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 […]
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 […]
Staging your home before putting it on the market has become common these days, especially because it has been shown to produce superior results. Some people are hesitant to stage their homes because of concerns about the expense and time involved. If this sounds like you, don’t be concerned. Staging has been given different interpretations, but essentially, it means preparing […]
People often ask “What’s the best time of year to buy a new home?”. There’s no correct answer to this question because many factors that affect the market change from year to year. But I’ve noticed a few trends over the past several years that seem to indicate that there are some good deals to be had in November and June. […]
You may have heard differently from other sources, but with over 20 years negotiating experience under my belt, I’ve found that trust is a fundamental element to a successful negotiation. A couple weeks ago, during a multiple offer situation, my clients were surprised to see the name of someone they knew on an offer for their home. It was surprising […]
When people talk about the residential real estate market softening, there are two extremely important factors which they often overlook. These factors play a crucial role in determining prices and are so influential that I find it hard to believe they’re overlooked so frequently. Please don’t make this mistake when YOU’RE trying to gauge the market so you can determine the best […]
What’s this you say? Posting 2 days in a row? Has there been a monumental shift in the real estate market that the world needs to know about immediately? Nah, I just had another post-worthy idea. Hard to believe, I know. It seems that everybody faces the dilemma of whether or not to hire their […]
In the past week I’ve met a handful of buyers who are trying to buy homes without an agent to represent them. Their reasons for doing so vary from “I know what I want so I don’t need an agent” to “If I don’t have an agent the listing agent will cut his or her […]
Two very similar properties recently sold in a central Toronto neighborhood. One sold for $1,700,000 and the other sold for $1,295,000. Does that make sense to you? It doesn’t make sense to me, but I understand how it can happen. You should understand how it can happen, too, so you can determine the best list price for […]
I just attended my 25 year law school reunion. That may be why I’ve been thinking of school lately and why this edition of the newsletter is in the form of a case study. There is much to be learned from real life situations. Ted and Tina were getting divorced and decided to sell their […]
Last night my clients offered on a nicely renovated house in Allenby. They loved it, but so did 21 other potential buyers. That’s right. There were 22 offers! Fortunately, the sellers chose my clients’ offer over all the others and they got the home of their dreams. While luck always plays a part in these […]
