If you’d like to see the full letters from which the following excerpts came, or more testimonials, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to provide them to you.

Cindi and Dave – “So many years after buying our house, we were just saying how wonderful it is (for us) to be able to call you out of the blue about our next house and trust that we would all be on the same page from the beginning. We deeply value your experience, knowledge, attention to detail and intuitive questions that help us focus on the essential qualities of our needs and values in making this important decision. Additionally, your ability to sit with our family in visioning and soul searching and add value in your thoughtful and facilitative manner was very helpful.”

Cori and Bryan – “Selling your house is stressful. Here’s the story behind how we sold our house. It was 23 years ago when I found an agent named Michael Meltzer to help my wife and I BUY a house. He took us to 4 houses the first night we went out with him. One of those houses became the house we would live in for the next 23 years. We raised our two kids and over the years, 6 dogs in this house. Every year on the anniversary of our close, we received a card from Michael, thanking us for buying the house with him and offering us a free cake from a local exceptional bakery to celebrate the close of our house. When it came time to sell our house, there was only one company and one person to sell our house. Michael Meltzer and his team at Advocate Realty. He educated us (We came to call him Yoda. He came to call us Grasshopper. Different movies with different references but you get the point.). He was patient with us (my wife and I are super Type A and impatient, he held our hands and talked us off many ledges). He approached the sale of our house strategically. He priced it perfectly. He counselled us brilliantly. We were happy with the result. The market is weird right now. He has no crystal ball. But he is smart and strategic and pragmatic. His advice was flawless. He knows North Toronto. He understands the market. I can not recommend him enough. I would say to anyone who wants to be able to trust their agent, to believe what they say, to know that they will deal with you and any buyer’s agent with integrity and humanity, that they should hire Michael and his team. You will not only not regret it, you will be thrilled. Michael was our guardian angel, our teacher, our psychologist, and, well, our advocate. There is no agent like him. Hire him. You too, will be thrilled.”

Frances and Larry – “We are absolutely convinced that Michael used his negotiating skills & knowledge of the market to get us an extra $105,000.”

Tracey and David – “Michael and his team came highly recommended from a good friend of ours and we are so glad we decided to work with him! Michael goes the extra mile for his clients and we really appreciated his honesty and candour throughout the entire process. David and I were what you might call “impatient buyers” and we found ourselves happy to settle for “good enough” on several occasions. Thankfully, Michael was never afraid to point out the good and more importantly, the bad, with each house we viewed. He steered us away from making a bad decision on more than one occasion! Michael also provides the most amazing client service. He makes you feel like his only client and is timely, professional and knowledgeable in all of his advice and guidance. From questions about neighbourhoods and schools to help in finding a great electrician, Michael was always quick to respond and to give his thoughts. To sum it up, we would highly recommend Michael and his team to anyone looking to purchase a home. Thank you Michael for helping us find a fantastic home to start this next chapter of our lives!

Shanin and Will – “Michael, a huge thank you for everything you did last night and your hard work over the last several months. We were thrilled with the results – both the buy and the sale. You did a great job guiding us through the process and navigating an uncertain market. When it came time to buy, we could tell you wanted to make sure we ended up in the best house for us. And when we found that house, you helped us manage through the offer process and decisions around price with a sound strategy. That strategy worked – we eventually got the house we wanted at the price we wanted to pay. Our sale went very smoothly and with over 10 offers we’re confident we achieved a very fair price. On top of the great results, we also had a lot of fun working with you as we did when we bought our first home with you over 10 years ago –  thanks again!”

Selene and Dennis – “You made us feel like we were your only client. We know this wasn’t true, and that you are a busy man with numerous demanding clients on the go, but you never made excuses and were available 24/7 to talk to us night or day, via email, phone or in person. You always respond with lightning speed. Your level of client service is something that all professionals should strive for, not just real estate agents. You make your clients feel special and make them your top priority.”

Camille and Logan – “We have such great respect and appreciation for Michael and his team, not just as extraordinary professionals, but also as genuine, caring people with integrity. We would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a realtor in Toronto, without reservation. The Meltzer team is in a league of their own and far exceeded our expectations. Thanks again for being in our corner!”

Melanie and Derek – “We were so happy with the support and advice you provided us during the process of selling our home. Selling the home that our children spent their early years in was a surprisingly emotional experience, particularly in a time where the real estate market was so volatile. In addition to appreciating your thoughtful advice, we were comforted and reassured by your efforts to walk us through each step of the sale process. We had a few challenges (unexpected broken fridge, sick child, historic wind storm!) and we were so grateful you went above and beyond to help ensure our home showed well so we would get the best possible price. We would recommend you to anyone.”

David – “I have known Michael Meltzer for 15 years and can speak first hand to what a complete professional he is. Michael sold our first Toronto home in 2003, found and handled the purchase of our current home that same year, and just recently acted as our agent for the sale of this same house 14 years later. I know Michael to be smart, honest, straightforward, hardworking, detail-oriented, and fun to work with. I’ve seen him in action, buying and selling, in complex multiple-bid situations, and he is always informed and a strong advocate. Michael is an excellent communicator, a pleasure to work with, and he gets results. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again.”

Laura and Paul – “Last year, we interviewed four agents, hired one, listed our home and it didn’t sell. This year, after reading and hearing about you, we didn’t interview anyone. We just hired you, listed our home and sold it in four days for very close to our list price. In today’s market, when many other homes are not selling so quickly or for such good prices, this was quite an accomplishment. When a serious problem came up during the buyers’ home inspection, you cleared your schedule to handle it. With your experience, expertise and negotiation skills, you were able to make sure that our deal didn’t fall apart and that we were happy with the outcome. Thank you so much for everything you did to help us.”

Gillian – “The whole process went much better than we ever could have imagined. I know that working with you had a great deal to do with that. Your incredible attention to detail; your attentiveness to our needs; your willingness to always go that extra mile to help us out (carrying children on your back touring through houses, dropping off strollers at car dealerships, etc.!); and your ability to make us feel that we were your only clients, knowing full well that we were one of many – all of the above contributed to our satisfaction. Above all, what we most appreciated was your honesty. We fully trusted you, and always felt that you were working in our best interest.”

Selene and Dennis (again) – “You always had (and continue today to have) our best interests at heart. And when we say that, we really mean it.  There were times during our house hunt when we started to lose hope and felt desperate to find something.  We sometimes had a way of distorting reality in order to see what we wanted to see and not actually look at what was in front of us.  You were always there to pull us back, restate what we were looking for and keep true to what we wanted.  There were multiple times that we convinced ourselves we “loved” a house and you brought us back to reality by using phrases such as, “This is a no”, and “I’m going to talk to you like you’re my sister…are you crazy?!” You proceeded to tell us very specifically why you didn’t think it was a good fit for us, and, as always, you were right. You didn’t want us to just buy any house.”

Leslie and Ben – “We only had 4 weeks to complete what should have taken 4 months and we had never sold a house before. To get us through this process, we knew we needed a truly supportive real estate agent with expertise in our neighbourhood – someone who would know exactly what we should do/not do to get our house ready for quick sale, someone we could totally trust to give us honest advice about listing price and timing, someone who could offer first class customer service. Well, suffice it to say we are so glad we decided to work with you. You and Corinne were fantastic from start to finish, and really made us feel like we were working as part of a team…We never had to wonder what was going on and what would happen next. Considering the stakes, offer night was pleasantly stress-free because we knew we were in good hands negotiation-wise and had full confidence in your advice. You never led us wrong, and having the house sell that evening (within a week, during the slow summer market no less), with the terms we wanted, was such a huge relief!”

Selene and Dennis (yet again) – “In a day and age where people are criticizing real estate agents for making too much commission in a hot real estate environment, and there are websites out there trying to cut out the real estate agent from the process, you truly are worth every last cent and then some. Your honesty, integrity and unwavering sense of ethics make you truly the best real estate advisor (not just agent) that money can buy. You are a sound businessman, an excellent lawyer and an exceptional agent and quite frankly paying commission for someone who has all those qualifications and uses them to their client’s advantage is like a 3 for 1 deal in my opinion! If all agents approached things like you do, consumers would not have an issue with paying commission to agents.”

Trish and Bob – “We had the pleasure of using Michael for the purchase or our home and its subsequent sale 5 years later. Truth be told, his level of professionalism was an unexpected treat for my wife and I. We have purchased 8 homes over our life and unfortunately, we have found the “bar” for real estate representatives was not always set as high as compared to Michael’s. The home that we sold was a relatively expensive home (at least by my standards) and that placed additional focus on putting it in the right hands. We appreciated Michael’s calm demeanour, his experience and thoughtful insights particularly as we reviewed options on how to position the home, timing of the listing, and staging the home to put it in its best light in order to capture the broadest interest possible.”

Daniella – “At the time that a friend suggested that I call you, I was getting desperate and very frustrated. Everything in my life was looking great. I was getting married and we had already moved into our “little slice of heaven” in the country. It was in our new home that we would be having our wedding (anyone thinking of this should speak to me first!). My house in the city, however, had been on the market for 6 months. In spite of numerous offers, sometimes in multiples of 2, each and every one had fallen through for inexplicable reasons. When I met you and turned over the contract, I knew that I had met a “friend”. Someone I could implicitly trust to be capable and of upstanding moral character. Within a few short weeks, 2 offers came through and in no time the house was sold at a great price and the financing became available for the new place. And all I had to do was field a couple of calls and faxes. You made it suddenly seem so easy.”

Linda and Evan – “Ten years later and not much has changed – you still deliver outstanding service. Based on our experience of working with you when we bought our first home ten years ago, there was never any question that we wanted to work with you again when we started looking for our new home. It took us longer to find the right home this time, but we never felt any pressure from you as you continued to conduct yourself with patience and our best interests in mind. One of the things we appreciated the most in working with you is the way you made sure to point out the negative attributes of homes which we might not have noticed to make sure that we bought the right home.  We’ve always felt that we could trust you and that you would never steer us wrong.”

Trish and Bob (again) – “During the offer and negotiation process is where an agent can add tremendous value and Michael delivered. He played the role of an orchestra conductor that was in complete control of the process. Needless to say – we were delighted with the result. Finally, the post-negotiation period still requires the guidance of an agent and Michael was particularly helpful with his experienced counsel as the transaction moved to its successful closing. We would highly recommend Michael!”

Stephen – “I started working with Michael when my grandmother went into a long term care facility in the spring of 2012….When the time came to sell her home my grandmother selected Michael to be her real estate agent. Michael was my grandmother’s next door neighbour and I was hesitant to mix friends and business. However, my grandmother had a tremendous talent for selecting trustworthy people and within the first 20 minutes of speaking with Michael my fears were put to rest. Michael showed great insight and patience and treated my grandmother with dignity and respect. He offered his advice as needed and never rushed. After my grandmother passed away in late 2012, he continued to work closely with my family and always kept my grandmother’s wishes at heart. It has been a difficult year for my family, but having Michael’s service has proved to be invaluable and I know my grandmother would feel the same way.” 

Lalita – “I found Michael Meltzer and the Advocate Realty team through a high school friend who had recommended their services on Facebook. I was frustrated with my current real estate agent after they had labeled me as “picky” in taking my time to find a perfect home. I was in the market for a new agent. As a first time home buyer you want to be selective in the place you will finally choose as your home and you need your agent to recognize this. When you first speak to Michael you will notice his honesty. As I was making up my mind in seeing what agent would best suit my needs; Michael wasn’t the type of agent who wanted to sell me about his agency; he truly wanted to make sure that there was a match between myself as a client and an agent at Advocate Realty. After speaking with several agencies, I decided to go with Advocate Realty and I am so glad that I did!”

Stephanie and Eric – “We found Michael through his blog and were we ever glad we did! We were eager to find a home for ourselves and our young daughter, but were both new to the real estate market and also pretty specific about what we wanted. Michael and his team helped us navigate every stage of the process thoroughly and thoughtfully, fielding all of our questions and patiently walking us through each step in careful detail. Michael got to know us well and we quickly learned to trust his unbiased advice, as he was as likely to point out what a potential home lacked as what it offered, and clearly had our best long-term interests in mind. When we were fortunate enough to find what we were looking for, we felt comfortable and confident going through the process because we had been well-prepared and because we trusted the honesty and integrity of Michael and his team. Then once we had signed, he very much remained in the picture, helping us with advice and recommendations. Thank you Michael!”

Sumbul and Sanjay – “One of the best decisions we made in the hunt for our new home and the sale of our condo was to hire you. We are so grateful for the time and patience you took to educate us about the central Toronto real estate market, answer our questions and help ensure that the home we purchased was the best one for us and our needs. Not once in our very lengthy search did we feel pressured by you to settle for a house that did not give us what we wanted and/or sell our condo for a price we did not think was fair. We always knew that you had our best interests in mind when providing your invaluable and honest feedback.”

Sarah and Brian – “Well, we did it! After 4 years of looking, we finally bought our dream home. You certainly delivered on your promise to make our move to a larger family home as stress free and profitable as possible. We’ve worked with other agents in the past since this is our third home, but things never went as smoothly as they did this time. It makes us wonder why everyone doesn’t work with you.”

Susie and Daniel – “Working with you to sell our home and to buy a new one was finally the real estate experience we had hoped was out there. We were looking for a real estate agent who knew the market well, who would listen to our needs and concerns, who would treat us with respect, and who would share information with us quickly, completely, and honestly. When we first met you, you seemed to fill the bill. In the 8 months we worked with you, we discovered that was indeed the case. We really had a great time working with you, and will certainly use you again should we ever get our minds around the concept of another move!”

Jennifer – “For the better part of the past eight months, you went above and beyond what I would expect from a real estate agent. I have worked with two very capable agents in the past and discovered that things that I felt were too much to ask for or too demanding were simply the basics with you. You always managed to stay one step ahead, consistently providing insightful, timely and professional advice and service. Essentially, I knew that I could trust you. This is why, while away on business, I put an offer on a home and bought it without even seeing it! I knew that when you advised me that it was a good home and that you had “no qualms” about it, that it was the right one. When I finally did go through the home that I had already purchased, I just fell in love with it! It takes a lot for me to consider something perfect and this home is just that. You really make the effort to understand your clients and what they are looking for.”

Andrea and Fintan – “We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your participation in the sale of our home.  Your honesty and integrity throughout the entire process was much appreciated. The stress of an overseas move has weighed heavily on us, but your calm reassurances talked us down from the ledge many times. We were very impressed with your superior knowledge of this neighbourhood and your professionalism in the handling of multiple offers.  Not to be forgotten is your ability to read people; to have the insight to know that a sense of humour is always welcome in our home!”

Wendy and Ken – “When we bought our new home in Caledon last spring, we needed to get our home in the Cricket Club area on the market quickly. Although we had been talking casually over the years with a number of agents who we knew both professionally and personally, when it came time to actually choose an agent to represent us and help us sell our home, the decision was clear. We chose you. We knew we made the right decision and, although they were disappointed not to get our business, the other agents we had been talking to seemed to agree with us. When we told them we had chosen you, they had nothing but nice things to say. They said that they could understand why we picked you, that you were a good agent, that you would do a great job and that you were a great guy, all of which proved to be true. There’s always stress involved in selling a home, but you minimized our stresses and made them as small as they could be. You were always available to give us straight answers and opinions.  You were gentle but direct. You never got annoyed when we asked questions or needed to be calmed down. You kept us up to date and provided us with honest feedback regarding what buyers were saying about our home. We never felt out of the loop. We felt like you were with us every step of the way. Your staff was a pleasure to work with, too.”

Ellen and Alan – “We sure struck gold in choosing you as our agent. Your total professionalism, your absolute ethics and your superb way of doing business, are all so rare and so refreshing. There are many traits about you that put you head and shoulders about your colleagues in the real estate business. Your insistence in returning calls within 5 minutes of receiving the message, your calmness and relaxed nature is a great asset and rubs off onto your clients, your tireless dedication, obvious caring and honesty towards your clients, are just a few of these traits which we (and we are sure, all your clients) truly appreciate.”

Ella and Ian – “We had lived in our North Toronto home for 39 years, raised our children there, and nurtured our grandchildren too. The house was full of memories of every kind. The decision to move was difficult and the process daunting.  But after interviewing several agents we found Michael. He understood our situation instantly and in his calm manner assured us that everything would work out well — and it did!  Michael was professional, knowledgeable, and always available. Phone calls and emails were answered immediately and we were never left in doubt about the progress of the sale. Finally, Michael found us a condo that fitted our needs perfectly. To anyone looking for a real estate agent we would unhesitatingly recommend Michael Meltzer. Michael, thanks again for all your help.”

Cara and Jason – “You truly listened to what it was that we were looking for in a home and the entire time we felt like you had our best interest at heart. There were times where we were ready to lower our standards but you calmly reminded us of what was important and to be patient as the right house would come along. You were right.  You had us top of mind when you found a house that was a “for sale by owner” and immediately called us. You had to put in a lot of extra effort negotiating with a vendor who was not represented by an agent and we cannot thank you enough as this house is undoubtedly the perfect one.  Honesty and integrity are not just a catch phrase on your website – you live by these values every step of the way.”

Erin – “We saw your ads, we read your claims and we listened as friends enthusiastically recommended you to us earlier this year. Now after working with you for the past nine months, we wanted to thank you for doing everything you said that you would. During our search for a new house and the sale of our current house, you provided excellent customer service every step of the way. You took the time to get to know us well and answered our questions patiently (and there were many of them). You were trustworthy and honest. You are a skilled negotiator and we appreciate the assistance and coaching you gave us from before we stepped foot in our first prospective house! What impressed us most was that we always felt that you were looking after our interests, rather than trying to just make a sale.”

Charlene and Grant – “When my husband and I had our second child just over a year ago, we were overjoyed. We were also, suddenly, a little crowded. Our starter home in North Toronto was simply too small for our needs and as much as we hated to leave it, it was time to move on. That’s when we met Michael Meltzer. We were given his name by a friend, along with a glowing recommendation we felt no realtor could possibly live up to. But he did. And then some. Michael is everything you might want in an agent. Aside from being honest, approachable, smart and punctual, he – simply put – knows his stuff. He managed to keep us informed about a difficult North Toronto market without creating undue pressure and stress. And without being overt or overbearing about it, he managed to educate us about our housing needs and really worked with us to steer us in the right direction. He listened to us but guided us at the same time, and happily we found a house that is perfect for us and our children.”

Mona and Grant – “Overall the greatest asset you bring to your clients is your unique understanding that a purchase or sale of a house is not just a business transaction but also an emotional, often stressful process. We have been through this process several times before and this has been the easiest by far. In fact it was fun to work with you and the other professionals who work at Advocate Realty. You exceeded our expectations on every level. If asked by friends or neighbours about your service we would without hesitation recommend your agency and tell them that Michael Meltzer is the best real estate agent in North Toronto.”

Kathy and Jean – “We just wanted to reiterate how much we appreciated your responsiveness to our request to see the house down the street today and your very helpful guidance on our specific situation. I doubt there are many real estate agents that would have taken the time to explain why and how it might be a better move for us to consider renovating our existing house to achieve exactly what we want rather than selling and buying another higher-priced house. We really appreciated your candour and your genuine concern for our best interests. We are grateful that we met you 14 years ago when we bought our first house on Deloraine and were very pleased several years later when you were our agent for the purchase of our second home (and the sale of our first).”

Amir and Julia – “As a newly married, young couple, in search of their first home we feel very fortunate to have had such a great experience from start to finish. We were lucky to get the referral from a great couple that had worked with you prior and had only great things to say. Being a first time homebuyer is an experience full of a variety of different emotions. We came to you with very little knowledge of homes, the market and real estate in general. Five months later we not only feel very educated about the whole process, but we also have an amazing home in the exact location we dreamed of. Many people, including other agents, told us there was no way we would get what we wanted in the location that we desired in our price range, but you assured us it could be done and that the right house would come at the right time – and it did!”

Catherine and Martin – “My husband and I cannot say enough good things about working with Michael. He provided us with outstanding service and, thanks to his patient and persistent efforts, we are now living in our dream home in our ideal neighbourhood. We know of what we speak when we say that Michael is a cut above real estate agents at large brokerage firms. Before we met Michael, we worked with two different agents and two large Toronto brokerages and found our experiences significantly lacking. We didn’t feel they represented us and our interests. They were more interested in finding us any old house, taking a commission and moving on. Things changed immediately when we met Michael. If you want to work with a real estate professional who is extremely knowledgeable, a pleasure to work with and a snappy dresser to boot, we highly recommend Michael Meltzer.”

Susan – “I was very stressed out about the entire experience, managing with three little children, my husband traveling topped off by me going on a business trip as soon as my husband returned. Needless to say, I was expecting the worst. I had never sold a home before and really didn’t know that much about it. We turned to Michael. He was recommended to us by friends who had bought and sold through him. Upon meeting Michael, I could tell why he received such a glowing recommendation. He knew the area, he understood where things were on the market, he gave sound advice, he was straight forward to deal with and we could see he had our best interest in mind. It was Michael who made it more enjoyable and made me relax throughout the process. His patience, his explanations, his guidance, his professionalism and his handy work (he actually came over and fixed my door lock) were greatly appreciated.”

Dan and Elizabeth – “When you were highly recommended to us by two sets of friends about this time last year, we were impressed that your past clients spoke so highly of you and your firm’s commitment to making home buying and selling a positive experience for your clients. After seeing you at work over the past year, it is apparent to us that their praise was very well deserved. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your help in purchasing our new home. There are many reasons why we won’t hesitate to suggest that friends use you as an agent. You were extremely patient, never once pressuring us or making us feel like we were taking too long, despite the fact that it took us almost a year to find the right house. We always had the feeling that you were right there with us and wouldn’t be happy unless we got the right house. You never showed us houses outside our price range or outside the specific area we had defined as our target. Your knowledge of North Toronto is unparalleled and when it came time to make an offer, your research on comparable home sales in the area was very valuable.”

Lynne and Greg – “Greg and I wanted to express our sincere thanks for all the work you did on selling our home in Wanless Park. This was our third time working together and, as before, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were thrilled with the results. As you know, it was very important we sell our home quickly given Greg’s job out West. We wanted to resume living together as a family, with our young daughter, as soon as possible. Specifically, we appreciated your patience with us at a stressful time, as well as your honesty and integrity. All of these qualities were displayed in the preparation period before listing and particularly in the sale negotiations. With six offers, we felt excited yet overwhelmed and completely looked to you for guidance because we knew we could trust you to look after our best interests. As expected you came through with flying colours.”

Dominic – “There are few people whom I have met that I hold in higher regard than Michael Meltzer. He truly treats you as an individual. He is very careful to seek first to understand you, your needs and aspirations and has that uncanny ability to get at the core of an issue. He listens openly every step of the way. You quickly learn to trust him more and more; he’s never given me a reason not to. He’s out to make a difference and he does. Michael is not a typical real estate agent. Michael effectively blends his formal legal training and experience and business education with his natural highly developed business acumen and negotiating skills.”