How many times have you heard someone try to justify unethical behaviour by saying “but it was okay to do that because it was business”? I don’t know about you, but I don’t buy that. Not at all. There isn’t one set of rules for our personal personas and another for our business personas. Ethics […]
If you’re buying a home in a hot real estate market like the one we have in central Toronto right now, you should be prepared for multiple offers. Because there are more buyers than sellers, it’s not uncommon to find yourself up against other buyers when you find a home that you like, especially if […]
This isn’t the type of question to which there’s a “one size fits all” answer. (Just like most real estate questions, don’t you find?) Every situation is different so the best way to figure out which way to go is to analyze your own situation by asking yourself the following questions: 1. Why do you want to move? […]
If the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location, then the fourth, fifth and sixth most important things are timing, timing and timing. Some timing issues are fairly obvious. For example, don’t try to time the market perfectly because that’s pretty much impossible. Also, if you have a choice, don’t list your home […]
We’ve already discussed what staging is all about in Is Staging Necessary? so I’ll assume you agree it’s a useful and necessary component of the house selling process. At this point, the question running through your mind is probably something to the effect of “how much is this staging business going to set me back?“. That’s […]
When should you list your home? I hear this question almost as often as I’m asked How’s the Market? The best time to list your home depends on your circumstances. Do you live in Toronto? In what area? What kind of home do you have? Do you need to move by a certain date? There’s […]
So you’ve read Part 1 about bulls and Part 2 about bears and don’t think you fit neatly into either category? That’s perfectly okay. Maybe you’re a regular person, which is probably the best thing to be when it comes to residential real estate. It’s time to find out! You know you’re a regular person if you […]
If you read Part 1 and don’t think you’re a real estate bull, then maybe you’re bearish on the Toronto real estate market. How can you tell? Here are a few signs to look for to determine if you’re a bear: You know you’re a bear if thoughts like these cross your mind…… 1.You’re of the […]
There are as many opinions about the real estate market as there are people who have opinions. Some people are bullish (prices will keep going up), some are bearish (prices and the sky will soon fall) and some are in between. Which way to turn and who to believe? Or should you form your own […]
Everywhere you look someone’s talking about the real estate market. What do you make of this quote from a recent article in the Globe & Mail (Feb. 25, 2013): “Manhattan is in the throes of a boom in ultra high-end condos that has drawn wealthy people from around the globe and shattered previous sales records. The […]
I was watching an episode of The Newsroom the other day when I realized that some of the shows I’ve enjoyed most over the years have been about people doing what’s right and standing up for what they believe in. I’m all about being honest and doing the right thing, but I’m in a business […]
When Advocate Realty was formed in 1995, the idea was to create a real estate brokerage that would get it right. A place where you could be sure that your best interests would always come first and that you’d receive the best service possible. I was reminded of this recently thanks to a couple of good […]
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like overpaying. Yes, there are times when we might overpay for things because we NEED them right away or REALLY want them, but don’t you usually shop around to get the most bang for your buck or is that just me? What about when it comes time to […]
True or false: If you receive 6 offers for your home and sell it for well above list price, you made out like a bandit and should be jumping for joy. You’re probably thinking “That’s so obvious! What do you take me for?” Well, sorry to tell you this, but “true” isn’t necessarily the right answer. […]
If you needed a hip replacement, would you go to a surgeon who specializes in this type of operation or would you go to your cousin, the newly minted eye doctor? Does this sound like a silly question? Then try this one on for size: if you wanted to buy a home in central Toronto, […]
If you were renovating your home and a building permit was required, would you obtain the permit or would you try to have the work done without a permit? Write your answer down now and compare it to your answer when you finish reading this. Building permits are always required when you build a new home and are […]
If we’ve ever had the opportunity to work together, you’ll probably remember me saying at some point “Don’t count on anything until it actually happens.” Solid advice, if I do say so myself, especially when it comes to real estate. That’s because fact is often stranger than fiction in the world of real estate. Even […]
I was watching an old episode of the Sopranos the other day (proving once again that the inspiration for a blog post can come from anywhere). Tony and Carmela were having trouble deciding whether or not to buy a beach house, when Carmela said to Tony “More is lost by indecision than wrong decision”. Naturally, this reminded me […]
Dear Toronto Home Seller or Buyer, It’s time someone tells you the truth about what’s happening in the Toronto residential real estate market. Knowing the truth and ignoring all the misinformation that’s out there will improve your chances of buying your dream home and lessen the chances of you selling your home for too little. I […]
This is one of those questions to which there is no precise answer. The start of the Spring Market varies from year to year and is influenced by factors such as the weather, the number of buyers who didn’t find homes in the Fall, when sellers are ready and willing to list, etc. Why do […]
