Steven Maislin's blog

1. Get your financial house in order. Know your FICO score, and work to get it above 700 to improve your ability to qualify and to get a better rate.
2. Understand what you can afford to put down. The average down payment this year is 11% nationally, but it varies dramatically by the market and by loan type. If you are struggling to come up with a down payment necessary for your market or type of mortgage, research down payment assistance programs.

December 2018

Dear Friend,

Not too many surprises in the real estate market as 2018 winds down. 6,251 homes sold, down from last year’s record number, as buyers were pushed to buy earlier than planned due to the new mortgage regulations that were going into effect in the new year. The average selling price was up by 3.5% year-over-year to $788,345.

Best Practices: Offers – What Agents Need to Know

November 26, 2018 -- An offer is one of the core components of any real estate transaction. Despite how commonplace it is, and that Members should be familiar with the process, it's still essential that Members engage in best practices during the offer process.

Whether you are representing the Buyer or the Seller in a real estate transaction, it is critical to engage in best practices throughout the offer process to:

November 2018

Toronto home sales rose again in October, jumping 6 percent year-over-year, in a continuation of the market’s slow upward trajectory.

But as sales continue to climb, listings are trending down, according to the latest release from the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB). Listings fell 2.7 percent year-over-year last month, marking the fifth consecutive month of falling supply in the region.

You should begin assembling this suff before any physical search for a property begins.

1. 'employment confirmation' from your employer - employee in good standing, how long you’ve been employed there (for whomever is signing the lease).

2. full 'credit report(s)’ (for whomever is signing the lease) (equifax is better than transunion).

3. copies of 'last 3 pay stubs’ (for whomever is signing the lease).

4. a personal family bio (a quick paragraph about who you are, not mandatory but helpful).

While ageing in place is a goal for many older adults, some may not be able to stay in their homes and communities as property prices, taxes and the high costs for renovations cause affordability problems.

Older adult advocates and nonprofit organizations are hunting for solutions across urban and rural areas to combat the lack of affordable and accessible housing options, especially as the ageing population grows in the next ten years.

How organizations can adapt to the monumental shift in the legal landscape

You certainly can trust me, and I feel that I can believe you as well. That said, I can only work with (3, 4, 5) buyers at a time if I am going to give them the service I am committed to providing and they are entitled too. I only work with buyers with whom I have a contract—I owe it to those I am working with now not to take time away from them for buyers who are working with many agents at the same time.

With me, yes it is. I only commit my expertise and time to buyers who have committed to me.
OR
If you want buyer representation, yes it is. Without the agreement you would be my customer rather than my client and all of the services I have outlined would not be available to you. Would you like me to go over them again?