Julie Quesnel and Tracy Wheeler have been working as realtors for nearly a decade. Despite the numerous clients they've served over the years, many have become like friends to them.

"It changes a person's life, whether you're buying or selling," Quesnel said. "You can't imagine how much of an emotional and overwhelming process that can be.

"We go through all the emotions with the clients," she said.

The pair is hoping their new discount, full-service real estate brokerage, Assist-2-Sell Cornwall Realty, which opened at 714 Pitt St. on Monday, will make that experience a little bit easier for residents of Cornwall and SDG.

The new office is part of the Assist-2-Sell franchise that offers brokerage services at a flat fee commission, instead of commission at a percentage of the sale price of a home, according to the company's website.

Quesnel said she believes all home buyers want to save money when purchasing a house, including those in the Cornwall and SDG area.

"It was an opportunity to purchase the franchise (office) and be able to provide to homeowners a full service with great savings," she said -- adding that's money people can spend on things like furniture, or another property in the future.

The office's focus is mostly on helping homeowners through a home listing package, Quesnel said, but she and Wheeler do service home buyers as well.

"We do everything that a traditional real estate brokerage would do," she said. "It's just the savings to the homeowners -- that's how it would differ."

The two women began their business venture in May, after working for different companies for several years.

Quesnel said it was high time for them to open their own brokerage office.

So they hopped on a plane to Reno, Nev., and spent a week learning more about Assist-2-Sell from the founders of the franchise, Quesnel said.

The company also has offices in Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

"It was an intense week, but it was amazing," Quesnel said "We knew we did the right thing."

Buying or selling a home can be a huge life decision, but having someone there to guide you can make things easier, she said.

"It's all about helping others -- that's what it comes down to," she said. "It's not the volume that you do, it's how you change lives."

Each day is different, which is what makes the work exciting for Quesnel and Wheeler. They could be viewing properties, out doing listings or doing inspections.

The amount of time Quesnel and Wheeler spend with each client differs from case-to-case as well. But it's not a race to the finish line.

"It's a matter of making sure the house is the right fit," Quesnel said, adding that's one of her favourite parts about working with first-time home buyers.

"Every experience is unique," she said. "It's a wonderful process."

http://www.standard-freeholder.com/2016/08/25/making-things-easy-for-homeowners