October Wrap-Up from the Toronto Home Experts Team!

As we settle fully into fall, the real estate market is in full swing. This time of year often brings motivated buyers and sellers, and our team has been busy helping families make their next move before the holidays. We’re excited to share two new listings this month: a warm and welcoming family home in Markham, perfect for those needing room to grow, and a stylish 1-bedroom + den condo in Midtown offering comfort, convenience, and excellent walkability. Scroll below to take a closer look at both!

And don’t forget, if you’ve got a real estate question on your mind, we’d love to hear it. Send your question through our Ask Anything feature for a chance to be featured in next month’s newsletter plus receive a $10 Starbucks gift card as a thank-you!

Wishing you a fun and safe Halloween, and of course...Let's Go Blue Jays! 💙⚾️

Blue Jays Fever & Toronto Real Estate - A Look Back to 1993

Toronto is buzzing and we’re right there in the excitement! With the World Series energy taking over the city, we took a fun look back at what Toronto (and our real estate market!) looked like the last time the Jays were here in 1993. Let’s just say… a lot has changed.

Ask Anything!

Each month, we answer one of your real estate questions. This month’s featured question was:

Q: “We have been thinking about buying an investment property. What do we need to consider?”

A:  Investing in real estate is a popular tool in building wealth and diversifying your investment portfolio, so thank you to Mark A. for this very common question! Things to consider are:

• Becoming a Landlord – are you ready to manage a property’s maintenance and tenants? If so, then becoming a landlord and earning rental income with the possibility of future appreciation potential allows you to be more hands-on. If you would prefer to take more of a hands off approach, there are property management companies that can handle most of the legwork for you.

• Commercial vs. Residential – commercial leases typically have higher vacancy rates but tenants often commit to long term leases. Residential leases can have higher turnover, but usually rent faster.

• Location – is this a recreational property that you have access to but rent out during the weeks that it is empty? Or would you consider owning a property located in a growth area further away that you don’t have any connection to?

• Time Horizon – how long do you plan on holding this property? Or is there a deadline to when you would need to withdraw your funds? Real estate is mostly a long term investment and not ideal if you need to cash out in the short term

• Objective – are you planning for future appreciation potential? Or are you hoping for monthly income? or both? Or are you planting roots somewhere where you see yourself moving to in the future?

• New construction vs. existing resale – Are you a speculator and are comfortable buying from seeing floor plans? Or is seeing is believing? 

• Financing – are you refinancing your current home to use the funds for this purchase? Or are you using mortgage funds to finance the purchase? What about funds for a deposit, land transfer tax, vacancy coverage until you find a tenant, and any upgrades/repairs you need to do to the property before you look for a tenant? Note that many financing incentives offered by banks and government programs exclude purchases made for investment purposes.

• Rental Rates – are you buying a property with a strong rental market? What is the tenant profile you are expecting to attract with your purchase?

• Flipping Properties – if long term is not the objective but instead you have connections or the know-how to take a fixer-upper and turn it into a modern masterpiece, buying something that needs a remodel may be part of your wealth building strategy

There are lots of things to consider when purchasing an investment property! We work with many real estate investors (and are real estate investors ourselves!), helping them navigate the Landlord/Tenant rules, pick upgrades that will help keep or elevate the market values of their properties, analyze whether something is a good investment, and much more. If you are also considering your first real estate investment purchase, or are looking to expand your current portfolio, book some time to chat with us to get you started!

Want to see your question featured next month? Submit your real estate question through the link below, and we’ll send you a $10 Starbucks gift card just for participating!

Professional & Knowledgeable!

"We’ve worked with Elaine Mok multiple times — for single-family dwellings, residential houses, and condos — and every experience has been outstanding. She is incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and provides excellent guidance throughout the entire process. Her support during negotiations is especially valuable; she’s someone you can truly rely on.
Her attention to detail is second to none, and her customer service is exceptional. She’s always pleasant, responsive, and makes the entire experience smooth and stress-free. We highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home!"

Genevieve C.

FOR SALE : 30 Vanessa Road, Markham ON

Top 5 Things You'll Love About This Home:

1. Lovingly maintained by the same family for 38 years.

2. Renovated main floor with an open, airy layout.

3. Cozy family room with fireplace and walkout to the fenced backyard.

4. Three bedrooms with excellent closet space and an updated bathroom.

5. Fantastic location close to parks, top schools, GO Transit, amenities, and Markville Mall.

Asking $1,088,888

FOR SALE : 11 Lillian Street #1410, Toronto ON

Top 5 Things You'll Love About This Home:

1. Bright and airy layout with 9 ft ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows.

2. Open-concept living space with hardwood floors throughout.

3. Sleek kitchen with stainless steel appliances and excellent storage.

4. Den makes an ideal home office or cozy reading nook.

5. Large balcony perfect for coffee, relaxing, or BBQs.

Asking $625,000

Featured Toronto Eats!

With the Blue Jays in the World Series, there’s no better time to get out and enjoy the electric energy across the city. Toronto Life just rounded up a fantastic list of bars and restaurants offering special game-day food and drink deals, perfect for cheering on the Jays with friends, family, or fellow fans.

Click below to explore where to catch the game!

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Royal LePage Terrequity Platinum Realty, 293 Eglinton Ave. East, Toronto, Ontario M4P 1L3, Canada

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