Sia Nomigolzar is an experienced realtor servicing the Greater Toronto Area. Sia is dedicated to helping people avoid the stress of buying or selling property by giving them clear and concise answers to their burning questions.
Sia was kind enough to answer some questions about his background with real estate and how he delivers a unique service to his clients.
Hi Sia, what is your background and story of becoming a real estate agent?
It’s been a long and hard journey becoming a realtor. Everything along the way prepared me for this great business. I’ve put a lot of time into training my sales and negotiation techniques, and the most important aspect of the business, which is customer service. Throughout my journey I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from York University, I received a certificate on Successful Negotiations from the University of Michigan, I took many courses and had many jobs, and even started a couple of businesses. Now, I am putting all of my training, experience, and focus on helping people find and get the greatest deals on their properties and dream homes. I am always learning and growing as the business changes and adapts to technological advances.
Were there any initial challenges you faced when becoming a real estate agent?
Actually, I became a realtor at the beginning of this year, and just when I was getting warmed up, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s been a challenging start to my career, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. In a way, though, this pandemic was a great motivator for me to learn as much as possible, under one of the worst situations possible! It was a very steep climb back up, but I was able to push through and make the best out of the situation.
What type of customers generally come to you in need of real estate assistance?
I deal mainly with the re-sale of residential real estate, with a higher emphasis on listing and selling properties in the GTA. However, I am licensed to trade anywhere in Ontario and also have access to new VIP pre-construction projects all across the GTA. As long as the property is located within Toronto, Vaughan, North York, Markham, Richmond Hill, or any other areas within the GTA, I got you covered!
What can people expect when getting involved with your assistance?
I conduct my business with an extremely high customer service-oriented approach. Selling or buying real estate is generally one of the largest transactions anyone will go through. By keeping an open line of communication, whether it’s through messaging, email, or call, I aim to reduce this major stress and answer any questions that may arise almost instantly. All my clients have access to me in order to ask for advice, questions, or help in finding other professionals they may require. I do everything in a timely manner, so they never have the issue of waiting and stressing.
In your experiences, what is the most common mistake made by customers when purchasing a new home?
When purchasing a new home, some clients don’t get pre-approved BEFORE starting their search. Getting pre-approved ensures that you’re hunting for something that is realistic. Some home buyers overestimate their budget and start their hunt based off of that. They will then find a home they love, but they do not qualify for. Once they have your eyes set on that perfect home (which they can’t afford anyway), it becomes a lot more difficult to accept anything less. This makes the entire process more difficult. Another common mistake some home buyers make is not shopping around. In most markets, you can most likely find properties similar to each other. By not looking at a couple of different options before moving in on one, you are limiting your choices and also making it harder to negotiate for yourself! And the third, most important mistake some home buyer’s make is not using an agent. Most of the time, the sellers pay the commission fees for the agents. So you aren’t saving anything by not working with a realtor! You’re just going to a knife fight without a knife, as I like to call it. Do yourself a favor, and don’t unarm yourself against a side that’s armed.
What would be your advice to someone trying to sell their home in the current economic climate?
If you’re trying to sell your home in today’s economic climate, you should treat it as you would in any other climate. Do the more cost-effective changes necessary to make your home look more appealing, such as changing light bulbs, and wall plugs. Then make sure you are working with a realtor who will market your property effectively and price it correctly. Pricing your home is one of the most important factors of selling it. If you price it too low, you are missing out on profits. If you price it too high, you will in most cases, lose out on potential buyers who would have otherwise been interested. The longer your house is on the market, the more difficult it will be to sell it for a great price. I, for instance, use 4 different criteria just for pricing a home! Work with a realtor who has a comprehensive pricing and marketing strategy. If you’re interested in learning more tips regarding selling your home, I have a book on amazon named “Home Seller’s Guide”.
Do you expect the real estate landscape to change significantly over the next few years in Canada?
I think there is a great deal of potential throughout Ontario, specifically near Toronto. We’re seeing a lot of growth in population and immigration which will likely drive up prices. With more and more tech giants such as Google growing and creating larger headquarters here, we should also expect higher employment rates. All in all, Toronto and its surrounding cities are definitely seeing major growth, and I think it’s going to change significantly over the next few years.
What advice would you give to a first home buyer?
To keep it simple, get pre-approved, find a trustworthy and reliable realtor and have fun with the process! Some people forget to do that last part.
Thank you Sia for your time!
You can follow up with Sia Nomigolzar at https://golzar.ca
