Thanks for Shopping Local: Even when you buy or sell your house
We know the pandemic has impacted small businesses everywhere.
No more than in small towns and cities where we already struggle to compete with the big box stores, Amazon, and discount online services of all kinds.
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Let’s extend this to any product or service you might need. Your lawyer, dentist, financial advisor, and even your Realtor are local businesses that support your community.
When local Realtors list and sell a house the economic spin-offs are epic.
Last year the Quinte and District Association of Realtors handled over 1.8 billion dollars in real estate sales. At a commission rate of 5%, that’s over $900 million dollars in total revenue.
If both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent are local Realtors the majority of that money stays in our community. Our businesses employ staff (who in turn spend here), buy supplies and services, and support charities.
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Most of my own wardrobe comes from Lafferty’s in beautiful downtown Belleville. My wife supports stores such as Pure Honey and Elle Couture. We shop (a lot!), at Dewes Your Independent Grocer, Home Hardware at Bayview Mall is one of our favourites. Not to mention restaurants, coffee shops, and pizzerias.
Real estate is one of the most local enterprises there is! We know that supporting our friends and neighbours with our purchasing power is good for everyone.
If your home is listed and/or sold by an agent from outside the Quinte area at least half of the commission will leave the community and support the businesses in that agent’s hometown.
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If half of the transactions occurring in our area are handled by non-local Realtors that’s a lot of money supporting businesses in someone else’s town.
Realtors are hardwired to support local businesses.
Our business comes from our community and we, in turn, support local business.
Of course there are agents coming to our area to represent their buyers. This is understandable. Quinte is now part of the larger GTA market.
Buyer’s are not coming from the GTA. We are not coming into their circle.
On the other hand when you consider listing your house you have the choice to deal with a local business person or get distracted by a flashy postcard in your mailbox or an online discount service. If the phone number starts with 905 or 416 consider the loss to your local economy.
