Markham
Richmond Hill
Other GTAYour Story Shapes the Strategy.
Every move comes with its own priorities. I start by understanding your lifestyle, budget and timing, then use market data to shape a strategy around you. From property selection and pricing to negotiations and closing arrangements, I stay personally involved at the key stages.
Contact ChristineThink Beyond the Viewing.
Buying a home in Markham, Richmond Hill or the GTA means weighing location, property type and ownership costs. From condos to detached homes, I help you assess the options using your needs, comparable sales and the property's condition.
- Understand your budget, space, commuting and amenity needs.
- Compare suitable properties, recent sales and condition.
- Discuss offer terms and coordinate the transaction and closing.
Insights for Homebuyers
Lower Mortgage Rate or Lower Home Price?Buying
When buying a home, is a lower mortgage rate or a lower purchase price better over time? Compare purchase price and interest over the same period, rather than rates or monthly payments alone. For illustration, the same home in Rouge Woods, Richmond Hill sold for $2.151M in 2022 and $1.680M in 2025: a $471,000 price difference.
Prices eased in September. How should buyers prepare?Buying · Local Living · Other GTA
Fewer sales, far fewer new listings, and prices down about 5% on a year ago.Prepare with Purpose. Sell with a Strategy.
Should you renovate before selling? How should you set an asking price? I consider comparable sales, competing properties and your home's condition to shape preparation, pricing and marketing decisions.
- Review your property's market position, comparable sales and competition.
- Assess repairs and presentation needs, and plan marketing.
- Compare offers, conditions and closing dates, with direct involvement in negotiations.
Preparing to Sell
Renovating Before Selling: Worth It?Selling
An $80,000 kitchen renovation—and the buyer wants to replace it? Renovation costs do not automatically translate into a higher selling price.
Selling your home? You don't have to host the buyersSelling
Staying for a showing can turn buyers into guests. Step out, and let them look properly.Bring Your Sale and Purchase Together.
Buy first or sell first? Your finances, closing dates and market conditions all matter. I help plan the order of your sale and purchase, pricing and offer strategy around the current market and your needs.
- Weigh the trade-offs and risks of buying first or selling first.
- Adapt the strategy to supply, demand and competition.
- Coordinate financial arrangements, closing dates and moving timing.
Buy first or sell first?
There is no single answer. Compare the two paths.
- 01Confirm financing and bridge options with your lender
- 02Find and secure the next home
- 03Sell, with a closing date that lines up
Can work when
- You've found a home that rarely comes up
- Your finances can carry two homes for a while
Watch for
- Carrying costs on two properties
- Pressure to sell by a deadline
- 01Prepare and price your current home
- 02Sell, ideally with a flexible closing
- 03Buy with your budget confirmed
Can work when
- You need the sale proceeds to buy
- You want certainty on your budget
Watch for
- Needing a short-term place to stay
- Shopping under time pressure
Choose a Home for the Life Ahead.
Retirement moves and downsizing may begin with less upkeep, easier access or more convenient amenities. I help you compare condos, bungalows and other housing options around everyday layout, parking and ongoing costs.
- Consider daily activities, space, stairs and parking needs.
- Compare maintenance fees, upkeep and ownership costs.
- Weigh access to transport, shopping, healthcare, family and friends, and plan at your pace.
What buying costs, before the keys.
Ontario's land transfer tax is often the largest closing cost. Enter a price to see it. Markham and Richmond Hill have no municipal land transfer tax; the City of Toronto adds its own.
- Legal fees and title insuranceYour real estate lawyer handles the closing and registration.
- Home inspectionCommon for resale homes, often as a condition of the offer.
- Adjustments on closingProperty tax or condo fees the seller already prepaid.
- Mortgage costsAppraisal, and default insurance if your down payment is under 20%.
- Moving and set-upMovers, utility hook-ups and first repairs.
Rates for land with one or two single family residences, from ontario.ca. An estimate only; your lawyer confirms the final amount.
Let's Start with What Matters to You.
Considering buying, selling or moving? Get in touch to discuss your goals, timing and priorities.