don't think this is customary in English. One might right, "the RAC decries speed cameras" or "the NHS offers a superior service". I suggest that the usage on the real estate board's site is either an advertising affectation or a simple case of illiteracy on the part of the writer. In either case I see no need to adopt it.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Another loophole for McGuinty and his cronies to plug.

Re: Hamilton???
 

You were doing so well until then...........

Re: Hamilton???
 

Gasp! I kill myself.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Yes Achmed.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Shut it.

Re: Hamilton???
 

That's not terribly likely, is it?

Re: Hamilton???
 

People once thought it terribly unlikely that the world was round.

Re: Hamilton???
 

I can live with the abuse. Tangling me homnyms is a sign of being tired and emotional.

<<clinks carrier bag>>

Re: Hamilton???
 

It isn't. It's bigger in the middle than it is pole to pole. Technically, I suppose, the world is obese.

Re: Hamilton???
 

The world has middle-aged spread? A gym ball would fix that.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Why would it bother? The world is going to be around long after we are all done squandering electrons here.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Can you be sure? It seems pretty knackered what with the sun frying it through the ozone, oil squirting all over it and people ripping out trees willy nilly.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Its people living on it that are screwed. Our parasitic infestation will die out and something else will emerge on the rock a few million years from now. The Earth will be just fine. Future human generations Im not so optimisitic about.

Re: Hamilton???
 

You're probably right, we will never know. Hamilton, however, Hamilton will survive through everything.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Oh probably. And Realtors.


Like cockroaches I expect;)

Re: Hamilton???
 

:ohmy:

I'm not hating realtors at the moment, there are some good ones out there.

Re: Hamilton???
 

Name three:sneaky::D

No, you are right, there are some good ones, they are just easy to pick on.

Re: Hamilton???
 

I'm not sure I know what constitutes a good one. For example, as MB Realtor tells us, in Manitoba agents are supposed to be "full time", not having another job is viewed as being part of being a "good" agent. In Toronto they all seem to have another business, some are pushy about trying to sell you a car or driveway surfacing or whatever while dealing with your house, others more subtlely suggest that they could sort out your tax affairs. I think having a financial interest outside commissioned sales of houses can be a desirable feature in an agent but that's not commonly thought to be "good".

I'll give you that some are hard working and good company.