Do the professional accountants, lawyers, dentists and doctors in your life make appointments? Or do they allow clients and potential clients to just ‘drop in’ whenever they feel like it? Most work on an appointment basis and you will need fit in with their schedule. And of course, you are happy to do so because you respect them because of the value they bring using their skills, knowledge, time and because you have a relationship with them.

Why should your real estate career be any different?

I’ve seen many REALTORS® burn themselves out or sacrifice their family life by acting like pop tart agents. You know those that have no plan and are completely reactive to whatever happens in their day. With one or two exceptions, REALTORS® like this are…

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On a regular basis I receive questions from buyer agents about my listings the answers to which might be self-evident, or simply not that important. The REALTOR® has become a simple messenger not a guide.

I often wonder if their client (or more likely prospective client) has simply thrown this question out there to end a meeting or conversation, with that particular REALTORS® perhaps because they are not ready to buy, or simply because they are not sold on working with that REALTOR®.

What makes me think this is that more often than not, I never hear from that REALTOR® again at least not in the context of that listing. Its almost like the prospective client has thrown up a smoke screen or some ‘star dust’ to cloud the real issue.

Here some…

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You are registered on several real estate websites, you scour REALTOR®.ca every day and you drive round your favourite neighbourhood looking out for For Sale signs every few days. You are confident that you know every home available to you.

This would be a reasonable assumption, but it’s not accurate.

Did you consider that there might also be a hidden market too? Accessing this hidden market takes some ‘insider knowledge’ and a proactive approach.

There are 3 main components to the hidden market

1. Unsold Listings

If you are working with a REALTOR® that knows your chosen target community well, they will be aware which homes were on the market recently and subsequently did not sell, (usually because the seller was too ambitious on…

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Before you sell your home in Edmonton or any of the surrounding communities, it might be helpful to learn about the different kinds of home buyers available to you. Together, these different buyer groups form the ‘whole’ market.

You might want to think of the home sale market like a ‘layer cake’. Each layer has particular characteristics & the quality of the buyers you meet & your outcome may be affected by which layer you sell into. 

The layers of the cake might be described as follows:

-          Retail layer,

-          Wholesale layer &

-          Sub Wholesale layer 

Here is a quick description of each layer:

Retail Layer

IF you want to sell your home for top dollar, this is where you need to be.

This is the top layer…

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As you go through your daily interactions do you see yourself as sales person overcoming objections and persuading people to do things?

Or, do you see yourself more as an expert and advisor helping people to navigate their way through hard choices?

You have probably heard this expression before, “no one likes to be sold, but everyone likes to buy”.

If you think you are selling. STOP. Become an advisor instead.

How can you do this?

Its easy really. When you first meet or interact with a prospective client, their guard is up. They don’t know you and don’t trust you. For all they know, you could be one of those dreaded salespeople they have heard about.

We have a conflict. You want them as clients. They won’t commit because they don’t…

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If you have been tracking the market over the last 12 to 18 months as a prospective home buyer, you have probably noticed that prices have gone through the roof. You may have also experienced loss after losing out on your dream home in a multiple offer situation.

I have some good news for you. Buying a home in September might be a smart choice, for the following reasons.

1. Values are down

See our latest market (Ambergate Market Report). Buy a home now and on average you will pay around $30,000 LESS than you would have done in May or June 2021.

2. Home choices are better

For the last 18 months we have had much lower inventory levels and this has been one factor that has driven prices up. That combined with the attractiveness of single…

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I’ve noticed that many newer REALTORS® (and some not so new REALTORS®) struggle to start a conversation, especially with prospective clients. You don’t know anything about them and they don’t know you. They don’t yet trust you and they are indifferent to you.

The FORD system gives you a basic framework to dance around and open-up the conversation. If you ask questions gently and in a friendly non-threatening way, most people will open-up and start to tell you about themselves. They are after all their most favorite subject (study Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends & Influence People).

Now back to FORD. To be able to help and advise people properly you need to know them, you need to have a keen understanding as to why they think what they think and…

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In July, average sales prices moderated, and home sellers gave up some of the equity they gained during the late winter and spring market. This would be expected during a normal year and is line with earlier years. Days on market stayed low.

Sales Values


In July 2021, average sales prices were $391,086 which is about 6% UP when compared to July 2020. In June 2021, prices were higher at around $405,000. We have almost certainly seen the peak for the year, although prices may recover between September and December 2021. 

Sales Volume

Last July there were 1461 total Edmonton sales registered. This year only 1248 sales were registered which close to July 2019. Considering that the market has been ‘over performing’ all year, this…

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You seen those signs at the side of the road, ‘We Buy Homes for Cash’. Did you ever wonder what these people were about and what they offer home sellers?

The original concept was simple. You accept a submarket price in exchange for a quick easy no fuss transaction.

There appears to be 2 types of instant buyer out there in today’s market.

Original

You and the buyer agree on a price. The house is sold quickly and you get paid. The buyer may then complete a few simple repairs (or not) and will then bring the home into the conventional market and attempt to sell for a higher price. Some of these cash buyers may rent out your former home for a few years, before selling.

There are not normally any fees attached to this kind of program.

If…

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