My team recently represented a buyer in the purchase of an estate sale in Scarborough. The person who passed away was 104 years old, and his wife who died two years prior was 102 years old. The estate's real estate agent was the great-great-grandson of the two deceased owners. However, here's the kicker, and something we don't see often...
A lot has changed since I started selling real estate in 1985. Back then, interest rates were around 13% for a five-year term, and my first sale ever was a condominium in Scarborough for $50,000. In those days, real estate agents and potential sellers and buyers also geared up for the busiest markets which were usually in the Spring and Fall. However over the past few years in Toronto, we've seen steady sales all year long...
Sometimes our best-laid plans need to be changed. In the real estate business, we always need to be on our toes, assessing and reassessing as we go to ensure we are representing our clients to their greatest advantage. Recently, one of our agents, Jenn Scaife, had a house that was listed close to value...
I recently had a listing in Cabbagetown, a beautiful Victorian row house built in 1868, that attracted six offers on our offer review date. My client, who had owned the home for the past 40 years, was delighted there was so much interest, but understandably nervous because she had never gone through this process before. All six offers were over our asking price. Unbelievably, the three top offers were identical in price. In my more than 20 years of selling real estate, and through the many multiple offer situations I've been in while representing sellers, I had never seen this happen... [CLICK THE TITLE ABOVE TO KEEP READING]
The anticipation leading up to the last month's federal budget announcement had me and many others on the edge of our seats. There were the leaks to the media that the federal government was going to bring in earth shattering initiatives to make home ownership more affordable for first time buyers. What would these measures be? [CLICK THE TITLE ABOVE TO KEEP READING]
With the rental vacancy so low in Toronto, it's very difficult for people to find rental housing. Rent controls and provincial legislation have often put landlords at a disadvantage. However, regardless of the disadvantages, I'm seeing many landlords and their agents breaching the Residential Tenancies Act. Here are some demands I've seen by landlords which are NOT allowed...
My clients were relocating out of the province and wanted to take advantage of Toronto's Spring Market. They prepared their home in the usual manner - decluttered, fixed the odds and ends, painted, staged it, and launched it on the market... Ten days later a large branch from the tree on their front lawn had crashed through their roof.