Are you seeking an engaging educated experienced real estate team with a sterling reputation to sell your Toronto property without any undue pressure or obligation to accept any offer? Would you value being in the care of an informed approachable property group who are collectively committed to accommodating your timeline and achieving top dollar while making the process as effortless as possible for you?
I’m Steve Fudge and I’ve been a Top Producing Realtor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for over 30 years. Having executed hundreds of transactions representing both Buyers and Sellers of freehold and condominium housing across the original City of Toronto I lead an exceptional team of realtors & marketers who are committed to getting your property Sold!
Allow me to show you how we gently guide our Sellers through the listing process by sharing how we recently sold a vacant raccoon-riddled bungalow located just south of the soon-to-be-open Oakwood Station on the new Eglinton Crosstown LRT in the Oakwood Village Neighbourhood.
A Letter Of Opinion On The Value Of Property
A lot of our business as realtors starts when a property owner or their representative reaches out to get an estimate on what kind of price they might garner for a property. With this, they may also request our counsel on what they might consider doing in order to maximize its value.
They may also be seeking a ‘Letter Of Opinion On The Value Of A Property’ that can be used for taxation purposes or a change in title. For example, if Revenue Canada requests the valuation of a property on a specific date because the owners turned their primary residence into an income property or the members of a family who inherited a property hold onto it for several months before selling it and need to demonstrate whether it increased or decreased in value during that time. A Letter Of Opinion can also be used when one party sells their ‘Tenants In Common’ or ‘Joint Tenancy’ interest in a property to the other co-owner(s) in an amicable sale.
This service, which is the baseline of our real estate listing service from which we hope to earn your trust, and then your business, is both informative and helpful. After making our introduction, touring the property, and getting a better sense of your objectives and timeline so we know how to serve you best, with your consent we prepare a comprehensive evaluation that includes an overview of the market conditions as it pertains to your dwelling type at that moment in time, a synopsis of the factors currently impacting and influencing real estate values in your neighbourhood, and a comparative analysis of recent sales of similar properties in proximity to yours. From this, we extrapolate the range of value we estimate your property would sell for at that moment in time.
Maximizing Value Or Selling As-Is Where-Is?
During our visit, we also assess the condition of the property and, based on your objectives, we can counsel you on how to potentially maximize its value.
For example, we can identify any issues or deficiencies that may cause some prospective purchasers to hesitate or resist submitting an Offer to Purchase, and offer solutions on how to mitigate the obstruction and facilitate a sale.
We can also provide a summary of reasonably-quick fairly-easy budget-friendly fixes that will increase the appeal of the property without breaking the bank.
Furthermore, we can analyze the optics of the sale and recommend, when the time comes to list the property for sale, whether it should be sold vacant and in ‘as-is where-is’ condition, undergo our Urbaneer Style Enhancement Service where we identify what contents should be removed – due to size, condition, or utility – to ensure the property presents its spacious best, from which we add a few select pieces from our own curated cache that speak to form and function, are identifiably on-trend, and provide intentional cues to appeal to the property’s target Buyer profile, or we can also let you know whether there is merit in having the dwelling professionally staged and whether that expense will generate an appropriate return on investment. Regardless of your situation or your circumstances, we are committed to serving your interests and guiding you to the best of our abilities.
Prioritize, Prepare & Promote, But Only When You’re Ready!
In this situation, the property owner initially contacted us in September 2020 requesting a valuation as well as our opinion on what factors he should consider in order to maximize his return on investment. It resulted in our popular blog called Dear Urbaneer: What Do I Do With My Dated Bungalow? (Plus A Brief History On This Housing Type) that has subsequently been reissued several times.
Eighteen months after the owner first contacted us they made the decision to list the property for sale. We promptly leapt into action in an effort to mitigate rising interest rates that were causing downward pressure on Toronto’s real estate values.
This circumstance was a bit unusual. The property had been tenanted for several years and after they moved out, the property sat vacant for a period of time, when it was rendered uninhabitable after an active raccoon infestation compromised the roof resulting in water damage. To expedite the listing process and make it as effortless as possible for our Seller, we coordinated a temporary patch on the leaking roof and the repair of a failing eavestrough, hired pest control to extract the raccoons, coordinated mold abatement in the basement, brought in a landscaper to attend to the unruly garden, had all the debris from the water damage and junk from past tenants removed, hired cleaners to wash the windows and complete a deep clean, prior to having a presale home inspection report, floor plans, a virtual tour and professional photographs executed for our Sales & Marketing Campaign.
This is what we can do for you, too, if required.
Market Exposure & Information Packages
No matter what we’re selling, we create a sales program custom-tailored to showcase your property in its optimum light, including informative online content specific to your property that we feature on multiple platforms using multi-faceted promotions. And what’s really important to consider when choosing a listing realtor, is that it’s being executed with the objective of attracting the target markets of qualified buyers specifically interested in the neighbourhood, the dwelling type, and the unique opportunities specific to the property.
Even before the property was made available for sale on MLS, we created Coming Soon teasers on our blog and social media – boosted to our followers, target audiences, and beyond – to grab the attention of Toronto homebuyers. We also curated a robust Listing Promotion on Urbaneer.com, which you can peruse here: An Opportunity To Transform A Vintage Bungalow Steps To The New Oakwood Station!
Every interested party who viewed the property received a digital or hard copy promotions package that included the custom-designed Sales Prospectus outlining the benefits of the Oakville Village location abutting Little Jamaica (and just steps to Oakwood Transit Station), the features of the dwelling, and the property particulars, as well as summaries of the annual expenses and the history of property repairs and maintenance.
End-User, Investor, Or Builder?
Needing a significant injection of capital to make it habitable, this listing was beyond the scope of work most first-time Buyers are prepared to take on. The Buyer would need to have deep pockets and be making the purchase with an eye on the future when the location gentrified due to the proximity of the new Eglinton Crosstown LRT. As a result, our marketing program emphasized the potential of the site and the various options a potential Buyer or Investor would have in terms of elevating the property to its highest and best use.
Because the bungalow directly next door – nearly identical in size, age, and composition – had recently undergone a ‘to-the-studs’ transformation including adding an extension and second and third floors – with that broker’s consent we included the renovation details as well as the floor plans for this neighbouring property in our Feature Sheet in order to demonstrate the huge potential of this property. While every realtor and Buyer is responsible for their own due diligence – and bringing in professionals of their choosing to verify their objectives for the property – we believe demonstrating the site’s potential was imperative. Together with the essential tools already mentioned, it’s deliverables like this that help convert potential Buyers into active Bidders.
Targeting Buyers By Creating Engaging Lifestyle Content & Promoting Neighbourhood Amenities
Over the 53 days this property was listed for sale, there were 23 showings by 17 realtors. We hosted two Open Houses, and out of those parties that came through, all but one were investors seeking a property to renovate or raze & rebuild which demonstrates the specificity of our promotions campaign caught the attention of the Target Market.
Along with a significant ad campaign promoting the listing – we also published and promoted 6 custom posts about neighbouring Little Jamaica, with an additional 3 posts about Bungalows and transforming them – to expand awareness about this offering. Each post included a promotion for the property and a call to action and was boosted on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, directing traffic to the listing. We believe our efforts to create content like this demonstrate our commitment to serving our Sellers by marketing real estate in a manner that is informative, engaging, and value-added.
Here are the articles that featured this fixer-upper:
Are the realtors you’re considering creating comprehensive Marketing Campaigns for their Sellers that feature a ‘call to action’ for the listings they’re promoting?
If they don’t, consider calling us so we can introduce our services.
We would love to be your value-added realtor of choice.
The Outcome
After 53 days on the market, and many weeks of negotiation after receiving 3 offers in total we sold this property in Dual Agency with The Urbaneer Team representing both the Buyer and the Seller.
Listed for $919,000, the property sold for $875,000.
A Program Tailored To Buyers – And You!
Although almost any realtor can sell a property in Toronto, finding the right Buyer – including those who live outside the city and may never cross the threshold of your dwelling until after they’ve secured the property – and exposing it to the target market requires a company that understands the nuances of your property type, where it’s located, who the Buyer profiles are, and how to be effective in capturing their attention and convincing them the residence has all the qualities they’re seeking.
It’s also about meeting the individual needs and criteria of you, the Seller. Whether you’re looking to facilitate a quick sale, find a Buyer who will complement the fabric of the community, or you’re wanting to achieve the highest price, at Urbaneer.com we welcome facilitating your specific needs and requirements. Quite frankly, we have never subscribed to the one-size-fits-all approach to the promotion and sale of real estate; homes are as unique and multifaceted as their Sellers! If you’re seeking a top-notch, ‘white glove’, professional, and caring team, give us a ring or email us. It would be our pleasure to make an introduction!
Want to learn more? At Urbaneer.com, we offer a strategic sales program derived from data, comprehension, and historical knowledge gleaned from decades of experience. Check out our approaches and strategies to marketing properties in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in:
Marketing Your Toronto Real Estate With Urbaneer’s Steven Fudge
Marketing Your Home With Urbaneer: Social Media
Psssst… it works!
Here are a selection of other properties we sold – and exactly how we did it!
How Urbaneer’s Custom Marketing Program Sold This Handsome Edwardian Residence In East York
How Urbaneer’s Custom Marketing Program Sold This Authentic Broadview Loft In Riverside
How Urbaneer’s Toronto Real Estate Marketing Program Sold This Sun-Soaked Semi In Swansea
How Urbaneer’s Toronto Real Estate Marketing Program Sold This 1930’s Swansea Bungalow
How Urbaneer’s Toronto Real Estate Marketing Program Sold This Roncesvalles Duplex In The Pandemic
How Urbaneer’s Tailored Toronto Real Estate Marketing Program Sold This House During The Pandemic
How Urbaneer’s Tailored Toronto Real Estate Marketing Sold This Condo During The Pandemic
Are you planning to sell your property now or one day in the future? We have a sterling track record as one of Bosley Real Estate’s Top Producers spanning 31 years. We are committed to excellence.
With three decades of experience navigating the ever-changing Toronto real estate market, a commitment to promote the sale of properties like yours with interesting and relevant information, and the ability to guide Buyers with credible insights and well-informed guidance, the Urbaneer Team help without pressure or hassle.
Thanks for reading!
-The Urbaneer Team
Steven Fudge, Sales Representative
& The Innovative Urbaneer Team
Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage – (416) 322-800
– we’re here to earn your trust, then your business –
Celebrating Thirty-One Years As A Top-Producing Toronto Realtor
*Did you know we were recently listed as one of The Top 25 Toronto Real Estate Agents To Follow On Twitter! – The Top 50 Blogs On Toronto – and The Top 100 Real Estate Blogs In Canada? Consider signing up in the box below to receive our FREE monthly e-newsletter on housing, culture and design including our love for unique urban homes and other Toronto real estate!
*Love Canadian Housing? Check out Steve’s University Student Mentorship site called Canadian Real Estate, Housing & Home which focuses on architecture, landscape, design, products, and real estate in Canada!