HOT CANADIAN REAL ESTATE

All posts tagged HOT CANADIAN REAL ESTATE

Toronto Real Estate sees almost a 2% increase in sales in 2019

Published October 9, 2018 by Real Estate Leads

Last week, the Toronto Real Estate Board announced that year over year sales in the Greater Toronto Area had seen a 1.9% increase in overall sales. This year over year increase is good news for local realtors and even better news for those who are looking to buy or sell in the hot Toronto market. This kind of increase was expected, but with sales through the multiple-listings system going up over 120 this month when compared to last year, the board has been ecstatic.

This news was only made better when the board compared average selling price in the Greater Toronto Area. Last year, the average home sold for $774,489, while this year the average is now sitting at $796,789, an increase of over 2.9%. This is a huge jump, and although this is still a cool housing market when you compare Toronto to the likes of Vancouver, GTA realtors are starting to take notice.

GTA realtors might be enjoying a larger than normal selling price when compared to last year, but one of the more concerning numbers for those realtors who sell a lot of below-priced homes it the fact that new listings are down. Overall, the GTA has seen a decrease of 3.1% in new listings, and this could start to affect the bottom line of some of the regions top agents.

The board has seen an increase in price growth mainly in higher-density properties around the city. This means that realtors who are selling townhouses, condos or semi-detached homes have seen an increase in both profit and movement around their properties. The numbers have finally started to stabilise after the provincial government introduced the foreign buyer’s tax and speculation fees on vacant homes that saw the market dip in the new year. However, realtors need the advantage to stay ahead, and that comes in real estate leads.

Real estate leads are one of the best ways for Toronto or GTA based realtors to get ahead of the curve and ensure they are one of the more successful realtors in the area. From being able to get leads on who is selling, and who is buying, you will be able to match homes or condos to prospective buyers with relative ease. Imagine not having to cold call throughout the day, and instead, have warm leads delivered to you in a competitive market like Toronto.

This is the reality for those who use real estate leads, and with a hot market like the GTA, you need to get ahead. Now is the time to see how real estate leads can help you take advantage of this almost 2% jump in the market, and the almost 3% jump in pricing, and enjoy being a realtor again. With leads in your mailbox, you will be able to focus on what you love about your job, selling houses, and finding perspective home buyers the house or land of their dreams. It is time to start enjoying work again, see how real estate leads can help make that happen!

Fall Cleanup Ideas for Homes Soon to be Listed

Published September 11, 2018 by Real Estate Leads

Spring and summer are always peak season for the real estate market, and now that are both are getting behind us as 2018 moves into its final quarter it’s time for us to consider Fall and how it’s different for clients listed a home at this time of the year. As realtors, our clients rely on us to have a whole wealth of insights into the best ways to market a home and maximize their return on the sale of it. Obviously, landscaping and manicuring of the property becomes LESS important during FALL but don’t think for a minute that it becomes unimportant entirely.

Part of flexing your knowledge muscles for clients comes with meeting these would-be clients in the first place. Prospecting is as difficult as it’s ever been for realtors these day given the level of competition that’s out there and the fact that the real estate market in Canada has cooled considerably recently. Here at Real Estate Leads, our online real estate lead generator is an excellent way to supercharge your prospecting efforts and those who’ve already taken advantage of it tend to rave about how it’s done just that for them.

But back to the topic at hand; what can your clients do to make their home more marketable from an out-of-doors perspective? Read on.

Here are a few simple tips that won’t eat up much in the way of time or money so they can still enjoy the season while making their home look its best.

Start with the Exterior

It’s important to remember that the exterior of a home is just as important as the interior and that’s because it’s the first thing buyers see when approaching the home. However, they don’t need to be a professional landscaper to have an attractive front yard this season. Follow a few simple guidelines and they can take their lawn from eye-sore to exquisite quite quickly. Have them make sure that leaves are raked, grass is cut and flowerbeds are tidy. Instruct them to pull out their garden earlier than usual, as well as cleaning up all the weeds before adding a quick layer of fresh topsoil.

This is an easy and inexpensive way to make the home’s landscaping look its best. Next, if their patio set looks as though it has been sitting out all summer, suggest they give it a quick wipe down and clean the cushions of any dirt and debris. They should also get rid of any summer flowers that are now wilting and try some plants that are better suited for this type of changing weather. Those will certainly add a better feel to the area as far as potential buyers are concerned.

Welcoming Touches

Suggest some ways that your clients can make people feel welcome with a fall display outside their front door. An autumnal wreath and decorating the porch with harvest-themed plants with rich orange flowers, pumpkins, gourds, corn and bunches of apples will impress potential buyers and make them see the home differently in a good way. Once they feel like the exterior is in tip-top shape, they can then pay some attention to the interior of the home as well. One suggestion that’s been known amongst home stagers for years is to have a lingering smell of baking coming from the kitchen while an open house is being held.

With the inevitable arrival of fall, it’s time for them to pack away their summer clothes too. Boxing them up and storing them at a friend’s house if need be is a good idea. Cleaning out all of the cupboards (homebuyers often open them up for a look) is too, and they should ensure that the basic items left behind are tidy and well organized. Get rid of any cobwebs and don’t let them forget to dust off ceiling fans. Suggest a fresh coat of neutral paint and carpet cleaning if you know that they don’t have much in the way of budget constraints. Clients that minimize clutter and get rid of anything they do not need or don’t want to take with them is hugely beneficial.

Although selling a home in the fall requires spending a little more time tending to the outdoors, making the extra effort like this doesn’t go unnoticed with prospective homebuyers.

Sign up for Real Estate Leads here and receive a monthly quota of qualified, online-generated buyer and / or seller leads delivered to you exclusively and for your own protected region of any city or town in Canada. You’ll quickly see it’s money well spent as you’re put in touch with people who need the services of a real estate professional like you.

3 Solid Strategies for Move-Up Buyers

Published July 17, 2018 by Real Estate Leads

Moving up has always been a common strategy for homeowners looking to work their way into the home that is going to suit them long term. My parents started in the smallest of row homes here on the West Coast of Canada some 30+ years ago and now they’ve got a beautiful large home with yard in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Real estate is an investment, and making judicious decisions when it comes to purchasing real estate with the idea of selling the home for profit in the future is very important.

A good realtor is a knowledgeable and helpful realtor, and for those of you who are new to the business there’s so much you can learn – and share – about how to best buy real estate given your clients’ long term plans. Here at Real Estate Leads, our online real estate lead generation system is dynamite for getting your more in the way of qualified leads that you can contact and then have the opportunity to secure clients. We stress the word ‘opportunity’ though, because that’s all it is. Your prospective home buyers or sellers will expect you to know the business!

Moving up to their ‘forever home’ is exciting for people. Most move-up buyers typically will have some savings and home equity to work with, making their next move feel less like a compromise and more like a thoughtful selection. However, move-up buyers face their own set of challenges that call for a very evaluated and measured strategy.

Here are 3 options for your smart move-up homebuyers and sellers with a plan!

Sell First

The ‘sell first’ strategy is ideal for move-up buyers who are unable to afford to pay two mortgages simultaneously. Having them sell their property first eliminates the risk of having to carry two mortgages, conditional upon not selling the existing home in time. This also reduces the chances of them having to reduce their asking price in response to a need to speed up the sale. This is a good option for move-up buyers who are banking on the proceeds of their sale to fund their new (and likely more expensive) property. By selling first, they’ll know exactly how much money they have to purchase their next home.

Determining Suitable Asking Price

When homes in a clients’ area of choice are selling faster than the sign can hit the lawn, it’s often that a ‘buy first’ strategy is the way to go. Buying a new home before selling their old one removes any rush to settle into a sub-par property, or having to seek alternative temporary housing options while you continue the process. This move-up buyer still lives in his or her existing home and this allows them time to shop around, and keep on with looking until they find that perfect place. This move-up buyer will typically require a bridge mortgage.

Understanding Mortgage Options

Acquiring an agreeable mortgage as a move-up buyer approach is most ideal for anyone, but making that acquisition is increasingly challenging these days. Having clients align their purchase and sale closing dates can be tricky. It’s a 3-way dance – the client, the person they’re buying from, and the person who’s selling the property your clients would like to buy. Have them keeping in mind that they’ll also have to move out and move in on the same day, so time is their best friend if it can be managed effectively. This means they need to plan ahead – researching neighbourhoods, being pre-approved for a mortgage, and beginning the ‘purge’ that should come before a big move.

The right move-up buyer strategy of course depends on a number of factors, such as your clients’ financial situation, current housing market conditions, their personal comfort level and their predispositions as buyers. Have them consider all these when making their decision. You are the pro who’s there to ensure a smooth transaction on both sides of the bargaining table.

Sign up with Real Estate Leads here and receive a monthly quota of online-generated, qualified buyer and / or seller leads that are provided for you exclusively and for you similarly exclusively-served region of any city or town in Canada. It’s a great way to supercharge your prospecting efforts and build your client base when you make yourself as the expert who can help these people with a purchase of this kind of magnitude!

Canadian Home Sales Likely to Drop to Lowest Level in 3 Years

Published September 19, 2017 by Real Estate Leads

Despite certain suggestions to the contrary and the assurances of others, it appears that 2018 will see Canadian home sales dropping to their lowest level in three years, driven in large part by a measurable decline in Ontario. All of this according to the Canadian Real Estate Association, and a forecast that comes with both troubling and promising aspects depending on which side of the owner / buyer fence you’re on.

Here at Real Estate Leads, we understand that predictions of this variety will weigh heavily with those of you who make up the bulk of our audience and registrants – realtors. Our online lead generation system for realtors has been a big success, and we feel that sharing relevant information regarding the national market and facilitating discussion around it benefits everyone.

So let’s look at this forecast in greater detail.

A Noticeable Dip

The association’s expectation is that a number slightly in excess of 495,100 will indicate the number of homes to be sold next year, downgrading its sales forecast for 2017 with a 9.9% drop in August as compared to a year ago.

Come January and the beginning of 2018, the prediction is that sales will fall 2.3% through 2018, and further that the remainder of 2017 will see a 5.3% decline on the original forecast of roughly 506,000 homes to be sold between June 1 and Dec.31 of this year, a number that’s approximately 20K less than what was first forecast in June of this year.

Looking at in greater depth, it’s interesting to note that seasonally adjusted sales in August rose 1.3% from the prior month, in large part due to a 14.3% boost coming from the GTA area. While that in itself will sound promising, the fact that sales in this area are down 35% from a year ago tempers the positivity considerably.

More than a few industry experts believe that the worst may have passed for the GTA, especially following provincially-implemented policy changes restricting foreign buyers, but there’s a lack of anything tangible to bear out that optimism.

Similar Outcomes Elsewhere

The CREA expects sales in British Columbia and Ontario will show themselves to have fallen by 10% or so by the end of 2017, and of course that’s in comparison to record highs set in 2016.

Sales last month were down in nearly 2/3 of all local markets, led by the country’s most populated greater metro area – Greater Toronto and its nearby housing markets.

Meanwhile, out west in Vancouver, August sales were up 7.3% from July and 21.3% higher than where they came in a year ago. Given the ever-hot and fast moving nature of the market in the Lower Mainland, homebuyers are of course watching mortgage rates carefully. Recent interest rate increases are prompting some to make offers before the rates make the scheduled climb, but at the same time others are pulling back.

Housing prices, however, continue to climb and seem unaffected by the dip-in-sales trend, at least for now. The average price for a home sold last month was $472,247, which is up 3.6% compared to a year ago. Greater Toronto was up 3.1%, and Greater Vancouver came in at 17.9%.

The national average price excluding these 2 regions? $373,859.

That number is expected to be up 3.4% to $507,700 come the end of December, which is lower than the prior forecast and that’s in large part because of fewer luxury home sales in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe region.

The projected 0.6% drop to $503,500 next year is expected to be a reflection of a record number of high-end home sales around Toronto earlier this year, but the fact that that likely won’t be repeated in 2018 is behind the drop.

Other Projections by Area

Newfoundland and Labrador sales this year are forecast to dip by 8.1%.

Saskatchewan should decline by about 4%.

Alberta is predicted to buck the trend, and projected to have Canada’s largest increase here at 7.4%. While that’s a plus for sure, it’s still below the provincial 10-year average.

Last but not least, sales are forecast to expand 5.4 % in Quebec and 5.7% in New Brunswick.

With all of this understood, we’ll of course have to wait and see if these predictions materialize. Should they do so, it will of course mean a bit of a downswing in the industry but as the old saying goes ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going.’ Put more into your prospecting efforts and apply yourself more stringently and you’ll be able to keep your earnings where they need to be.

Of course, signing up with Real Estate Leads here is a great idea to supercharge those efforts. You’ll receive qualified online-generated buyer and seller leads delivered to you exclusively for your exclusively-retained area / neighbourhood of your home province. From there, what you turn this opportunities into is up to you!