Why is the Winter Market so Great?





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Toronto Real Estate
Today's topic is all about home sellers. We are going to answer some questions we have been getting lately from home sellers over the past few months.  Hopefully our answers give you some insight into the selling process and help you understand it better.

A lot of people are asking us right now if they should list their home now, or wait until the spring, when most sellers traditionally put their homes on the market.  What we have found, is that there is a great opportunity for home sellers to get in there and sell their home around Christmas time. There is a limited selection of homes for the buyers out there right now, and the lack of choices has them waiting for something new to come on the market. Most of the buyers that are active right now are looking for good homes, and willing to pay the price. Good homes are selling quickly and we are seeing many properties get multiple offers before they are sold. This pre-spring market is fantastic, and we would love to show you the kind of price you can get for your home.

When people think about selling their home, they usually have a time frame in mind that they would like to sell it in. Very often, however, that time frame is too short for us, and doesn't allow us to maximize what your home has to offer. We want to optimize your sale price, in some cases we can increase the value of your home by tens of thousands while only spending a few thousand. We need time to optimize this value, though, and the more time you give us to get your home on the market, the better.


If you have any questions about home selling, feel free to give us a call or send us a quick email. We look forward to hearing from you again soon.
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

What Does a Strong Market Mean for Your Home Value?


If you're a prospective buyer in the Toronto area, Click here to search all homes on the MLS, or if you want to place your home on the market, don't hesitate to obtain a free home value estimate. If you have any questions, or need any preliminary information about the Toronto real estate market, feel free to contact us at (416) 438-2536
Recently, the Toronto market has been doing quite well. We've seen a steady growth in home prices over the last 18 months and prices jumped an average of $27,000 in September alone. Since this time last year, prices are up over $50,000 to an average of $573,676!

Our vibrant market saw over 8,000 sales last month, outperforming September of last year. It's as simple as supply and demand - the number of available homes is just below the demand for them. There are currently 19,000 active listings, and one in every 2.4 listings is selling in only a month. This means we are absorbing 42% of inventory monthly, which is putting upward pressure on home prices.


Looking short term, it appears our market will continue to grow. Low interest rates, high public confidence in the economy, and a new mayor are all great signs for the future of real estate in Toronto. If you would like to learn more about current market conditions, or have any questions about real estate in general, don't hesitate to give us a call. We would love to hear from you.
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

How to Protect Yourself When Buying a Flipped Home in Toronto



Buying a home? Click here to search all homes on the MLS
Selling a home?  Click here for a free home value estimate. 
Call us at (416) 438-2536 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation
According to national reports, about 20% of homes are being bought by investors, often in cash. Typically, big funds buy up large numbers of homes with a plan to rent them out, but there are also local investors who buy homes to try to flip them.

If you've seen the many shows on HGTV and other home improvement channels, you know what kind of condition many of these homes are in before they're flipped. Because some of these homes are in such rough shape before they're renovated, it's best to approach them with caution.

Often, everything looks great on the surface of a flipped home. They have brand new kitchens and bathrooms, fresh coats of paint, and a manicured lawn. However, a simple glance at the house or a quick home inspection isn't going to tell you whether the electrical wiring is outdated, the plumbing is faulty, if there is asbestos in the attic, or the basement floods.

Because there are so many things that may cost you down the road, it's crucial to get a detailed home inspection by a reputable company that will be thorough and honest. We will sometimes even recommend an x-ray inspection of the home if we feel it's needed, as you can never be too safe when inspecting a flipped home.

No home is perfect, but you can ensure you find one that's close by getting a great home inspection and working with an agent who can help you negotiate key repairs before you move in. Doing so can be the difference between your dream home and a nightmare.


If you have any questions about buying or selling Toronto real estate, we're the team to call. We want to ensure your transaction goes as smooth as possible. Thanks, and we look forward to talking with you soon!
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Should You Wait to Sell Your Toronto Home?




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Today we address a widespread misconception many homeowners are fooled by: that it's better to wait to sell your home when the market is "hot." In other words, many homeowners think it's better to wait until there is a frenzy of buyers in the market making multiple bids for homes that really aren't worth the asking price. 

The problem is, in most cases, those same sellers become buyers themselves. This means they have to compete with other buyers to get the home of their dreams. Because of this, the best time to sell is not necessarily when the market is hot. Indeed, the best time to sell is when you are best prepared and the numbers make sense for your situation.

In the Toronto area, some neighborhoods are currently shifting toward a balanced market and many homeowners are sitting on the sidelines waiting for the next frenzy of buyers. You don't have to wait to get the most value out of your home - you can sell your home for a great price in today's market if you act now. If you do your homework and get some good advice on how to price your home and what improvements need to be made, you can put your home on the market with confidence. 


As always, we are here to help you make sound financial decisions when it comes to buying and selling real estate. Give us a call or shoot us an email - we'll help make your Toronto real estate experience a success.
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

There is No Better Time to Make the Upgrade You've Always Wanted


If you're a prospective buyer in the Toronto area, Click here to search all homes on the MLS, or if you want to place your home on the market, don't hesitate to obtain a free home value estimate. If you have any questions, or need any preliminary information about the Toronto real estate market, feel free to contact us at (416) 438-2536
While skimming real estate news the other day, we found an article on CNN Money that might interest you. It reported that the average home built in North America was about 2,600 square feet - that's 500 square feet larger than the average home built 20 years ago. 

 That's right, the average house being built today is bigger than at the peak years of the housing boom.

This means that now is an opportune time to put your home on the market and begin looking for the larger home you've always wanted. 

 There are homes on the Toronto real estate market today with that extra bedroom, home office, or family room your family needs. If you want to move into that upgraded home this summer, you need to call an agent now so we can begin making preparations to market your current home. 

 The first thing you need to do is check how much your Toronto home value, so you know how much you have available for a down payment. We would love to help you through the process. Give us a call or shoot us an email so we can start planning to get you into a bigger house as soon as possible!
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

How to Never Lose Money in Toronto Real Estate- 3 Key Strategies




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Toronto Real Estate Will Always Have Ups and Downs

 But there are 3 key strategies that will ensure you never lose money in Toronto real estate. Regardless of market trends, profitable homeowners and investors have several strategies that you can learn and use. 
  1. Your home is an investment- and should be treated accordingly. Ultimately your home is a product you buy, use, and hopefully resell for a profit. 
  2. Only make improvements that add value to your home. Don't waste time and money on curiosities that either add no value or decrease the value of your home. For more advice on the best improvements you can make to your home, click here.
  3. Sell during the best local conditions. We know it can be difficult to wait sometimes - you've found the perfect home and want to get out of your current one. It's important you don't start your search until the market conditions are ideal. You want to make money on your home and the only way to do that is when the market is strong for sellers.
So if you know you want to sell your home, especially if you need to get into your next property by the start of the school year, it's critical to make your move now.

We'd love to meet with you, review the current market value of your home, and see if now is a profitable time to sell your home. You can also request your Free Home Value Report right here on our site. Thanks for watching!
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

3 Reasons to List Your Toronto Home for Sale in the Next 60 Days




Call us at (416) 438-2536 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation
If you have been watching the Toronto real estate market lately, you know that demand for homes is off the charts. We're currently at a 52% market absorption rate, which means we have low inventory. 

 So today we want to give you 3 reasons why the next 60 days is critical if you plan to sell your Toronto home:
  1. Demand:
    • We have a very low inventory and the demand for new homes is enormous. House prices are going up at an average of 10% a year, but that rate can't be maintained forever. It's better to take advantage of the record prices at the rate they are going for currently.
  2. Less Competition:
    • For now, that is. As we move deeper into the summer months, more and more homeowners will be putting their houses on the market. It's important to act soon if you are thinking about putting your home on the market. Right now we have a very low inventory so buyers are going to continue to fight over homes that show well. This will mean better offers for you, possibly even multiple offers.
  3. Great time to Move Up:
    • There has never been a better time to move up from your current home into a better one. Homes are appreciating at a 4% rate this year and I predict them to be near 8% by the end of 2015. As interest rates and prices go up, your buying power goes down. If you want to move up to a larger, more expensive home, now is the time. The truth is nobody can really predict what the housing market will do in the future. All we can do is tell you that we are sure now is a great time to make a move.
If you have any questions about the Toronto real estate market or want to learn more about your options, please give us a call or email us today. We'd love to help you.
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Toronto Real Estate Update Summer 2014



Call us at (416) 438-2536 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Toronto Real Estate Update Summer 2014

Before I get to all the exciting news about the Toronto real estate market, I would first like to share with you some exciting news from my own office. We have recently completed construction of our brand-new website. This is the most innovative real estate tool I have ever seen and will be very helpful to you. I'm very impressed not only with its utility and design, but its moxy as well.

Now on to the market update. We are in the midst of our busiest season of the year and the market is as hot as it has ever been. What does that mean to you? It means that now is the perfect time to act if you have been debating on purchasing a new home. Interest rates are projected to go up soon, which could prevent you from purchasing your ideal home.

Waiting even another year to enter the home buying market could result in you paying a 1.3% higher interest rate and another $40,000 on your home. That's an extra $500 a month on your home payment! In other words, you could buy a brand new car with the money you would be saving by purchasing now.

If you would like to get in touch with me for a FREE consultation about what your best option is in terms of purchasing a home, please give me a call or email and I can assist you today!
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

My Latest Toronto Real Estate Testimonial - "He’ll give you the most bang for your buck"


"We had a sticker that was on our refrigerator with one of Aldo Udovicic’s agent’s information on it and when we decided to sell the house, we thought we’d give them a call. We are so grateful for their help! Aldo was very informative as to where the property would sell. He was the one that really pushed the sale of the house and it was really uplifting for us when we was there the night that it closed. We’ve had previous experience working with other Realtors and they were not as good as Aldo was. Aldo was the one that mentioned to the people buying our house that there was another offer on the table even though it wasn’t registered, that sort of caught their eye and made them not push their luck and give us what we were asking for. I really believe that is what sold the house. Aldo is very informative and he’ll give you the most bang for your buck. I’d highly recommend him!"
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

Toronto Real Estate: Appropriately pricing your home





Call us at (416) 438-2536 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Why are homes incorrectly priced?

Often I find sellers making the crucial mistake of incorrectly pricing their home. Usually, this is the result of poor advice from an agent, or the seller has misguided notions about starting with a high price. Drawing from my extensive experience in real estate, I can tell you first-hand that starting with too high of an asking price will derail your aspirations of getting top dollar for your home.
 
How do you decide the appropriate price range?

 A fundamental rule of home selling revolves around the fact that most buyers in today’s market will search for homes online, and are inherently attracted to homes that are appropriately priced. So how does one determine the proper price range that is conducive to the preferences of potential buyers? With the vast majority of buyers looking for homes through online databases, homes are usually grouped within certain price range brackets. Therefore, the best strategy for sellers is to perform either a competitive or comparative market analysis, which will then help to establish the optimal price range for a seller's home.
 
5 Reasons to Price Your Home Attractively
  1. Attract more buyers – With your home listed in the optimal price range, it allows you to garner the most attention and speculation from prospective buyers. As more buyers consider your home, the more offers you will receive, which ultimately gives you the greatest chance for getting top dollar on your home.
  2. If priced incorrectly, buyer activity will become stale – With a starting price that is unappealing to buyers, your home will become stagnate with little interest. Buyers will perceive your home’s prolonged time on the market as a red flag indicating potential problems or issues with the home that make it undesirable.
  3. Over-priced homes benefit competition – Naturally buyers will shop for homes in a comparative manner. If your home is priced wrong, buyers will gravitate towards other homes that are more ideally priced. By allowing this to happen, you have effectively helped sell someone else's home.
  4. Lacks velocity – Listing your home with a starting price that is above the optimal range will diminish the presence of your home on the market. Starting high and then reducing your asking price does not enhance the appeal of your home. Consequently, your home will not have any “velocity”, or noticeable impact on the attention of buyers in the market. 
  5. Appraisals will affect the transaction - Inevitably, your home will be subject to an appraisal so that its overall value can be determined. This is important to remember because if you manage to sell your home for a higher amount than it is actually worth, the appraisal will reveal this and you will lose out on the transaction. Avoiding this situation simply demands that your home is priced at an amount that corresponds to its actual value.
In closing...
When your home is priced attractively, staged correctly, and marketed aggressively, you maximize your home’s chances of selling at top dollar. Always remember the importance of price as a determining factor for your home’s overall closing value.
 
Once again, thank you for joining me on my video blog and stay tuned every two weeks for further updates and tips about real estate and the current market conditions in the Toronto area. Always feel free to contact me with any questions you have about your home’s value or the market.
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada

April 2014 Toronto Market Update: Buyers, Be Prepared for a Hot Spring Market!




Call us at (416) 438-2536 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Welcome to my new video blog!
With this new blog, I will be sending you updates twice a month in regards to the real estate market in Toronto, and answering any of your real estate questions. My goal is to provide you the best education in regards to our market so that when we work together, our transactions will be successful.

Let's Run the Numbers.
With our February numbers coming in, it is safe to say that numbers are up all across the board! From February 2013 to February 2014, we saw a 2.1% increase in sales and an 8.6% increase in average home prices. It is clear that sellers have been benefiting from a stronger market, but buyers shouldn't lose heart – our spring market is gearing up to work in your favor!

How Does this Affect You?
Toronto’s real estate market is soaring – our active inventory is up almost 30% from last month and we don’t expect it to slow down. With spring arriving and the snow leaving, the market will soon be saturated with sellers, and with so many options, buyers can bargain for better prices. However in such a competitive market, you must prepare yourself by watching my videos every two weeks. I will not only keep you up to date, but I will also provide relevant tips in regards to home buying and selling!

Let's Work Together!
If you’re looking to buy a home, please feel free to give me a call at (416) 438-2536 or send an email to aldo@getaldo.com. Thanks! I hope to hear from you soon, and have a great day!
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Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
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