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If you can’t find the home that you love: love the one that you are in…

When I bought my house in 2017, it had been one that was sitting on the market for a couple of months with no interest. Of course, as luck would have it, when I decided to make an offer the listing agent informed me that another offer came in. Yes, it immediately became a multiple offer situation. It happens to realtors too. I offered just slightly over asking and stuck to my guns. My thought was that the other offer had the same thought in mind, this was a good...

'Don't Fall in love with your real estate' is the first rule in making money in real estate. However, not everyone wants to be a mover and a shaker, meeting new neighbours and rolling in the profits that the incredible Toronto real estate market continues to offer.

When sentimentality reigns supreme rather than making what is probably an overdue change, some folk consider renovating instead. Imagine the space you have grown tired of, becoming refreshed in just a few easy months. I don't think there is a single person out there who has not changed...

There has been an insurgence of situations where buyers are not who they say they are.

The new normal has pushed us into a more digital world, where marketing and promoting properties is being done remotely, with less face to face meetings, and even when meetings are necessary they are usually done with masks. Body language, reactions, and facial expressions to determine a buyers interest level and many other indicators, have been removed during the pandemic. Another downside to living in isolation for an extended period of time is that it has p...

A friend of mine recently said “I would rather get covid-19 than get a divorce” so she shipped her husband off to his office every day once he was allowed back in the building. Even the strongest relationships have been put to the test & for some the solution may not come so easy. For many Isolation brought changes to relationships or reflections that result in separation, conscious uncoupling or divorce.

In the time of separation someone has to move out – believe me many have tried to have a friendly co-existence “for...

We have all been there, for me it was in Tuscany while the olives were glistening ready for harvest and the sun was shining in perfect temperate glory. While walking on the hillside I came across a stunning stone villa with miles of table land and breathtaking Vistas. I thought “I could live here for the part of the year”. The idea of buying a Vacation property may seem like you are living the dream, however the dream quickly becomes a reality when you find yourself paying for upkeep and maintenance. Renovating, building, repairs at the...

The beauty of working in the Luxury Real Estate niche is that my clientele are rarely affected by Real Estate Market Fluctuations. Buyers and sellers in the starter home or more affordable housing sector are more vulnerable to mortgage rate hikes, unemployment, lack of income growth and the economy: these influences rarely have an affect on high net worth individuals who are established and sophisticated real estate buyers. My luxury clientele can more or less buy or sell whenever they want: Their purchases are primarily fueled by 'wants' rather...

If I had the luxury of buying a house without a budget I would choose Rosedale: this is one of Toronto's oldest neighborhoods, it is built amongst 3 Ravines that are preserved as parkland and extends out to Yonge Street which offers many great amenities, restaurants, boutique shops and easy transportation. Rosedale was settled in the early 1800's by Sheriff William Jarvis and his wife Mary. It was Mary Jarvis who named the estate Rosedale as a homage to the many Rose bushes that graced the hillsides. Mary would frequently ride on horseback through...

Houses are valued based on a number of factors: Most importantly they are valued based on recent sales in close proximity . Next in line usually a sales representative will investigate and narrow down the sold prices of homes wiith similar attributes to the subject property (your home in this case). When I say 'similar attributes' we are generally not talking about the finishes or the specific flooring - this critieria is more general and doesn't give a good indication of overall value. We want to look at type of dwelling (semi or detached?), lot...

Multiple offers are very good for the seller - you have a great property that is in demand and buyers are lining up to buy it. However this situation that is good for the seller can be very detrimental to the buyer. In mulitple offer situations many buyers become competitive and emotionally involved in a way that does not induce logical reasoning; so buyers get caught up in a situation where they are in essence 'throwing money at the property' where in many cases that value is not there. This is why it is so important that your sales representative...

In the more affluent areas of Toronto there is a huge demand for larger size condos. The sweet spot in size range is 2000-2500 sq ft - this size range is what the empty nesters are looking for when they leave their homes and downsize. However there are other criteria that this niche market demands: Outdoor space, Valet and Concierge services & storage space. Many of these large condo Buyers are coming from homes that they have lived in for say 30 years, a move is a big adjustment. The biggest question becomes "where do we put all our stuff?"...

Generally maintenance fees cover anything on the condo property outside the front door of your condo suite. Every building is different and the services you get for maintenance can vary dramatically. Some buildings have valet and concierge included in the fees and other building don't have any services in the lobby at all. Maintenance fees often cover, garbage removal, parking/underground maintenance, landscaping, window cleaning etc. Some older buildings will sometimes have hydro or even cable included in the maintenance fees. As a result, the ...