It’s no secret that homes in Toronto aren’t selling as fast as they used to, but that doesn’t mean sellers should get discouraged. Not only is selling your home in a buyer’s market possible, but you can still get great results too.
Of course, you can’t just list your house and cross your fingers for a miracle. You need to take the right approach – one that helps your home stand out in a sea of other listings. I’m here to help you do exactly that!
As a real estate agent working in Etobicoke, I’ve helped sellers reach their goals through all kinds of market fluctuations, including some of the toughest buyer’s markets in Toronto history.
In this blog, I’ll go over everything you need to know about selling your home in a buyer’s market.
A Case Study
Let’s kick things off with a little story. Not long ago, I sold a home at 197 Gamma Street in Alderwood. Despite high supply, low demand, and other tough conditions in the South Etobicoke market, I was confident that we could accomplish something great – and we did!
The house sold in less than a month and a half, for 97% of the list price. This would be a great result in any market, let alone today’s conditions. So, how did we do it?
Standing Out From The Crowd
Getting a great result from your home sale will require preparation. At the end of the day, the more inventory buyers have to choose from, the more important it is for your home to stand out. Even if your home is in relatively good condition, there’s always room for improvement – and sometimes just a few small changes can have a big payoff.
In the case of 197 Gamma Street, we took all kinds of steps to make the home look amazing before listing it.
First, the house was decluttered, ensuring it felt spacious and uncrowded. After that, I had it professionally cleaned from top to bottom. For the finishing touches, it was fully painted and staged.
While there are a lot of houses on the market today, a lot of them have been listed without any preparations. Just by making a few key changes, we made the house stand out in a big way.
Selling your home in Etobicoke? Check out these other blogs for more advice!
- How to Sell Your Bungalow Fast
- Selling Your Etobicoke Home in 2025: How to Maximize Your Sale
- Should You Sell Your Home Before Buying a New One?
Finding Buyers
Once your home looks its best, you’ll want to reach as many buyers as possible. After all, buyers can’t take an interest in your house if they don’t even know it exists. But when there are hundreds of other similar listings on the market, this is easier said than done.
Just like pre-listing preparations, having a well-thought-out marketing plan is super important. In a buyer’s market, first impressions are everything. Your home needs to wow potential buyers wherever they see it first – and in today’s day and age, that’s usually online.
We started by capturing high-quality photos and videos of the home, including drone shots of the property and the surrounding neighbourhood. To reach potential buyers on social media, I created an eye-catching, easily shareable reel that got over 50,000 views by the time the home was sold. Video is an essential part of my marketing strategy – you can read more about that here!
Another big part of selling a home in a buyer’s market is flexibility. Once you launch your listing, you can’t just sit back and wait. Otherwise, your home can start to feel stale. A few weeks after hitting the market, we swapped in a new set of listing photos to keep things feeling fresh and exciting.
Always Be Showing Ready
Flexibility also plays a role in the showing process. Buyers won’t be ready to make an offer until they’ve seen your house in person. So, the easier you can make it for them to do that, the better.
When your house is on the market, try to be as accommodating as you can be with showings. One easy way to do this is by keeping your home showing ready at all times. You never know, your agent may get a last-minute showing request while you’re at work, and you won’t have time to rush home and tidy beforehand.
One thing my sellers at 197 Gamma did wonderfully was keep the property in great shape while it was on the market, especially the backyard, which was one of the home’s best features. The lawn and gardens were beautifully maintained, and personal belongings like cat toys and ashtrays were removed before each in-person showing. We also chose to include the back patio furniture as part of the listing, which helped potential buyers envision themselves enjoying the space.
As a seller in a buyer’s market, no detail is too small. While having to keep your home clean all the time isn’t exactly fun, it can be the difference between a quick sale and being stuck on the market for months.
Hoping to make the most of your home sale? Check out these other blogs for even more helpful advice.
- How to Get Your South Etobicoke Home Ready For Sale
- 3 Selling Mistakes That Can Negatively Impact Your Final Price
- 5 More Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Etobicoke Home
Have Patience
Selling in a buyer’s market can be daunting, but it’s important not to let your emotions get the best of you. A little patience (and the right advice from your Realtor) can go a long way.
Sometimes, when a home has been on the market for a few weeks, buyers will choose to cancel or terminate the listing, just to re-list it at a lower price. While this strategy has its perks, sometimes it pays to wait a little longer. This is what we did at 197 Gamma Street.
When a home is under 10 days on the market and priced slightly above their budget, many buyers hold off. However, once a listing hits the three-week mark, they tend to feel more comfortable negotiating. Leaving the days on the market visible sent a message that we were open to negotiating, and buyers responded.
Ready to Sell Your Home?
With the right agent at your side (like me!), you can accomplish a great sale in any type of market. I have more than 20 years of experience and the right strategies to help your home stand out from the competition, laying the groundwork for a strong result.
Selling your Etobicoke home? I can help! Call or text me at 647-239-7587 or email melissa@southetobicoke.com to get started.
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