MIKE LIND

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  • Reasons to Report a Real Estate Agent – Missing Appointments

    The first of what I think will be a long running series. Reasons to Report a Real Estate Agent – Missing Appointments, is first up because it happened, twice this week.

    Picture this; you are going on a date this evening at a fancy restaurant downtown. You and your date are meeting at 8:00.

    You plan your outfit. Maybe you went to the hairstylist earlier in the week in anticipation of this night.

    You’re excited about what you’re going to eat at this restaurant. You anticipate the atmosphere. You can hear the live piano, the murmur of other people’s conversations.

    But most of all, you can’t wait to meet your date.

    You arrive when you were supposed to and are seated at your table by the maitre’d.

    The server comes by and asks if you’d like to order a drink while you wait. You politely decline because “they’ll be here soon”, and instead opt with a glass of ice water.

    10 minutes go by, past the time you were supposed to meet your date. You just chalk it up to traffic. It’s especially bad right now with road construction seemingly on every street.

    Another 10 minutes go by, and not wanting to be “that person”, you resist the urge to text or call to see where they are.

    The waiter comes by again, but this time you do order a drink. “Why should I wait for them if they’re 20 minutes late?” you ask yourself.

    Your drink arrives. Your date still hasn’t called or texted you to let you know how much longer they’ll be.

    You’re starting to get mad. It’s embarrassing sitting in this fancy restaurant alone. You think you feel pitiful stares from other patrons, but you chalk it up to paranoia. So you decide to text your date.

    No reply.

    Halfway through your drink, they are now half an hour late and your pissed off.

    This time you call. It goes unanswered so you leave a snarky message.

    Finally, 45 minutes after your meeting time and unanswered calls and texts, you realize you are being stood up.

    The ultimate humiliation.

    What a cowardly move and complete lack of courtesy.

    You count out $40, leave it on the table and walk out of the restaurant with blinders on trying to look as dignified as possible, but the humiliation burns deep.

    This scenario reminds me of the scene in Goodfellas where Henry stands up Karen and she confronts him, raging mad, in front of all the Goodfellas outside the espresso bar.

    Here’s another scenario for you. You have your house listed for sale. You raised your kids in this house and babysat your grandchildren. You lost your spouse while living in this house.

    Now, your grandkids are off to college and you look forward to seeing everyone together during holidays.

    But you have limited mobility and the upkeep of the house is too much. Due to your mobility issues, you can’t leave for appointments.

    You do the best you can to keep the house presentable for showings and stay in the living room during showings to make it as least awkward as possible.

    You are expecting your last appointment of the day at 7:30. It’s already dark by then, so you make sure you’ve gone around the home and turned all the lights on, even the ones outside.

    You sit in your chair and work on your crossword in anticipation of the appointment.

    7:45 rolls around and no one has arrived yet.

    You remind yourself that they booked a 45 minute window for the appointment. Still, only half an hour to go through the place has you concerned.

    8:00. Are they coming? Maybe they called your agent to let them know they were running late but would be there soon. You call your agent to ask if they canceled the appointment or said they’d be late.

    Your agent says no call from the buyer agent, but tells you they will call to find out what’s happening.

    it’s now 8:30. Your agent has called you back twice letting you know there was no answer to their calls and text messages and that you should close up and not let them in if they do show up.

    You hobble around the house and turn off all the lights and head to bed wondering why the agent didn’t show up or call to cancel.

    I’ve elaborated the story but this happened the other night to my clients.

    I called, sent texts, and had the agent paged through his office with no answer until the next day when he finally answered my call.

    He gave me some lame excuse that his client had a headache and couldn’t make the appointment.

    I asked him if he remembered booking the appointment online through the booking system.

    He said yes.

    I asked him if he received confirmation by email or text from that same booking system

    Again, yes.

    I told him he was just a piece of shit completely discourteous, selfish prick who couldn’t take the 30 seconds to cancel the appointment.

    Our appointment confirmation email makes it simple to cancel an appointment with a click of a button.

    He apologized after I threatened him with calls to his broker and TREB ethics. I’m still on the fence about going through with the call to TREB.

    It’s not hard to have just an ounce of courtesy to call or text and let people know you won’t be showing up to your scheduled appointment.

    But I shouldn’t be surprised knowing that professionalism and courtesy isn’t a requirement to be in this business.

  • Low Balling Offers on Houses

    You Better Be Able To Justify Low Balling Offers on Houses Before Making One

    Where to even start with a topic like lowball offers?

    Last night (a Sunday), around 10:30, I received an unexpected offer on one of my listings.

    The house is a 3 bedroom, 3 washroom backsplit. It has a wide 110 by 86 foot lot. It’s not a corner lot but sits on a gradual bend in the road.

    It has a pool, separate side entrance with an inlaw suite in the basement. The kitchen is updated with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a kitchen island with a breakfast bar.

    It’s a nicely kept house in perfectly good condition. You could just move in without having to do anything, really.

    The backyard is privately fenced with horizontal fence boards giving it a modern landscaped feel. There is a nice big tree adding to the privacy and it faces west so it is nice and sunny almost the entire day.

    The roof had new shingles put on in 2022, so no need to worry about a roof for a long time.

    When I meet with owners to discuss the price range of their home, I always look at the following:

    • What have similar homes sold for over the past year
    • How many days, on average, similar homes took to sell
    • What the average property taxes were
    • What the condition of the house is compared to the sold properties

    Property taxes usually translate well in telling me I’m using good comparable homes, and the average days to sell is a good gauge once the property is on the market as to whether or not we have the right price.

    The most important part is what the price range is of similar homes in similar condition. Comparing apples to oranges is no bueno, but so is comparing crab apples to honey crisps

    My analysis, which consists of taking all of the data into consideration along with my experience and intuition, I came to the conclusion the market value of the house was $1,185,000 to a maximum of $1,250,000.

    The owners did ask about setting a low listing price of $1,099,000 to attract more buyers. I told them that I don’t believe this was the market for that tactic.

    We decided that a fair market listing price would be $1,198,000.

    Now, back to the lowball offer. The offer came in at $1,050,000.

    Yes, $148,000 less than the asking price.

    I didn’t know the offer came in. It was 10:30 on a Sunday. I was watching Parasite.

    There was no phone call to discuss an offer. Not even a text to say “Hey, I’m submitting an offer.”

    I always call an agent Before I submit an offer on a home. I ask about what closing date the sellers are looking for, whether or not they’ve had any other offers previously, and if so, why it didn’t go together, and price expectations even if there is no hold back on offers (an offer date).

    The reason I ask about price expectation is to find out what the sellers want to be sure it’s even worthwhile to put the offer together. Sometimes, even if the house has been on the market for a couple of weeks.

    Plus, if through my research I find that the house is overpriced, I want to know if the agent feels the same and would be open to looking at an offer that is significantly lower than the asking price.

    It has happened before.

    Anyway, this agent, who is actually the broker of record, which is scary to think she’s teaching this sort of practice to her agents, simply sent the offer unannounced.

    Legally, I have to present all offers to the sellers even though I know they’ll say no.

    I called the sellers and in an uplifting tone of voice told them they got an offer. Then in a monotone voice, told them it was crap.

    As expected, when I told them the price, they were pissed. I told them I wouldn’t have bothered you with this crap if I didn’t have to. The sellers have to decide to reject, I can’t do that for them.

    I gave the sellers their options which were to simply let it expire at noon without a response, or to send them a counter offer with their price expectations, which would be an effort in futility being this far apart in price, or to send the buyers Form 109.

    Form 109 is an offer acknowledgement form. It proves the offer was presented and optionally allows the seller to say “bite me, asshole. You’ve insulted me with your price.” I always tone it down and just say the terms were unacceptable.

    In this case, the sellers are experienced and instructed me to just let the offer expire without telling the buyer and agent anything.

    Fast forward to 2:30 Monday afternoon, 2 and a half hours after her buyer’s offer expired, the agent called me to ask about the offer.

    “It’s dead” was my reply.

    That seemed to spark a fireworks display and she decided to go up one side of me and down the other. She was arguing how it’s a buyers market, and the sellers would be smart to take this offer because all other offers will be lower.

    “A buyer’s market?” I questioned her. “So there are more houses on the market than there are buyers?”

    I also asked her for the contact info of her fortune teller who could predict what the future offers would be like.

    She didn’t like those questions and switched tactics telling me that in her 9 years in the business, this is the most favourable market she’s seen for buyers.

    “Too bad you weren’t around in 2008, like I was. Then you would have seen a better market for buyers” I told her.

    That put her in her place. She knew she wasn’t dealing with an agent that didn’t know what they were talking about.

    She came up with another story about her client not even wanting a pool to justify the price. I simply asked why she would be showing a house with a pool to a buyer that wasn’t interested in pools.

    “Because there isn’t much on the market to show her.” She told me.

    “But you said it’s a buyer’s market.” I reminded her.

    She was done and she knew it. 

    She tried a couple of other bullshit lines like winter will slow the market and we don’t know where interest rates will go in October.

    Now I went the offensive and pointed out a comparable house that had single pane windows, no pool or landscaping, a lot that was riddled with easements and boundary restrictions that sold the day before for $1,100,000, another that was bigger than my listing, but dated listed for $1,230,000, then rattled off 3 inferior homes that she could buy for the insulting price she offered for my clients home.

    West Rouge, where I live, and Centennial are the two areas I concentrate on and know best and there’s no way this broker of record from Thornhill could even try to argue with me.

    In the end, she tucked her tail between her legs and gave me the defeated line of “well, if the sellers change their mind, let me know and I’ll bring the offer back.”

    There’s a better chance of me reading War and Peace in a day than that happening.

  • Moving to a New House Stress-Free: Your Ultimate Checklist

    Are you gearing up for a big move to a new house? While moving can be an exciting adventure, it often comes with its fair share of stress and headaches. The good news is that with careful planning and some smart strategies, you can make the transition smoother and more enjoyable. Plus, I’ve included a handy checklist for you to download so you are prepared for the big day.

    In this blog post, we’ll walk you through a comprehensive checklist to help you move to a new house without all the stress.

    Before Moving Day:

    1. Set a Moving Date

    • Start by choosing a specific date for your move and mark it on your calendar. Having a set date will give you a clear target to work towards.

    2. Create a Moving Timeline

    • Develop a timeline that outlines all the tasks you need to complete before the big day. This will help you stay organized and avoid last-minute chaos.

    3. Declutter

    • Moving is the perfect opportunity to declutter your life. Go through your belongings and decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to discard. Donating items you no longer need not only reduces what you have to pack but also benefits others.

    4. Gather Packing Supplies

    • Ensure you have all the necessary packing supplies on hand. This includes boxes, tape, bubble wrap, markers, and any special packing materials you may need.

    5. Label Boxes

    • As you start packing, be sure to label each box clearly with its contents and the room it belongs to. This simple step will make unpacking a breeze in your new home.

    Getting Help:

    6. Ask for Help

    • Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends and family for assistance. They can help with packing, lifting heavy items, and providing emotional support during this transition.

    7. Consider Professional Movers

    • If you prefer a more hands-off approach, consider hiring professional movers. They can handle everything from packing to transportation, significantly reducing your stress level.

    Prepare for Transition:

    8. Notify Utilities

    • Contact your utility providers, including water, gas, electricity, and internet, about your upcoming move. This ensures a seamless transition at your new home.

    9. Update Your Address

    • Don’t forget to update your address with the post office, banks, and other important institutions. This will prevent mail and bills from getting lost during the move.

    Packing Essentials:

    10. Pack an Essentials Box
    – Create a box with essential items you’ll need on your first day in your new home. This should include toiletries, a change of clothes, important documents, and basic kitchen supplies.

    Taking Care of Loved Ones:

    11. Prepare for Pets and Children
    – Moving can be stressful for pets and children. Arrange for a safe and comfortable environment for them on moving day to keep everyone relaxed.

    Moving Day:

    12. Stay Organized
    – Keep a binder with all your important documents, contact numbers, and your moving checklist handy. This will help you tackle any unexpected challenges that may arise.

    13. Unpack Methodically
    – Once you’ve arrived at your new home, start unpacking methodically. Begin with essential items and gradually work your way through the boxes. Take your time to organize your new space as you go.

    After the Move:

    14. Take Breaks and Relax
    – Remember to take breaks and relax during the moving process. Moving can be physically and emotionally draining, so it’s essential to recharge and take care of yourself.

    15. Explore Your New Neighbourhood
    – Once you’ve settled in, take some time to explore your new neighbourhood. Getting to know your surroundings can help you feel more at home and reduce the stress of the unfamiliar.

    Moving to a new house doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By following this checklist and planning ahead, you can make your move a smooth and enjoyable transition to your new home. We hope these tips help you move with ease.

    Click the button to download your Moving to a New House Stress-Free: Your Ultimate Checklist.

    Download Now

  • Making the Right Move: A Checklist for Homebuyers

    Whether you are a A Case of Cold Feet: How to Handle the First Time Homebuyer or an experienced homeowner, buying a new home is always stressful. Here’s a handy checklist of six things you can do up front to make the process a lot easier. Before you start packing, here’s what you need to do.

    1. Prepare a budget. You need a clear picture of your family’s finances before you even think about calling a Realtor or applying for a mortgage. List all your monthly fixed expenses, such as car payments, current rent or mortgage, utilities, school tuition, and loan payments. Add categories for other expenses such as food and entertainment.
    2. List your debts. If you have existing credit card debts, student loans or other debts that require regular monthly payments, get them down in black and white, so you know exactly how much you owe. Figure out your debt ratio. There are plenty of online calculators that will do this for you. You need to know two ratios. Your housing debt expenses (including taxes and insurance) as a percentage of your gross monthly income should be 25-28%. Your installment debt ratio (credit cards and other consumer debt) should be around 10-15%. Your total debt to income ratio should not be more than 40%.
    3. Get pre-approved. #1 and 2 above are important because you want to get pre-approved for a loan before you start shopping. This is an important safeguard, to keep you from falling in love with something you can’t afford or can’t get a mortgage for. Be sure you understand the Mortgage Pre-Approval – Don’t Overlook The Importance. Getting pre-qualified means that you give a lender your overall financial picture, including your debt, income and assets. The lender evaluates this information and gives you a ballpark figure of the mortgage amount for which you could qualify. Pre-qualification can be done over the phone or on the Internet, usually at no cost.Pre-approved, on the other hand, means that a lender evaluates your debt ratios, your credit report, and your overall ability to repay a loan and says, “Yes, I would loan this buyer X number of dollars to buy a home.”
    4. Make a list. Before you begin working with a Realtor, you need to make a two-column list of needs vs. wants. Be sure you know the difference! You need three bedrooms. You want a swimming pool. You need to be very upfront with your Realtor about exactly what constitutes a deal-breaker in your purchasing process. If more than one person is involved in making the final decision, be sure that you are more or less in agreement about needs and wants. If one spouse wants a short commute and the other has visions of a country estate, you could have a problem. Resolve these issues ahead of time.
    5. Find a Realtor. Once you’ve done your homework, it’s time to start looking. You want to find a Realtor who represents you and puts your interests first. The best way to find a Realtor is to ask friends and family for recommendations. However, if you are new to the area and don’t know anyone, you may need to visit several firms and interview several Realtors. Chemistry is important. You need to look for someone who is committed to meeting your needs and who knows the area and price range you’re looking in.
    6. Ask the right questions. When you are talking to prospective Realtors, don’t be afraid to ask probing questions. And expect to get frank, straightforward answers. Here are a few to get you started:
    • How long have you been in real estate?
    • Do you represent both buyers and sellers?
    • How many buyers are you currently working with? How many sellers?
    • How many homes did you sell last year?
    • How familiar are you with the neighborhoods we are considering?

    Buying a home could well be the single most important decision you will ever make, both financially and emotionally. However, if you do your homework and prepare thoughtfully for the process, it can also be a fun and rewarding experience. Happy hunting!

  • Make It Sparkle: Eight Tips for Adding Instant Curb Appeal

    When home buyers drive your neighborhood, or when Realtors are previewing for their clients, what do they see? You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so make sure your home has the The Wow Factor: Seven Quick Curb Appeal Tips that makes people go “wow.” Take a walk around your property right now—front to back. Pretend you’re a prospective buyer. Do you like what you see?

    Here are eight quick tips for creating a visual impression that makes them want to see more.

    1. Start at the door. Get out your paintbrush and spruce up the front door. A bright color will attract attention from the street, if that fits with your overall exterior. Replace doorknobs and hinges with something new and shiny. A seasonal wreath on the door adds a welcoming touch. If your screen door squeaks or sags, get a new one or just remove it to make an attractive door more visible.
    2. Under pressure. Rent or buy a pressure washer and go over the entire exterior, top to bottom. Pay special attention to any white or light-colored areas, which tend to collect dust and dirt. Use it on porches, stairs and decks. And by the way, power washing is equally effective on concrete, and can really lighten up sidewalks and driveways.
    3. Spit and polish. Anything that’s metal on the outside of your home should sparkle and shine. Start with the house numbers. A good metal polish might work, but if not, replacing them is relatively inexpensive. Exterior light fixtures should all be working order and should shine brightly, both in daylight and dark. Check for burned-out bulbs while you’re at it. How’s your mailbox? New owners might appreciate one of the new models with a security lock.
    4. Hide the kids and dogs. You want your home to have the broadest possible appeal. Not all prospective buyers have children so if you do, it’s best to keep the evidence out of sight. Put away the bikes and balls. If you have play equipment such as swings or a basketball goal, remove what you can or move items to where they are less visible. Be sure someone in the family is assigned to pick up after Fido and Fluffy too.
    5. Plant a garden. You don’t have to have a green thumb to add seasonal color to the outside of your home. Think containers. Placing a few colorful pots on the front steps or by the door is a great place to start. Visit your local nursery and buy whatever is in season. Replace as needed—nothing dead or dying, please! Keep the grass mowed and edged too.
    6. Light up your life. Good exterior lighting improves both appearance and security. In-ground spots can accent landscape elements or the house itself. Make sure the front walkway and drive are well lit. If wiring is not an option, solar fixtures are relatively inexpensive and easy to install, although they may not be as bright as wired fixtures.
    7. Look out the window. Or in, which is what your prospective buyers will be doing. While you’re power washing, make sure the windows get their share. Use an inexpensive vinegar and water spray, and wipe down with old newspapers. Give them the same treatment on the inside and the whole house will sparkle.
    8. Shutters are a plus. Shutters add a cozy feel, so if you don’t already have them, you might consider installing some. If you have shutters, reattach anything that looks saggy. Make sure they are freshly painted. Depending on your home’s exterior, choose a contrasting color that stands out. Dark green looks great with yellow or cream. Black is great on stone or brick, and white is almost always a good choice.

    As you plan your exterior makeover, keep in mind your neighborhood, competing homes that are on the market, and your budget. Most of these How To Maximize Your Selling Price With Low-Cost Cosmetics and DIY. And even if you have to spend a few dollars for professional help, the investment will pay off by attracting more buyers more quickly.

  • Ready, Set, Sell: Checklist for Home Sellers

    You want to sell your home in the shortest possible time for the highest possible price, right? Of course that is every seller’s goal and it’s your Realtor’s goal as well. So here’s a handy 7 Additional Quick Fixes To Make A Great First Impression When Selling A Home you need to do to make that happen.

    1. Follow the 50% rule. Look at every flat surface in your house and take at least 50% of the items away. This goes for kitchen and bathroom counters, desktops, bookshelves and dressers. Maybe you do use that blender/toaster/coffeemaker/radio every day, but for now, keep it out of sight and get it out only when you need it.
    2. 50% your closets too. If stuff tumbles to the floor every time you open a closet or a cupboard, you won’t impress your buyers. An overstuffed closet tells a buyer that you don’t have enough storage space. So get out the packing boxes, pretend you’re moving next week, and streamline every space. The buyer needs to know there’s plenty of room for his (or her) stuff.
    3. Don’t get personal. When a buyer walks through your front door, you want her to imagine herself living in your home. This won’t happen if the walls are covered with family pictures and the refrigerator door is decorated with childlike Picassos. Add these items to your packing list. Let the buyer see a clean slate, ready for her to add her own personal touches.
    4. Brighten up. Walk through your home after dark and on a cloudy day. Does it look bright, cheerful, and welcoming? Start by getting some brighter light bulbs to shed some light on those dark corners. Make sure there are no burned out bulbs anywhere. Check the porch lights and outdoor lighting as well.
    5. Show me the money. Realtors and builders alike will tell you that you’ll get the most bang for your buck by investing money in your kitchen and bathrooms. So whatever you have to spend on a pre-sale facelift, that’s where your money should go. If your bathroom vanities look shabby and dated, a couple coats of semi-gloss enamel in one of today’s “in” colors is a great place to start. Add some drawer pulls to kitchen and bathroom cupboards. Replace faucets with brushed nickel or bronze. New stainless steel appliances in the kitchen will give it a real “wow” factor.
    6. Do a painting. As part of your facelift plan, painting the interior walls is a great investment. Ceilings should be white because it makes the rooms seem larger. But keep white paint off your walls and go with a warm neutral (pale yellow, rosy beige or taupe) instead. Stark white walls are cold. Even if your home is very contemporary, you still want to reflect a degree of warmth and coziness.
    7. Check for hidden problems. Often it’s the things you can’t see that will trip you up. So keep an eye out for problems that aren’t immediately obvious. For example, if the storage space under your stairs smells musty, air it out and add some room freshener. Make sure there are no signs of mold or mildew anywhere. Look around the baseboards and the outside of your home as well for signs of termites or other pests. Make sure there are no dripping faucets or leaks under the sink. And check to see that your smoke detectors are working.
    8. Add the unexpected touch. When you’re ready for that first open house, make sure you appeal to ALL the buyer’s senses. Put out some fresh flowers or plants. (Hint: orchids are not expensive and they last a long time.) Avoid candles, which could create a fire hazard. Instead, use essential oils with scents that create a mood. Lavender is relaxing, rosemary is stimulating, and jasmine elevates the mood. Citrus scents are always fresh and clean. Of course if you want to pull out all the stops, bake some chocolate chip cookies and leave them on the counter. But please, no onions or fish smells left over from last night’s dinner.

    Homes do not sell themselves. It takes planning and effort on your part, 7 Reasons Why You Need A Realtor to Sell Your Home, to turn your property into a showplace. The payoff is the look on that prospective buyer’s face that says, “I want this one!”

  • Houses That Sold in West Rouge, Cetennial, and Highland Creek – April 2023

    Houses that sold in West Rouge, Cetennial, and Highland Creek April, 2023.

    RIP Gordon Lightfoot.

    27 houses sold in over the three neighbourhoods in April 2023.

    West Rouge saw 8 houses change hands:
    Average List Price: $1,110,686
    Average Sold Price: $1,147,750
    Days on Market: 6
    Year Over Year Price Change: -6.59%
    Demand Rate: 0.57
    Months of Inventory: 1.75

    Centennial was the most active with 10 houses sold:
    Average List Price: $1,339,865
    Average Sold Price: $1,325,667
    Days on Market: 8
    Year Over Year Price Change: -7.43%
    Demand Rate: .454
    Months of Inventory: 2.2

    Highland Creek, with it’s high list prices, had 7 sold homes:
    Average List Price: $1,202,100
    Average Sold Price: $1,375,014
    Days on Market: 13
    Year Over Year Price Change: -16.33%
    Demand Rate: .54
    Months of Inventory: 1.86

    Let me know if I should go back to going into detail about the houses and not just the stats.

    West Rouge Living Spotify Playlist: click here

    Looking at the demand rate of the neighbourhoods, we can see that buyer confidence is strengthening. Buyers are not dumb. They are well-informed (maybe they know more than most agents actually) and are not interested in buying an over-priced turkey.

    Please reach out to me and let’s start the conversation about when would be a good time to buy a new home and list your home for sale.

    Text 647-559-2229
    mike@mikelind.ca
    westrougeliving.com

    Go Leafs Go!

  • Thoughts on Selling Commissions

    Real estate selling commissions are always debated. Some say they are way too high and others don’t mind paying them as long as they see the value in what they are getting.

    And that is the main point of contention I see when it comes to commissions.

    There are those who believe houses sell themselves. That may have been true up until April of 2022, but we are in April of 2023, and even though prices are beginning to rise, there are houses out there that are sitting for months on end.

    It’s laughable when agents try to justify their commissions because they have the best marketing.

    Let’s face it, we (realtors) basically all do the same thing. Some just have a knack for doing it that tiny bit better and that can be the difference between a 5% selling commission and a 3.5% commission.

    What about negotiating? I see a lot of agents boasting about their negotiating prowess. They even took an online course to become a certified negotiation expert (CNE).

    It’s great they’re doing things to improve themselves, but at the end of the day, it’s just another “advantage” they have to sell themselves to home sellers.

    I’ll be the one to point it out, their “negotiating tactics” during a red-hot seller market were to simply undervalue a house, get dozens of offers, and simply have the seller sign the offer that was the highest price.

    The listing agent had no idea what the house was worth, but that didn’t stop them from advertising that they negotiated the highest selling price in the neighbourhood. Until the week after when the next house sold for more…

    “Free” staging is another term tossed in the mix to justify commissions. To me, the word free diminishes the true value of good home staging; and I emphasize good.

    I can stage a house, but believe me, the difference between my staging and hiring a professional home stager is the difference between you, the homeowner, selling for an average price or making tens of thousands more than the average selling price.

    But therein lays some of the commission contentions; some homeowners want everything included in a rock-bottom commission rate. They want to have their cake and eat it too.

    This means the real estate agent, who coordinates and pays upfront for photos, videos, floorplans, virtual tours, aerial drone footage, and online ads, begins to look at the costs involved, compares it to what they’ll make after all is said and done, and has to make cuts somewhere in order to make some money.

    How much should an agent make from their selling commission?

    Now we come back full circle. They need to be able to justify their commission rate.

    How?

    By demonstrating the value that they bring to you, the home seller.

    A good realtor brings more value to a home seller with their ability to sell for more than the average selling price, and they do this by better preparing a home for sale than most other agents.

    Like I said earlier, most of what agents do is pretty much the same.

    One thing I learned in the restaurant service industry is that it’s all about the presentation.

    A beautifully plated chicken dinner prepared by a trained chef at Aloe will be more expensive than one served at Milestones prepared by a line cook.

    Some agents are just better at preparing a home for sale than most because they pay for excellent professionals to help them, and help a home seller get more.

    Too many times I’ve seen houses under-sold because of shitty photos, or none in some instances. Some homeowners are short-changed because none of the houses’ main features were highlighted.

    Ad copy, or listing descriptions that read like “Welcome to this sun-filled and open concept house in a great child-friendly neighbourhood, minutes to downtown! Walk to everything the city has to offer. Great schools and parks nearby! Come see it before it’s gone!”, does nothing to point out why it’s a great house.

    It’s just fluff.

    Meaningless drivel.

    Again, with all of this being said, there are some home sellers that no matter how much value a good agent can bring to the table, are simply too focussed on the selling commission. Even if the agent had shown them why they charge what they do and justify why their selling service brings more money for the seller, those types of sellers will never waiver and go with the agent that offers the lowest commission but still has photos and staging in their repertoire.

    There was a conditioning that went on during the boom, and a race to the bottom for selling commissions ensued because a listing was guaranteed to sell.

    In this market, where homebuyers are squeamish and strapped for money, great photos, staging, and virtual tours aren’t enough.

    Buyers are looking for value. Value doesn’t mean the least expensive house, they are looking for a house that won’t be a money-pit. They want a good house that they can simply move into and live their life.

    I wonder what the value of an agent who has the ability and connections to have a house prepared in that way would be.

  • You Missed a Great Buying Opportunity.

    Timing is everything. But trying to perfectly time a moving object is really hard.

    The Toronto real estate market is a moving object, and for months, some would-be home buyers sat on the fence because they decided the media knew better than real estate professionals about the best time to buy a place to call home.

    Granted, I wouldn’t trust most real estate professionals either. Some are in it to make a quick buck, and some have their real estate license but are clueless about real estate.

    But the true professionals who actually treat this position as a profession and have a vested interest in doing what’s best for their clients, as well as keeping an outstanding reputation get lumped in with all the others.

    To those of you on the side of not trusting real estate agents and relying on the media to tell you what to do with real estate, you missed a great buying opportunity over the past several months.

    I saw a similar thing happen in 2008 and suggested that if you were on the fence because prices were too high at the beginning of 2022, a 20% decrease in home prices should be taken advantage of.

    Instead, you used media fear and hype about high interest rates as yet another excuse not to buy a home.

    To those of you who can afford to buy a property and chose not to take advantage of the market, you deserve it.

    Now you can continue to blame everything else about why you still don’t own.

    You’ll blame real estate investors, agents, banks, the government, and other homebuyers for paying stupid prices.

    But here’s the thing, you were trying to time the bottom of the market and that is impossible.

    What you should have been doing instead was focusing on the prices compared to the year before. And if you were observant, you would be a homeowner right now.

    But you read a blog post or watched the doom and gloom on the news about people who now wouldn’t be able to close on their preconstruction condo and thought you’d be buying a house at 50% of what it was.

    In other words, you let your feelings and fears get wrapped up in what the world is saying right now. If the timing for you is bad and the market timing is bad that does not invalidate a lifetime of real estate ownership.

    Those are different things.

    No matter what the real estate market has thrown at people over the years, the long-term positive aspects of homeownership far outway the short-term downturns.

    The average boom cycle of the real estate market is a lot longer than a bust. See below:

    Toronto real estate market graph over the decades

    The long-term benefits of homeownership far outway the dips.

    So instead of trying to time the market, spend time owning IN the market.

  • Centennial (Port Union): The Ultimate Neighbourhood Guide

    Living in Centennial (Port Union)

    Centennial (Port Union) is a neighbourhood  bound on the south by the railway and to the west by Colonel Danforth Park – a well wooded ravine valley that ushers the Highland Creek on the last leg of its journey into Lake Ontario. This area grew from Port Union, which runs along the water starting below Lawrence and extending just east of Port Union Road the Go Train station.

    This is a very lush area with a combination of linear and sweeping streets, lined with beautiful mature trees. West Centennial typically has larger more mature properties, while East Centennial is a new area with more symmetrical street layouts, newer homes (circa mid 60s to late 70s) and with some newer developments now in the North East pocket. At the southern point of this neighbourhood is nesteled older Port Union with an quaint historical flavour and some of the finest stands of pine trees in the City of Toronto. For more great information on this neighbouhood please visit the website.

    Why is Port Union Called Port Union?

    Port Union was, at one time, an actual port for shipping. It was so named because the road itself was the original dividing line between Scarborough and Pickering Townships (or where the two united). The wharf ceased to exist as the railway took away its business and cut it off from the mainland and roads. 

    History of Centennial (Port Union)

    In the 1800’s, Centennial (Port Union) was a booming waterfront village with thriving ship building and commercial fishing industries, two hotels, a commercial wharf, and a variety of small businesses. In 1856, the Grand Trunk Railway opened a station in Port Union which added to the importance of this waterfront village. By 1865, Port Union’s population had reached 100 people and it was granted its own post office. The two hotels that operated in Port Union during these boom times were said to have served “knock-em stiff” whiskey and “40 Rod Whiskey.”

    By the late 1800’s Centennial (Port Union) shipping industry had lost most of it’s business to the railway and subsequently shut down. Port Union then went into a period of decline that lasted until the late 1940’s, when the return of industry to this area sparked a residential housing boom. In the 1990’s, Port Union reclaimed its waterfront with a new housing subdivision that has helped connect this neighbourhood to its illustrious past.

    Port Union Village is now referred to as the area south of Lawrence Avenue, and surrounding, more communities grew to the north. The area is now referred to as Centennial, which makes reference to the north-south street which runs through the centre of this community. Centennial Street was named after Centennial Church, circa 1891, which still stands at the north end of Centennial Road off Kingston Road.

    First, the West portion of Centennial was settled with larger properties and homes. By the early sixties, Centennial East had also become a popular residential area with new homes being built steadily through the sixties and seventies.

    Homes in Centennial (Port Union)

    This neighbourhood features a playful mix of architectural styles with elements of English, Spanish and Swiss designs woven into the tapestry of the houses found here. Many of the houses date from the 1940’s and 50’s, and include frame cottages, ranch style bungalows, split-level homes, and two-storey houses. There are also a fair number of new, custom-designed houses here. Centennial lies to the north of Lawrence and runs East to Port Union Road.

    The western portion was the first to be developed pre 1960s with large homes on expansive properties. In the early 60’s to late 70’s the eastern part of Centennial was further developed with smaller more uniform lots and smaller homes as well. Port Union Village – a new home subdivision located south of Lawrence Avenue features a waterfront inspired collection of semi-detached and detached houses as well as townhomes. These houses feature decorative architectural accents such as sweeping front porches, second-storey front decks and whimsical turrets that are designed to take advantage of Port Union Village’s prime location overlooking Lake Ontario.

    Lifestyle in Centennial (Port Union)

    Centennial Plaza, located on the north-west corner of Port Union Road and Lawrence Avenue, features a deli and bakery, a hardware store, a video store, a flower store, a hair salon, a travel agency, professional offices, a pet store and animal clinic, a coffee shop, beer and liquor stores, restaurants, convenience stores, a medical centre, professional offices, and fast food restaurants.

    The Lawson Road Plaza is a small shopping plaza serving the daily household needs of the residents located at the north end of this neighbourhood. This plaza includes a food market, a restaurant, banks, a hair salon, a dry cleaner, and a gas station.

    Recreation in Centennial (Port Union)

    The Port Union Recreation Centre and Public Library, located at 5450 Lawrence Avenue East, is a multi-use facility that includes a fitness centre, a seniors centre, two activity rooms, and a large banquet hall.

    A public library is situated in the west wing of this centre. Colonel Danforth Park, located along the western boundary of this neighbourhood, is a deep and heavily wooded ravine valley that is popular for family picnics, bike rides, casual strolls and hikes. Access to this park is available of Beechgrove Drive just south of Lawrence Avenue, and off Old Kingston Road just to the west of Meadowvale Road. Adams Park, situated just west of Port Union Road on Lawson Road, is a popular neighbourhood landmark for families. This park contains a wading pool, a children’s playground, sports fields, baseball diamonds, flower gardens and many excellent picnic spots.

    Transportation in Centennial (Port Union)

    Bus services along Lawrence Avenue, Lawson Road and Port Union Road connect passengers to the Rouge Hill Go Train station situated on Lawrence Avenue, west of Port Union Road. The Go Train provides a connecting route to downtown Toronto’s Union Station and the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. Motorists can quickly access the Highway 401 on-ramp off Port Union Road or Highway 2 at Kingston Road. These commuter highways usher motorists to Toronto’s business and entertainment districts.

    Be sure to check out the Centennial real estate page where we explore topics like:

    • Port Union homes for sale
    • New homes in Scarborough port union
    • Freehold townhouse for sale port union
    • Is port union a good area port union Pickering

    Click here to visit the page.