buyer: My cab driver is a genius? - 10/01/09 02:03 AM
This is a fantastic story that I must share with you, and I couldn't believe it when I heard it from my taxi driver on Sept 16th. I was sharing with him my experience of selling my own home. And it reminded me of a mentor of mine, who said every realtor should have to sell his/her own home every 5 years just to experience the process and have empathy for our own clients. He was only half kidding, but it truly was an emotional experience having lived in this (my first) home for 7+ years.
As I relayed this story … (6 comments)

buyer: Financing Assistance - 10/01/09 01:59 AM
Financing Assistance is just another service that I provide to all my clients. This is your home, and it's kind of a big deal. Know how and where to get a mortgage (banks are just one source), and what financial incentives and assistance is available to you. ie. tax credits, rebates, RRSP. What sort of costs you can expect at closing? It's stuff that can put money in your pocket and is helpful before you start looking for your home.
… (0 comments)

buyer: Negotiation - 09/17/09 03:04 AM
Did you know that negotiation is a service I provide, that if utilized properly can give you the competitive edge?  It can amount to thousands of dollars in your pocket.   When presenting offers, I often pick up crucial information that might otherwise be never revealed through email and fax.  A seller for example who doesn't want to miss out on the 'other' house, or a causal remark that they were thinking of leaving the appliances anyway.  These are just two quick examples of the importance of having your REALTOR present all possible offers.
Do you have examples where your presence … (0 comments)

buyer: Condo Purchase - 09/17/09 03:00 AM
I was recently approached by a friend, who required some direction on the purchase of his first condo.  'Michael' had visited the showrooms of a nearby developer and had received some encouraging news about "some really cheap pre-construction prices".  But as a prudent purchaser faced with one of his biggest investments, Michael wrote to me asking for some advice on what questions he needs to ask the builder, and if I had any tips for him.
I've been to many presentation centres, where they showcase only the finest construction materials, and show you wonderful pictures, models and plans of site in … (0 comments)

buyer: Are you working with the wrong agent? - 05/04/09 02:28 AM
"Please help; do you have a buyer for my house?" It's a common request, but not always as desperate as the seller sounded this time. The answer in most cases, sadly is "no". I alone can only provide service to so many buyers. But that's the power of the MLS system; there are a host of other agents that may have buyers for your home. They just need to be told about it. And that job falls on the shoulders of your Realtor, and the place to do it, is the MLS meeting. I'll talk in another article about the importance … (0 comments)

buyer: How's the market? - 12/02/08 03:27 AM
How's the market?  It's the one question we seem to be hearing over and over again.  The market can typically fluctuate within three types of market conditions:
1. Seller's Market
2. Buyer's Market
3. Normal or Balanced Market
And a good indicator of market conditions is to interpret the number of months of listing inventory.  This is arrived by taking the total number of listings on the market, and divide that by the average number of sales per month.
This will give you the number of months of inventory.  4-6 months is a Seller's Market, 6-8 months indicates Balanced and 8-10 … (2 comments)