One of the questions often asked when the subject of real estate commissions comes up is whether Realtors are worth what they’re paid. Does it make sense for some Realtors to earn more than school teachers, for example? Probably not. But it’s the market that determines how much people are paid. The same market that determines that a […]
You’re looking for a new home. You already have an agent, but you haven’t signed a contract with him yet. You walk into an open house and the listing agent tells you that if you buy it through her, she’ll give you a break on the commission. What would you do: a) buy the house […]
When I was a wee young agent, I thought everyone would want to hire me because of my integrity, unique skill set and the way I always put my clients’ best interests above all else. I obviously had a healthy ego, but my understanding of human nature left room for improvement. I’ve had a GREAT career […]
Then: “We’d like a good solid home that hasn’t been recently renovated so we can add value to it by renovating it over time.” Now: “We’d like a home that’s been completely renovated so we can move right in because we don’t have time to do any work ourselves.”
You’ve decided it’s time to make that move you’ve been contemplating and need to hire an agent. Question 1: Would you a) hire your friend or relative; OR b) keep business and personal separate? Question 2: If you prefer to hire your friend or relative, which of the following best describes your reason for doing […]
My accountant is great. We’ve been together since the beginning of Advocate Realty – over 20 years now. I planned on interviewing a few accountants and then choosing the one I liked best, but sometimes you just know. It took 10 minutes with Laurie to know I had found the right guy because it was obvious that he […]
This is the third post on this subject, otherwise known as “He Who Hesitates May Get Lost”. You’ll remember that Part 1 was about the second buyer who appeared out of nowhere at 11:30 pm just as the seller was about to accept my client’s offer and Part 2 was about the negotiations that carried […]
People often ask me what I think the market will be like in the future. It’s a good question because it’s helpful to know this when you’re trying to determine the best time to buy or sell. I usually have a pretty good idea of what the residential real estate market in central Toronto will […]
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 […]
Sometimes you just don’t know what you’ll do until you actually find yourself in a certain situation. And residential real estate has a way of putting you in all sorts of different situations. Situations you would never have dreamt possible. It’s easy to say “Oh, I would never have done that!”, but how do you know […]
Ask me anything. Anything at all. And I promise you an honest, straightforward answer. I’m here to help and I’m happy to do so. Don’t be shy because there’s no such thing as a stupid question. If you haven’t been selling real estate every day for the past 20+ years like I have, no one expects you […]
You’ll remember the lesson learned in Part 1: Residential real estate exists in its own strange world in which anything can happen so don’t hesitate. If you see it and like it, buy it. And if you receive a good offer for your home, take it. But residential real estate is SO strange that you need to expect the unexpected and […]
There’s an old adage in real estate that your first offer is always your best offer. It’s a line typically used by a buyer’s agent to try to convince a seller to accept the buyer’s offer, usually when the property hasn’t been listed very long and usually when the buyer’s offer is low. The premise […]
Have I told you about the time that another buyer appeared out of nowhere at 11:30 pm to scoop my client? It was about 1993 and multiple offers were non-existent because it was a buyers’ market, if you can believe it. My client had been looking for a bungalow for several months. We finally found […]
No, it’s not Fall yet, but the Fall market in central Toronto IS just around the corner. The unofficial start is after Labour Day and it usually runs until the beginning or middle of November, which is when things begin to slow down for the holiday season. I was recently contacted by a couple of […]
The Summer Real Estate Market has officially arrived! Not that you’d know it by the weather. Or by what’s going on in the real estate market, which is unusually active for this time of year. Although the real estate market in central Toronto hasn’t slowed down yet nearly as much as it has in past years, it’s […]
To pick up where we left off, it’s now about a month before closing and the buyer had just called ME, even though he wasn’t my client, to tell me that he was having trouble arranging financing. If you’d like to review all the details and all the lessons learned so far, and there were […]
When it comes time to estimate the fair market value of a home, all that matters is this: “How much are similar homes selling for?“. Why is this all that matters? Because if you’re buying, why would you pay more for Home A when you can buy Home B, which is very similar, for less money? […]
Peggy: You never say thank you. Don: That’s what your paycheque is for. Michael (in a rare cameo appearance): Don, money’s not enough. People want to feel appreciated for what they do and a paycheque doesn’t do that. In my books, saying please and thank you and being honest, considerate, respectful and grateful are the […]
Preparing your home for market involves a lot of work. At times, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do and might be tempted to leave some things undone. Resist that temptation! Here’s why: A few weeks ago, a client asked me “Do I really need to fix that little […]
