We are excited to welcome Brett Stein (ofthe Brett Stein Real Estate Team)to our amazing group of Homewise Platinum Realtors. To be a Platinum Realtor, you are recognized as one of Canada's top Realtors and are an amazing partner of our team at Homewise. We recently talkedwith Brett about the market, his advice for home buyers and how technology is changing the way things are done in the buying process. Below are our questions and his insightful answers.

What is one piece of advice all home buyers should have?

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE! In a fast-moving market like Toronto, buyers tend to get anxious and feel the need to jump on something as soon as it becomes available… My advice is to always take your time, do your due diligence and make sure that this is the property that checks off all the boxes! This is most likely the largest purchase of your life, make sure you treat it as such.

What advice do you give to your buyers when they may be going into a bidding war?

PREPARE YOUR FINANCING BEFORE THE OFFER DATE! This is so so so important. Too often we see situations in which buyers are overextending themselves in order to win a bidding war, and are left scrambling to arrange their financing. This is why I love working with Homewise. They turn around pre-approvals so efficiently and my clients are always fully prepared. USE A BUYER AGENT THAT YOU TRUST! These multiple offer situations are so fluid and tricky to maneuver, having an agent on your side who is actively working to keep you in the game is a must!

If someone was thinking of buying a home within the next 6-12 months, what should they be thinking of and what advice would you give?

GET SOME MARKET EDUCATION! Whether it is just receiving constant emails to keep you abreast of different areas and price points in the market, or if you’re ready to go out and see places in the flesh… Do it! It never hurts to see what you like and what you don’t, what’s in your price range and what’s not. Having a buyer agent ensures that your search is efficient and that you are constantly narrowing down your priorities in the home search process. And GO GET PRE APPROVED!

How do you see technology changing the Real Estate and home buying process in the coming years?

Nowadays, we are dealing with more educated and sophisticated consumers than ever before. Technology is right at the buyer’s and seller’s fingertips and I can only imagine that this information is going to continue to be more readily available. Because of how fast our market moves here in the GTA, my clients need to be more prepared to work as efficiently as possible to make sure that we don’t miss any amazing opportunities. This year, Brett Stein Real Estate did various virtual home inspections, Facetime viewings and Zoom consultations… and we will continue to strive to adapt with the ever-changing technology of our space.

Any other advice home buyers should consider?

  1. Get educated on the market and discover different areas in different price ranges.

  2. Know your priorities! What are your deal breakers? What are your necessities?

  3. Get Pre Approved and know your financial limitations.

  4. Stay Patient and work with someone you can trust to not only get you the best deal, but also to make sure that you never miss an opportunity.

  5. HAVE FUN! Whether it’s for investment or for you to live in… this is a super exciting time for everyone involved, ENJOY THE PROCESS!