I would never claim to understand how all buyers think because there are many times I don’t even understand how my own brain works, but after twenty five years in this business I’ve gained a little insight into what buyers are likely to be thinking when they look at homes. Some people might say […]
At some point, most of the conversations I’m involved in turn to the weather or real estate, and usually both. It’s not that I’m limited in terms of what I can talk about, at least I hope people don’t think that, but more so that these subjects are easy and good ice breakers. (If I […]
I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: choosing the right list price (also referred to as your pricing strategy) when you sell your home is probably the single most important factor in determining how much your home will sell for and how quickly it will sell. This information isn’t only important for sellers. As […]
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 […]
Is it too early to predict what I think might happen in the residential real estate market in central Toronto in 2018? I don’t think so. Because I already spend so much time mulling over what’s going on in the market, I don’t need to wait until January. And I figure I may as well […]
Many years ago, I remember listing a home on Douglas Avenue in North Toronto. It was so long ago that it was a buyers’ market. To select the right list price, which we all know is the most important component to a successful sale, we selected a list price that was in line with the […]
Selling your home now is different from what selling your home would have been earlier in the year. The rules have changed because the market has changed. We’re no longer playing the same game. One of the ways I know this is because it’s been a while since I’ve heard someone say “Any monkey can […]
Welcome to summer 2017. The market is typically quiet during the summer and this year is no different. I remember summers when I was a kid. The whole family would head up to my grandparents’ place in the Laurentians as soon as school ended and we’d stay up there until Labour Day afternoon. Paper thin […]
When the market is very hot, as it was earlier this year, there’s a fairly good chance you can sell your home for top dollar. Not every home will sell for top dollar even in a hot market, but the odds are heavily in your favour. This was proven again and again earlier this year. […]
So what should you do NOW? As opposed to what you were doing earlier this year if you were buying or selling your home. Are things different now or are they the same? And if they’ve changed, how’ve they changed? I’ve been spending a lot of time lately (and I mean a LOT of time) […]
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 […]
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the residential real estate market here in central Toronto, trying to figure things out. Which is why I haven’t been writing as much as usual (as you may have noticed). I have to say I really don’t like what I’ve been seeing. Not at all. That’s […]
Selling your home twice is a very interesting concept, isn’t it? Especially when prices are as high as they are. Imagine being able to get twice as much money as you thought you’d get. And if you COULD sell your home twice, there might also be studies comparing sale prices of the same properties at […]
The residential real estate market in central Toronto typically slows down during the holiday season. Not because buyers decide to take a break from looking for new homes (although some do), but because sellers take a break. Who wants the stress of putting their home on the market when it’s full of decorations and guests? […]
You may read this question and say to yourself, “Isn’t that obvious? It’s because greedy sellers and their unscrupulous Realtors want to mislead innocent buyers into thinking they can actually buy the home for the low list price so they’ll make offers and bid the price way up.” Well, I’m here to tell you it’s […]
Let’s pretend I’m you. Or you’re me. It doesn’t really matter. And let’s pretend you want to buy a house in central Toronto. Even with all the knowledge and experience I’ve accumulated during my 25 years in the business, buying a house won’t be a slam dunk. No question about it, buying a house in […]
Sometimes my best thoughts come in the middle of the night. It started with a sunny day in mid-June. I had booked a few days off and was listening to a Rich Roll podcast in my car on the way to the Laurentians. I was enjoying the peaceful solo drive and looking forward to meeting […]
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 […]
I remember it vividly. I had just started articling when a senior partner, one of those guys with a corner office, called me over and said: “Meltzer, I need you to close this deal for me. Here’s the file. Be at the Registry Office at 2 pm.” I was a new articling student. I knew […]
