If you think it’s hard to distinguish Thing 1 from Thing 2, try figuring out what’s going on in the real estate market now. Stand on one side of the street and you could be in one market. Stand on the other side of the street and you could be in another market. Some people […]
Anthony and I were talking about the last blog post – how to determine which of two similarly priced homes has more value – when he asked me a very good question: why were semis more expensive than bungalows back in 1993? For those of you who don’t know Anthony, he’s Anthony Malecki, one of […]
When I was a little boy, there were three shows I liked to watch every year at Christmas time: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. I don’t know if it was my affinity for the colour green because I was born on St. Patrick’s Day, his crooked […]
The Toronto real estate market is a very hot topic these days. And when people talk about the market, the hottest topic of all is “What’s the government going to do to cool things down?” Well, it looks like we’re going to find out soon enough because the government is poised to introduce measures that […]
If you’re trying to buy a home in central Toronto or if you’re just trying to figure out what’s happening in this market, you’ll want to read this. Not so much because it’ll enlighten you, but because it might provide you with some solace. You’re not alone. Let’s look at this from the perspective of […]
We’ve already established that the world of real estate is weird (see Weird Real Estate Stories if you don’t believe me). It’s also unpredictable as you’ll remember from It’s Not Over Til It’s Over and some of the things that happen are downright Unbelievable But True. But apart from the things that are weird, unpredictable […]
We had just finished representing our respective buyer clients in a multiple offer situation which resulted in the sellers receiving a jaw dropping, unjustifiably high price when my Realtor friend asked me “What is happening in this market, Michael?” I’m not sure she expected an answer because I don’t think anyone really knows what’s happening, […]
A little while ago we talked about Real Estate Fear and the major role fear plays in real estate decisions. Low interest rates and supply and demand play their roles, but if you really want to understand what motivates buyers and sellers, don’t ignore fear. I didn’t plan on writing a sequel to Real Estate […]
I recently received an email from a reader who’s a long time North Toronto resident. The email contained a fairly detailed and accurate description of what’s been happening in her neighourhood. This reader is clearly on the ball. Essentially, developers/builders are buying old homes and renting them out short or long term until the developer/builder […]
Here’s how my brain works (or not). I try to write one post a week for this blog and usually have no trouble coming up with topics. This week was a little different. Even though I kept coming up with topics, none of them seemed good enough. I don’t want to write about any old […]
It’s around noon on offer day for one of my listings. There’ve been a fair number of showings and a lot of questions asked by buyers and their Realtors, which is always a good indication that there’s interest, but no one has called yet to register an offer. I’m sitting at my desk writing […]
Corinne and I just started working with new clients who are looking for their first home. Young professionals. Smart. They ask a lot of questions and they catch on quickly. They sent us this email yesterday: “We saw this home on realtor.ca. It looks like a very nice home in a good location. Do you […]
When we last left them, Bobby and Sue had just bought their home. You remember following them on their home buying journey in Price, Location or House – You Pick don’t you? One of the things we did when I first met with Bobby and Sue was develop a strategy for them. Bobby and Sue […]
There are days when real estate shocks me with something I’ve never seen before or could’ve even imagined and then there are days like today when I feel like I’m watching the same movie for the umpteenth time. Most markets tend to go through cycles. The real estate market is no different. We’re now in […]
That’s the big question, isn’t it? Why aren’t there more homes on the market in central Toronto? At least that’s the question buyers have been asking for the past 15 years or so. Because if there were more homes on the market, there wouldn’t be so many more buyers than sellers, there wouldn’t be so […]
When you go to Florida, or anywhere hot for that matter, do you wear a down-filled parka? I didn’t think so. Real estate is like that, too. Let me explain. A couple of weeks ago another Realtor told me about clients of hers who were moving to Toronto from out of town. They had sold […]
Human nature is funny. How you feel about things depends on how you look at them. Attitude is everything. There’s a saying in real estate circles that goes something like this: “You know it’s a fair deal when the buyers think they paid too much and the sellers think they got too little.” In other […]
I was watching House of Cards the other night when one of the characters said something that really struck a chord with me. When asked if his decision was based on emotion, he replied: “You don’t make decisions based on emotion. Decisions based on emotion aren’t decisions. They’re instinct.” I love a show with good […]
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 […]
