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, […]
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 […]
Pre-inspections are becoming more and more common. If you’re not sure what a pre-inspection is, it’s a home inspection done by a seller before a home goes on the market. It has several benefits. First, depending on the area and the type of home, buyers may expect to see a pre-inspection. If one isn’t available, […]
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 […]
It’s November and we’re still in the middle of the Fall market. Last week was a normal Fall market week with a fair number of new homes coming on the market. So what happened this week? Why have there been so few new listings? Well, if you’re a buyer looking for a certain style of […]
There’s a lot of noise out there right now about the state of the real estate market. It seems that almost every day someone reports that the market is softening or is about to crash. I don’t understand how these conclusions are drawn because I haven’t seen any evidence of them. I do, however, see […]
Every once in a while, I find myself tracing my roots back to the beginning. I don’t mean to Montreal, which is where I was born, or to Europe, which is where my grandparents came from. I’m referring to a charming, 13th century village called Scanno which is in the mountains a few hours outside of […]
Margaret and Pierre had been looking for a new home for a while when they finally found one they liked (names, prices and other details have been changed to protect everybody’s privacy). It wasn’t perfect, but it had some very nice features. It was nicer than most similar homes, but at $995,000, its price reflected […]
They tell me to write short blog posts. As you can tell, I’ve been having difficulty. Let’s see how this one goes. If you’ve ever bought a home in Ontario, you know about Land Transfer Tax. You probably don’t remember it fondly, but you can’t forget it because it was so substantial (approximately $16,500 for […]
Due diligence. When I was a lawyer, I hated this term. It meant long days and nights reading through countless, boring documents. I’m shuddering right now just thinking of it. Thankfully, I don’t have to do that kind of due diligence any longer, but due diligence has not disappeared from my life altogether. When you […]
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 […]
