Sales Representative
Here is a list of questions I’d suggest asking a potential realtor before listing your home for sale.
1. Can the realtor that helps me list my home for sale also help me find a home to buy? In most cases the answer is yes. Ask your realtor to explain the concept of agency and how it works in Ontario. Be sure to ask what limitations, if any, your representation will have.
When square footage is at a premium in downtown Toronto condos, affordability becomes an issue and many Buyers have to compromise on the size of their unit. Have no fear, some design solutions are here!
FOR THE WEST END OF TORONTO
As a direct result of our county’s sound financial policies, the Real Estate Market in Canada and particularly Toronto remains robust and healthy. 2011 was the second best year on record for sales in the GTA. Had it not been for our lack of inventory, it no doubt, would have been the best. Buyers remained confident as interest rates hit historically low points. Sellers were very happy clients as the time frame to sell a home lessened and the sale/asking price ratio rose in many instances over 100%. The average price of a home in the GTA increased a healthy but conservative 8% over 2010.
I’ve always admired the building on the corner of Sylvan Ave and Havelock Street and was sad to hear it was destined to be knocked down and replaced with a 42 unit condominium complex. A few years ago, I spoke with a former tenant who was very sad to have to vacate her home of 20 years when JDC acquired it. According to her, it housed a thriving community of long-timers who looked after one another. Maybe I’m sentimental, but I wish they would pay the extra cost to restore it to its original splendour. Wishful, naive thinking , I know. I’m skeptical its replacement is going to do it justice. I thought I’d share this article I discovered on the Dufferingrovefriends listserv…
In Toronto’s competitive Buying market it’s important to keep a level head.
Here’s another great article by Mark Weisleder, a certified Real Estate Instructor for the Ontario Real Estate Association and well-respected Real Estate Lawyer, who has lectured thousands of real estate salespeople on how to protect their clients. For information on crime statistics and a comprehensive mortgage calculator, click on the bar menus above. [Read more...]
Two years ago my elderly parents sold our family home after 43 years and moved into a more manageable two-bedroom suite. Although I hadn’t lived there for 25 years, I was saddened by the news because I would no longer have access to the physical space that could spark so many childhood memories. And living so far away, it comforted me that I could picture them having coffee in the dining room. Alas, it was the end of an era. [Read more...]
Once in a while when showing homes to clients we come across a property that I like to call a “granny home”. You know the kind: the same owner has occupied them since 1951, it has busy wallpaper, shocking carpets and original kitchen cabinetry. Inevitably my clients’ first response is, “God, this place needs a lot of work. We’re going to have to rip out the kitchen!”.
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When it comes time to selling, most people think their house is worth more than it is. I spent a lot of money on that shag carpet; it’s worth 5x more now! I dug the basement out with my own hands, that work alone deserves another $20k! My neighbour, whose house sold last year, is twice the size and completely renovated. I want the same price! [Read more...]
Real Estate + Design = Sold
There is more to selling a home than placing a sign on your lawn. A well presented home in this market, can make a big difference in the number of days it sits on the market and more importantly, the PRICE [Read more...]
FOR THE WEST END OF TORONTO
Dufferin Grove
Average sold price: $671,363
Average # of bedrooms: 4
Most common house type: Semi-detached
Most common house style: 2 1/2 storey
Most expensive property sold: $1,300,000
Least expensive property sold: $399,000
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