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Should I wait to sell my home

“Should I wait to sell my home?”

This is a common question that I have been asked by my current clients and new clients who have been considering selling. I also see people asking this same question in various community group pages on social media sites. It’s clearly a common question these days for many homeowners and a question that should be answered. So, should you wait to sell your home? Continue reading to find out.

Should I wait to sell my home

Historically, Toronto’s real estate market has been more predicable with very busy spring and fall markets and slower summer and winter markets. However, things have changed. With record low inventory of only 2 months’ worth of inventory, there really hasn’t been a better time to list your home for sale in Toronto. Based on only 2 months’ worth of inventory, all of Canada could run out of available properties by mid-March if no new properties come to market (hopefully this doesn’t happen!). With high demand, record low inventory and the Bank of Canada’s recent announcement that they will not be increasing their rate at this time, this is one of the best “seller’s markets” that Canada has ever seen (I’m sorry buyers).

 

Chestnut Park’s CEO, Chris Kapches, discussed the latest trends in the Toronto housing marketing in detail at our recent office meeting and in Chestnut Park’s latest blog: “During December 5,174 new properties came to market, almost 12 percent fewer than what came to market in 2020. What is even more shocking is the fact that entering 2022 there are only 3,232 active listings for the entire greater Toronto area, more than 46 percent of which are condominium apartments. By contrast last year there were 7,892 active listings which at the time we reported were totally inadequate to meet the growing pandemic demand.”

should I wait to sell my home

If the market continues in this manner, we will continue to see prices increasing. This would be caused by the likelihood that newly available properties will continue to attract multiple offers, ultimately driving up the final sale price and the overall average sale price for Toronto and the GTA.

On the basis of these statistics and trends, it is clear that there hasn’t been a better time in recent history to sell your home here in Toronto.

Contact me any time if you are considering selling your home and have questions about the market or would like to receive a complimentary, no obligation home evaluation in order to learn how much your home could potentially sell for. It might be more than you think!

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10 New Homeowner Tips

You’ve just moved into your new home and you’re over the moon excited. Congratulations on your new home, this is definitely one of the most exciting times of your life, take a moment to soak in the moment, times like these are precious!

With all of the commotion and excitement, you’re likely not thinking straight about all of the things you need to do and consider at this point. In order to make your transition smoother, I have put together this to-do list which includes items you will want to definitely attend to as well as other things you may want to consider.

1) Get your air ducts and HVAC system cleaned! 

You wouldn’t believe how dirty unattended air ducts can get over the years. From inspecting homes on behalf of and with my clients, I have seen some pretty disgusting and disturbing air ducts. From pet hair, household dust, pieces of drywall, insulation and even rodent feces, I’ve seen a lot of really gross stuff. This is why it is important that you have your air ducts and HVAC system cleaned when you first move in and prior to your furniture being moved into your new home. It is much easier for you to have this work completed without furniture in the home as there is typically large equipment and hoses that need to be run throughout your home which could damage your furniture. Make sure you also change the furnace filter after the duct cleaning is done. There are different qualities of filter that offer various levels of protection. You should change this filter at least every 3 months to ensure you are breathing clean air. It is also important that you get the right size of filter for your furnace. If you remove the existing filter, there are typically numbers printed on the side, for example “16 x 25 x 1”, which reflects the size of filter. In some cases, more advanced systems will have different types of filters, if you do not see a filter with a similar number as previously mentioned, take a photo of what you have and show the hardware store the photo to determine what you need for your home. In addition to having your main air ducts cleaned, you should also have your dryer vent cleaned as lint can build up over time and cause a fire hazard. You can view some HVAC filter options HERE.

10 New Homeowner Tips

2) Renovate & paint before your furniture arrives

As much as you may be excited to move your furniture into your new home, I highly recommend completing any needed renovations or painting prior to moving your furniture in. Completing renovations and painting with furniture in place makes it much more difficult to complete the work and you run the risk of your furniture being damaged. Some moving companies provide temporary storage solutions if you need it. They will pick up your furniture from your current home and take it to their storage facility for storage.  When you are ready to have it moved to your new home, they will transport it to your home from their storage facility. This option allows you time to get your work completed without your furniture being in the way or it being damaged.

10 New Homeowner Tips

3) Change the locks!

You will want to ensure that all of your exterior door locks are changed the day you take possession. This ensures that both your belongings, yourself and your property are safe. The last thing you want is a stranger having access to your home. You should also consider hiring the locksmith to install child safety locks while they are there to do the work if you have young children.

10 New Homeowner Tips

4) Make sure the fire & carbon monoxide alarms are up to date and working properly

Once you have possession of your new home, one of the first things you should do is check to make sure the fire alarms and CO alarms are working properly and change all existing batteries with new batteries. You can view some additional fire safety tips HERE.

10 New Homeowner Tips

5) Ensure that your home insurance is set up

This is extremely important. Make sure your home insurance is set up and effective as of the date that you take possession. Hopefully you never have to make use of it but it could be very costly should you have any problems without your home being insured.

10 New Homeowner Tips

6) Get to know your neighbours

Not only is it nice to get to know your neighbours, it’s also helpful from a security perspective. Suggest exchanging your phone numbers and email addresses. This is helpful in case one of you are away and there’s an issue with one of your homes.

10 New Homeowner Tips

7) Have your chimney inspected and cleaned

If you have bought an older home in Toronto and it has a wood-burning fireplace, you should have it inspected by a W.E.T.T certified inspector to ensure that it is safe to use. This inspection should be completed prior to using the fireplace as your fireplace and chimney can be a very serious fire hazard should they not be in good working order. If the inspector has confirmed that it is safe to use, you should have the chimney cleaned prior to having your first fire to avoid any chimney fires due to the build of creosote. Ideally, you would have the chimney inspected as a part of a home inspection, however, with Toronto’s current competitive market, many buyers are forced to waive any inspection conditions and essentially buy the home as is. If you have the opportunity, make your offer conditional on a home inspection and have the fireplace and chimney inspected at that time as the overall home inspection.

10 New Homeowner Tips

8) Test all appliances 

There is a good chance that your offer includes a clause stating that all appliances should be in good working order on closing. If your offer includes such a clause, it is always best to test all of the appliances the same day you take possession. Should any of the appliances not be in good working order, take photos, videos and notes and send them to your real estate lawyer and inquire about what options you have at that point.

10 New Homeowner Tips

9) Test the sump pump or consider installing one

If your new home has a sump pump, make sure you test it once you take possession. Water damage is one of the most common and costly threats to a home. Certain areas of Toronto are more prone to basement flooding so it is important that you take this into consideration. If your sump pump doesn’t already have a battery backup, you should definitely install one as soon as possible. A battery backup will provide your sump pump with the electricity it needs should your power go out and you have a flood.

10 New Homeowner Tips

10) Deep clean your home 

I probably don’t have to point this out but you should definitely complete a deep clean of your entire home. Whether you do it yourself or you hire a professional cleaning service, you will want to make sure you clean all of the bathrooms, kitchens (including the interior and exterior of the cupboards), the interior and exterior of all kitchen and laundry appliances, window sills, door frames, baseboards and floors. If you are keeping any existing drapes that are being sold with the home, you may want to check their tags and wash them in hot water if possible. Benefect Botanical Disinfectant is a natural cleaning product that is as strong and in some cases, stronger than cleaning products with harsh toxic chemicals. It is a commercial grade cleaner which is used by hospitals and restoration companies. I personally use this product for my own home and love it. I have no affiliation with them, I’m just a big fan of their products. You can learn more about them HERE .

10 New Homeowner Tips

Hopefully this list is helpful to you whether you have just moved in or you are moving into a new home in the near future.

Are you thinking about making a move and have questions about the buying process? Contact me any time with your questions or concerns. Whether you are considering a move now or in the future I am here any happy to answer any questions you may have.

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5 Common Seller Mistake When Selling And How To Avoid Them

The thought of selling your home can be exciting, but in reality, it can also be very stressful and costly if not done properly. Avoiding common mistakes when selling can help make your selling experience a positive one and keep more money in your pocket.

5 Common Seller Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Below are 5 common mistakes that sellers make and how to avoid them:

1) Not properly preparing your home to sell

Regardless of how strong your local market may be, you should always ensure that your home is in the best showing condition as possible before listing. This includes ensuring that both the inside and outside of your home is in good condition and is visually appealing to buyers. Staging your home can drastically enhance your chances of receiving higher offers and selling for more money. Speak to your agent about what pre-listing home preparation services and staging options you have before listing your home for sale.

2) Listing at the wrong time

If you live in Toronto, based on our current record low inventory that we are experiencing as of today’s date, there is almost no bad time to list your home for sale. With that being said, historically speaking, the spring and fall are typically good times to list your home. The weather is nice, people are in a better mood and likely haven’t left for the cottage or their summer vacations. Over the years, it has been very clear that the market slows down substantially during July and August in the summer and December, January, February in the winter.

3) Listing too high

With more online resources available to buyers which include statistical information such as recent sale prices, average days on market and more, buyers know when a property is overpriced. The last thing you want to do is list your home too high and not receive any interest  from buyers which will ultimately force you to reduce your list price and potentially stigmatize your property. By lowering your list price after not receiving offers for what you originally wanted, buyers may question if there is something wrong with your home and feel that they may be able to purchase your home at a discount. This could ultimately result in you receiving low ball offers which you definitely don’t want. Depending on your current market, you may want to speak to your agent about possibly listing your property below market value and holding an offer date in order to hopefully generate a multiple offer situation which can result in a higher final sale price.

5 Common Seller Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

4) Hiring the wrong agent

Selling a home for the highest amount of money while avoiding litigation at the same time isn’t as easy as putting a FOR SALE sign in the lawn. With over 50,000 real estate agents in Toronto and the GTA, it’s likely that you probably know an agent or two. Some may be friends, others might be family, some may be local while others may be from outside the city, some may be new in the industry and others may have been in the industry for a while. With so many agents in the industry, how do you know which one to use? Below I have included a list of what to look for and what to avoid when choosing an agent to list your home for sale.

 

  • Avoid using an agent who doesn’t either live or work regularly in your area. Sure, your sister, cousin or best friend may be an agent and may be offering to list your home, they might be a wonderful person, but if they aren’t extremely familiar with your area, the local market and the agents within your market, you will likely lose money on the sale of your home. Listing and selling your home requires extensive knowledge of not only your home but the neighbourhood and all of the features that it has to offer. Don’t make this mistake, as tempting as it may be.

 

  • Avoid using a new agent. Once again, whether it’s a random agent, family member or friend, as much as you would like to help them get ahead in their new career, consider how much money you are willing to potentially lose by using someone who isn’t experienced. There is a lot of paperwork, legal clauses, conditions and laws to consider when reviewing offers. By using someone who lacks experience, you could end up in a very serious and costly situation. In addition to this, should you be fortunate enough to end up in a multiple offer situation (which can be as little as 2 offers or as many as 20 or more offers),  you will want an agent who has experience in dealing with these high stress and fast paced situations that change by the second. Even the most experienced agents have challenges handling such situations. One little mistake could cost you thousands of dollars or put you in a situation where you are dealing with litigation.

 

  • When choosing an agent, make sure you pick an agent who is enthusiastic about helping you with achieving your real estate objectives and who is available to answer your questions and concerns at any time throughout the process. It is important to work with an agent who is dedicated to you and your success and someone who doesn’t have too much on their plate at one time.

 

5) Trying to sell your home on your own or through a discount brokerage

We all want to make and save as much money as possible. The fact that you may be considering selling your home on your own or with a discount brokerage is understandable, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience in selling real estate. Many people think selling a home is as easy as running a garage sale on the weekend, you simply put a sign in the lawn and wait for all of the buyers to show up to submit offers on your home. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. There is a lot that goes into selling a home for the highest price possible in the least amount of time. A reputable agent may charge the full commission but if they are good at what they do, it will be worth every penny and will put more money in your pocket at the end of the day. Most respected agents will provide their clients with a complete concierge service from start to finish when listing a client’s home for sale. From arranging, managing and covering the cost for decluttering, cleaning, minor home repairs and staging services to professional photography, videography, 3D virtual tour designs, marketing and advertising services in addition to providing you with years of real estate knowledge all while looking out for your best interest throughout the process, an agent who charges full commission to sell your home for top dollar and does everything needed to ensure that happens is well worth the investment.

 

Are you thinking of selling and have questions about the process or your local market? Feel free to contact me any time with any questions or concerns you may have, I am always here and happy to help you. Want to learn more about the selling process? Click HERE to learn more.

 

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The Beaches Real Estate

Staging your home, even in a hot seller’s market is always recommended!  Even though the market may be hot with lots of demand, staging your home will help your home stand out from the competition. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. If you want to sell your home for top dollar in the least amount of time and with the least amount of headaches, staging will most definitely help.

Below are some interesting stats from 2021 related to staging from the National Association of Realtors:

• 23% of sellers’ agents reported an increase of 1-5% of the dollar value offered by buyers, in comparison to homes that were not staged. This is a prime example of how staging can help put more money in your pocket.

• 82% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. I see this on a daily basis when helping my clients with finding their next home. There is a clear difference in their response when viewing a property that is staged. The first response when we walk through the front door of a staged home is often “WOW!”.

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Staging doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated either. I’ve included a list below of some basic staging tips that you can do on your own.  Most reputable Toronto real estate agents will provide complete staging services for their clients as a part of their service but if you want to help out with getting your property prepared to sell for top dollar, you can tackle most of the items below on your own:

  • Declutter and depersonalize everything. Remove all personal photos and personalized items from your shelves, counters and walls and replace them with photos and items that are not personal. You want to help buyers with imagining themselves living in your home.

 

  • Deep clean the entire home top-to-bottom. Pay attention to the details, every little corner, in the closets, in your kitchen cabinets, in your fridge etc. You cannot over clean when it comes to preparing your home to sell.

 

  • Make “curb appeal” enhancements such as adding fresh mulch to your garden beds, power washing your dusty front porch or the weeds in your interlock driveway, plant some hardy annuals that will add a pop of colour, shovel the snow, replace any burnt out light bulbs, remove any garbage from your lawn and the list goes on.

 

  • Add fluffy white towels to the bathrooms and add white comforters to all of the beds along with white pillow cases. White pillow cases and comforters make the room feel larger, brighter and cleaner.

 

  • Consider removing or replacing area rugs and curtains that are dark, dirty or dated.

 

  • Remove any signs of pets such as cat litter boxes or dog food. Hide or remove the litter box or dog food and make sure you do a thorough cleaning of your home to remove any smells. If the smell is very strong, you may want to consider painting your home as painting helps to remove strong smells.

Toronto Real Estate - Braden White

If you have questions about how to get your property in top showing condition, contact me any time, I am happy to answer any questions you may have and to provide you with  professional advice. As a full-time Toronto real estate agent with over 20 years of design experience as the previous owner of a design and build firm, my invaluable experience helps my clients with preparing their homes to sell for top dollar. Click HERE to learn about the selling process and how I can help you sell for top dollar in the least amount of time!

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Toronto Real Estate
With all of the snow that has fallen over night and which continues to pile up, as beautiful as it may be, it can be hazardous to your home and even your health! Below are 10 tips on how to protect your home and your family from snow and water during a snow storm.
The Beaches Real Estate
1) Although having the fireplace on full blast may provide a cozy environment, your thermostat is likely on the same floor as your fireplace. By running your fireplace nonstop, your thermostat will continue to think the rest of your home is warmer than it actually is. This could potentially lead to pipes freezing and bursting which can be a costly repair. Therefor, it is important to not only run your fireplace as a source of heat to ensure your HVAC system disperses heat throughout your entire a home.

 

2) Should you go to use your sink or shower and no water come out, it is likely that you have a frozen pipe along that water supply line. If this happens to you, it’s best to leave the sink or shower faucet in the on position in order to alleviate pressure from the pipes. Once you have done this, you will need to track the water supply pipe and figure out a way to heat it up in order to speed up the thawing of the pipe.

3) Make sure you move as much snow away from your homes foundation and basement windows and below grade doors. This includes at the back and sides of your home. When the times comes for the snow to melt, you don’t want the water to end up in your basement.

4) Make sure any exterior drains in front of basement entrances are cleared from snow and ice. If you neglect to do this, you could possibly find water making its way into your basement. As a preventative tip, in the fall, you should hire a plumber to visit your home in order to snake the drain in order to ensure that there aren’t any blockages.

5) If you have a sump pump, make sure it is working properly before the snow melts so you can have any necessary service completed prior to the snow melting. You should ideally inspect your sump pump and test it before the winter and again before the spring thaw to ensure it is working properly.

6) Make sure that snow or ice doesn’t cover any of your intake or exhaust pipes for your furnace. If these pipes get blocked it could be a deadly health hazard to you and your family. This is another reason why it is important to have carbon monoxide detectors in your home and to ensure that the batteries are changed on a regular basis.

7) Make sure you continue to clean the snow off your car throughout the snowstorm to ensure that you are ready to leave promptly in case of an emergency.

8) As per the Canadian Red Cross recommendations, it is important to not overexert yourself when shovelling snow. If there is a lot of snow, take breaks instead of trying to do it all at once. This will help protect your heart, your back and body in general.

9) If you know you will be getting a lot of snowfall, visit your local gas station to pick up a can of gas for your snowblower or generator before the roads get bad.

10) If you don’t have a snowblower and only have shovels, make sure you keep your shovels in an accessible area that won’t be blocked by snow should you get a heavy downfall over-night.

 

 

 

 

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Daycares in The Beaches

As a parent of two young children, I understand how stressful it can be to find the right daycare for your child. I recall my wife and I spending countless hours doing research on the various different options and finding the process quite consuming and confusing at times. At the end of the day, we all want the best for our kids so it rarely feels like any option will be good enough. However, with many daycare options to choose from in The Beaches and Upper Beaches, you have the ability to pick and choose which ones may be a good fit for your child(ren) and your family.

Daycares in The Beaches

Whether you currently live in The Beaches or Upper Beaches or you are planning on making a move to this part of the city, I have put together a list of daycare and preschool options below in order to assist you with your search. Although this list doesn’t include every single daycare and preschool option in the area, it is an extensive list of many of the popular options available to local families. The list is in no particular order. 

I hope this information is helpful to you and that you find the right daycare or preschool for your family’s needs.

ABC Academy

1923 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON M4L 1H3

647-748-1866

www.abcacademy.ca

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Pebbles Play Based Learning Centre

1971 Queen St E #105, Toronto, ON M4L 1H9

657-865-7457

www.pebbles-kids.ca

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Kew Beach Day Care Centre

101 Kippendavie Ave, Toronto, ON M4L 3R3

416-698-6226

www.kewbeachdaycare.com

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Homegrown Tomatoes Daycare

2211A Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1E8

www.homegrowntomatoesdaycare.ca

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K.A.S.I.A Preschool

65 Glen Manor Dr, Toronto, ON M4E 2X2

647-345-9451

www.kasiapreschool.com

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Alphabet Station Childcare

2206 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1E7

416-402-4702

www.alphabetstation.ca

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Lakeside Co-operative Playschool

2226 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1E9

416-524-5676

www.lakesideplayschool.com

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Ma Première School

2383 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1H5

416-671-4367

www.ma-premiere-ecole.ca

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Lullaboo Nursery and Childcare Center Inc

2316 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4E 1G8

416-849-2977

www.lullaboo.ca

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Beaches Co-operative Playschool

975 Kingston Rd, Toronto, ON M4E 1T1

416-690-9935

www.beachescoopplayschool.ca

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Better Beginnings School (Free Spirit Montessori)

1208 Kingston Rd, Scarborough, ON M1N 1N8

416-903-7827

www.betterbeginningsnurseryschool.com

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Day Care Connection

780 Kingston Rd, Toronto, ON M4E 1R7

416-691-1101

www.daycareconnection.net

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Day Care Connection

416-691-1101

1954 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4E 2B1

www.daycareconnection.net

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Apple Jacks Preschool

19 Benlamond Ave, Toronto, ON M4E 1Y8

416-690-9555

www.applejackspreschool.ca

Daycares in The Beaches

 

East Toronto Village Children’s Centre (non-profit)

43 Kimberley Ave, Toronto, ON M4E 2Z4

416-694-1733

www.easttorontovillage.com

Daycares in The Beaches

 

Kids Connect Daycare

138 Main St, Toronto, ON M4E 2V8

www.kidsconnectdaycare.com

Daycares in The Beaches

 

LeRoux Froebel Bilingual School 

72 Main St, Toronto, ON M4E 2V7

416-698-1923

www.lerouxfroebel.com

The Beaches Daycares

 

Bumble Bee Academy

1560 Queen St E, Toronto, ON, Unit 102, M4L 1E9

And

668 Kingston Rd, Toronto, ON, M4E 1R4

416-462-0106

https://www.facebook.com/bumblebeeacademy1/

Daycares in The Beaches

 

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Upper Beaches Real Estate

The Upper Beaches community is one of Toronto’s most popular neighbourhoods amongst  buyers, especially young professionals looking to transition from condo living to a freehold home. With its enchanting tree-lined streets, historical homes that date back to the 1800’s, spacious parks, family friendly and dog loving neighbours, it’s no surprise that so many buyers want to live in this great neighbourhood. These are just some of the many reasons why I personally choose to live in this area of Toronto and why I highly recommend it to my clients who are looking to move the east end of the city.

Upper Beaches Real Estate

The Upper Beaches mostly consists of older smaller detached and semi detached homes making them an ideal transitional property for those looking to move to a larger space from a condo and those looking to downsize from larger homes.

When assisting my buyer clients, they often ask me how much homes cost in The Upper Beaches. If you are reading this post, you’re likely looking for the same answer or you are fortunate enough to already live in The Upper Beaches and are curious to know how much homes are selling for in your neighbourhood. In order to answer this question and to provide you with a point of reference, I have put together a list of some of the top streets in The Upper Beaches along with the lowest and highest sale prices for each street as well as the average sale price and average days on market. All of the stats are based on sales that have taken place between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Although this list is extensive, it doesn’t include every single street in the area.

Upper Beaches Real Estate

If you don’t see your street of interest included in the list, feel free to contact me to find out the stats for your specific street of interest or to ask any questions you may have about the market or selling or buying in The Upper Beaches. I’m always here and happy to help.

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Source of stats: TRREB

(Sales between January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. Figures do not included off market sales)

The homes in the photos do not necessarily represent the homes sold in 2021. All photos are publicly available photos. Streets with one or less sale have intentionally been left out due to  privacy reasons.

Are you considering selling your home in The Upper Beaches or thinking of buying a home in this amazing community?

Contact me today to discuss how I can help you with achieving your specific real estate objectives in The Upper Beaches. I look forward to speaking with you.

Interested in seeing how much homes sold for in The Beaches? Visit my other recent post relating to pricing in The Beaches  HERE.

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Toronto Real Estate Market Report - December 2021

In 2021 we experienced an unprecedented residential resale market. More records were shattered in 2021 than in any other year of record keeping – sales prices, properties sold, and, unfortunately, inventory levels all established new records. As we end 2021 and move into 2022, it will be inventory that will have the greatest impact on the resale market.

Let’s begin with December’s data.

The Beaches Real Estate - Braden White

Sales declined in December as compared to 2020 only because of a lack of inventory. Demand continues to be at record breaking levels, but to put it bluntly, there just weren’t enough properties on the market for buyers to purchase. That is dramatically illustrated by the fact notwithstanding declining sales, the average sale price for all properties sold, including condominium apartments, came in at $1,157,849, 24.2 percent higher than December 2020.

It should be noted that increases in average sale prices were substantially higher in the 905 region as compared to price increase in the City of Toronto, as the chart below clearly illustrates.

Average Sale Price Toronto - December 2021

 

Toronto Real Estate Market Report - December 2021

The increase in average sale prices in the 905 region during the pandemic has been nothing but stunning. As forecast in a monthly Market Report earlier in 2021, the difference in average sale price between properties in the City of Toronto and the 905 region has all but disappeared. The reasons for this market change are due to the pandemic driving buyers away from the denser concentration of population in the City of Toronto, the ability to work remotely, affordability, and supply. It would now appear the attraction of supply and affordability may no longer exist.

The luxury end of the resale market also broke records in 2021. In December 473 properties traded hands having a sale price of $2 Million or more. Last year only 287 properties sold in this price category. On a year-to- date comparison, 7,807 properties valued at $2 Million or more sold in 2021 compared to only 3,649 last year, an increase of 114 percent. Sales in the 905 region in this category contributed substantially to this increase in 2021. Detached property sales in Oakville, King, Richmond Hill, Whitchurch-Stouffville and Uxbridge all came in with average sale prices in excess of $2 Million, with King approaching an average sale price of $3 Million. Historically this only happened in central Toronto.

Toronto Real Estate Market Report - December 2021

Throughout the greater Toronto area average sale prices continued to be eye-poppingly higher than asking prices. This is also a strong indicator of demand, first witnessed after buyers adjusted to the protocols of viewing and buying properties during the first wave of the pandemic in May and June of 2020. For example, in Oshawa, all properties presented to the market sold in only 9 (yes 9!) days at sale prices 121 percent of their asking price. The case was the same in Pickering. Two trading areas in Toronto also exceeded sale prices of 120 percent or more than asking prices. We are short of superlatives to describe this phenomenon.

In 2021, the condominium apartment sector came back very robustly after pandemic fears in 2020 caused it to shrink dramatically. With that revived interest in condominium apartment living came rising prices, and perhaps most shockingly, the disappearance of condominium apartment inventory. In central Toronto, where most condominium apartments are located, 977 sold in December, last year over 1,000 apartments sold in the same trading area. The decline was due to lack of supply. On the price side, those 977 condominium apartments sold for $790,611, almost 20 percent higher than last December’s average sale price of $669,000.

The decline in condominium apartment supply over the course of 2021 has been breathtaking. In December of 2020 there were 4,294 active condominium apartment listings in the greater Toronto area, and 3,120 in the City of Toronto, the bulk of those to be found in the central core of the city. As 2021 comes to a close, there were only 1,488 active listings in the entire greater Toronto area and a paltry 1,189 in the City of Toronto, 20 percent fewer than the 1,447 condominium apartments that sold in December! The only source of affordable housing is disappearing.

Overall, 2021 proved to be the strongest year in recorded resale history. Total number of sales for the year came in at 121,712 surpassing 2016, the previous best year, by more than 7 percent. In 2016 113,040 properties traded hands. During 2021, except for January ($966,068) every month saw the average sale price exceed $1 Million, with November setting a new record at $1,163,287. A truly exceptional year!

How the market performs in 2022 will depend entirely on supply. December’s numbers are not encouraging. During December 5,174 new properties came to market, almost 12 percent fewer than came to market in 2020. What is even more shocking is the fact that entering 2022 there are only 3,232 active listings for the entire greater Toronto area, more than 46 percent of which are condominium apartments. By contrast last year there were 7,892 active listings which at the time we reported were totally inadequate to meet the growing pandemic demand.

Many economists have deemed 1996 to be the year that the Toronto and area market broke from its six year recessional slide and began to show signs of strength and robustness that have continued through to today’s market. That year set a record for sales at 55,779. In 1996 the population of the greater Toronto area was approximately 4.2 million people. Since then the population of the greater Toronto area has grown to well over 7 million people. In December of 1996 the Toronto Real Estate Board reported that there were 16,964 active listings available to buyers in the greater Toronto area. At 3,232 active listings this December, we find ourselves with only 1⁄4 of the listings available to buyers in 1996, and we have a lot more buyers.

So supply will be the major driver in 2022. As immigration numbers to the greater Toronto area will continue to increase, even more supply will be necessary. It will take aggressive, innovative, and rapid thinking, planning and decision-making by all three levels of government alleviate this housing crunch.

Prepared by Chris Kapches, LLB, President and CEO, Broker, Chestnut Park® Real Estate Limited, Brokerage.

Have questions about the market, selling or buying?

Contact me any time. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

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The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches community is one of the highest sought after neighbourhoods for buyers in Toronto. With its beautiful tree-lined streets, charming and historical homes, long historical boardwalk, stunning sunrise views from the beach, winter warrior surfers, family friendly and dog loving neighbours, there’s no surprise that so many people want to live in this charming and picturesque neighbourhood. These are just some of the many reasons why I personally choose to live in this area of Toronto and why I highly recommend it to my buyer clients.

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches offers a variety of styles and sizes of homes. Although the neighbourhood mostly consists of older detached and semi-detached homes, many of the homes have been updated and in some cases torn down and replaced with new modern homes or newer versions of the old architectural style.

I’m often asked how much homes cost in The Beaches by my clients and my response is pretty much almost always the same each time, “It really depends on which part of The Beaches and which street”. If you are reading this post, you likely have the same question and would like to know the answer or you are fortunate enough to already live in The Beaches/The Beach and are curious to know how much homes are selling for in your area. In order to answer this question and to provide you with a point of reference, I have put together a list of some of the most popular streets in The Beaches along with the lowest and highest sale prices for each street along with the average sale price and average days on market. All of the stats are based on sales that have taken place between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Although this list is extensive, it doesn’t include every single street in the area (which I personally believe are all great as you simply can’t beat this location). 

If you don’t see your street of interest in the list, feel free to contact me to find out the stats for your specific street of interest or to ask any questions you may have about the market or selling or buying in The Beaches/The Beach. I’m always here and happy to help.

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The Beaches Real Estate

The additional streets included below do not fall within “E02 The Beaches” as per the TRREB MLS municipality designations. However , many consider these streets as being part of The Beaches community and therefor I have included these stats.

Source of stats: TRREB

(Sales between January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021. Figures do not include off market sales)

The homes in the photos do not necessarily represent the homes sold in 2021. All photos are publicly available photos. Streets with one or less sale have intentionally been left out due to  privacy reasons.

Are you considering selling your home in The Beaches or thinking of buying a home in this amazing community?

Contact me today to discuss how I can help you with achieving your specific real estate objectives in The Beaches. I look forward to speaking with you.

Interested in seeing how much homes sold for in The Upper Beaches? Visit my other recent post relating to pricing in The Upper Beaches in 2021 HERE.

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