Jim Burtnick, Author at Silver Burtnick & Associates

Clearing out the family home before you sell it is no small task. Usually, everyone has to do a little decluttering when they sell, however, there are instances when the family home needs a complete front-to-back purge of your belongings.

If you’re in this boat, it’s easy to get overwhelmed but such a major process. That said, with the right approach (and help) you can get through it with minimal stress and be one step closer to a smooth, top-dollar sale.

Have a Plan

Before diving into the physical work of purging, it’s crucial to plan your approach. Set a realistic timeline for completing the decluttering process. This might range from a weekend project to several weeks, depending on the scale of the task. As part of your planning, equip yourself with the necessary supplies such as boxes, trash bags, markers, and labels. This will streamline the sorting process.

Ready to begin your rightsizing journey? Explore these blog posts for helpful real estate tips.

Manage Your Workload as You Go

Begin with a small area to build momentum. This could be a single drawer, a closet, or a small room. Completing these smaller tasks will provide a sense of accomplishment and motivate you to tackle larger areas.

As you go through each area, sort items into four categories: Keep, Donate, Sell, and Throw Away.

Keep – this is for items that are functional and used regularly like major furnishings, appliances or other important everyday items.

Donate – Any belongings that are in good condition that you no longer need but could be useful to others. If you plan to donate, ensure the items are in good condition and will be useful to others. Research local charities and donation centres that can benefit from your contributions. Or, ask your real estate agent for recommendations on where you can donate.

Sell – If you have time, it could be worth holding a moving sale, yard sale, or garage sale. This can help you earn a little extra money on items you no longer need. For high-value assets like jewelry or antiques, you may want to consult an expert before you sell.

Throw away – While it’s best to reuse and recycle whenever possible, you may be holding onto some items that are broken, worn out, or no longer usable. Properly recycle items that can’t be donated or sold, such as electronics, batteries, and certain plastics. Check local recycling guidelines for specific instructions.

Work as a Team

As a family, you have multiple members who can help with the purging process. Discuss the plan with your family to ensure everyone is on the same page. Assign tasks to each family member to distribute the workload fairly.

Working as a team also applies to keeping your current home clean as you sell it, and your next home. Encourage every family member to take responsibility for their own spaces. Regularly scheduled family decluttering sessions can keep everyone engaged and invested in maintaining a tidy home.

Keeping Your Home Clean & Clutter-Free Long Term

When it comes to maintaining a clean, fresh home, purging is only step one. Once you’ve decluttered, the next step is to organize the remaining items and establish systems to maintain a clutter-free home. This will take diligence and cooperation from everyone in the family.

Spend a few minutes each day tidying up and putting items back in their designated places. Weekly deep cleaning can help maintain order. Utilize shelves, bins, and organizers to create designated spaces for items. Label these spaces to make it easy for everyone to know where things belong.

To prevent future clutter, be mindful of your purchasing habits. Before buying new items, consider if they are truly necessary and how they will fit into your existing space. Whenever you bring new items into the house, try to remove an older equivalent item (within reason). This prevents new clutter from accumulating.

Want to know what your housing options are as a downsizer? Check out these blog posts for unique insights.

Let Us Do The Heavy Lifting For You

With the right approach and planning, decluttering (and downsizing) your home doesn’t need to be stressful. With that in mind, the hands-down best way to take the anxiety out of your journey is to work with a real estate team that specializes in downsizing – like us, Silver Burtnick & Associates.

For decades, we’ve helped countless clients discover their best lives by facilitating a smooth and simple downsize every step of the way. With services beyond buying and selling, our approach to rightsizing is end-to-end. It’s our goal to not only help you achieve a great result but also to take the weight off your shoulders. We’ll coordinate all the logistics and moving parts on your behalf so you can focus on enjoying your transition.

As an experienced and collaborative real estate team, we can help you navigate the process of rightsizing. When you’re ready to begin your next chapter, get in touch. Click here to send an email or call 416-587-3300.

Selling a home can be a stressful experience. From start to finish, it’s a big process with several major decisions and steps involved. With that in mind, if you’re selling a home that you share with someone else, like your spouse or partner, you’ll want to be on the same page as much as possible.

Unfortunately, too many couples find themselves in conflict as they sell their home. However, with the right preparation and communication, you can make the process as smooth as possible for both of you.

In this blog, we’ll go over a few tips for doing exactly that.

Merging households with a partner for the first time? Click here for our advice on making the transition as smooth as possible.

Talk About Your Goals First

Communication is important in all facets of your relationship, but it’s extra critical during big changes – like selling your house and moving somewhere else. With that in mind, you’ll want to sit down with your spouse or partner and chat about your goals before you get the ball rolling on your sale.

While some smaller details can be figured out along the way, there are a number of major elements you’ll want to be on the same page about before you call your real estate agent. You’ll also want to be as specific as possible about your expectations, for instance, if you both agree that you’d like to sell your home next year, it’s important to pick a month or season that you’d like to have your home listed or sold by.

Along with selling goals, you should also be clear on where you’re heading next. Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or just looking for a change of scenery, you’ll want to be aligned on where you’d like to live next and what your ideal home looks like.

Be Flexible & Work as a Team

With so many big decisions involved in selling, there’s a good chance that you and your spouse or partner might have a few differing desires here or there. Like communication, flexibility and compromise are important to ensuring everyone feels included, heard, and respected during the sale.

That said, flexibility when selling isn’t just about being open to compromise when your preferences differ from your spouse or partner’s. Even when you’re both aiming for the same outcome, it helps to remain open to new ideas and be willing to adjust your plans as needed. In a market like Toronto, anything can happen at any time. So, as a seller, being flexible and on the ball will be a big part of your success.

Selling your home? You’ll want to work with a locally knowledgeable real estate agent. Visit these blog posts for helpful tips.

Divide Responsibilities Fairly

There’s a lot of work that goes into selling. From cleaning and decluttering to packing, hiring movers, and everything in between. Divide tasks equitably based on your strengths and preferences. Perhaps one of you enjoys cleaning while the other excels at making small repairs or touch-ups around the house. Delegating responsibilities not only lightens the load but also ensures that both partners feel invested in the process.

Have a Plan for Costs

A lot of couples forget about the costs involved in selling a home. While it looks different for everyone, you may run into expenses such as repairs, staging, legal help and of course, working with an agent. Sit down together and establish a budget for these expenses early on. Be diligent about tracking costs and avoiding unnecessary expenditures to prevent financial strain and disagreements down the line.

Searching for more insights on selling a home in Toronto? Check out these blogs for helpful insights.

Take Breaks

Selling a home can be stressful and time-consuming. Don’t forget to take a step back and enjoy a break when needed. Spending quality time together outside of the home-selling grind can keep the process feeling light and fun.

Always Consult a Third Party

This is the most important step in selling (or even buying) a home with your spouse or partner. Regardless of how aligned your goals and wants are, it’s always a good idea to work with a neutral third party – like a real estate agent.

Looking to sell your home and move up (or down)? Silver Burtnick & Associates is here for you. Call 416-587-3300 or click here to send us an email.

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There are a lot of reasons why now is the right time to make the move as a buyer. However, there are a few things you’ll want to do before you head to the market to make the process smoother.

In this blog, we’ll cover the unique advantages available to buyers in today’s market and what steps they can take ahead of their purchase to maximize their chances of success.

Why Buy in Today’s Market?

Right now, home buyers in Toronto have the advantage of a less active market. With a lesser degree of competition, buyers are enjoying greater selection, lower prices, and an overall more relaxed atmosphere.

Want to buy a home in Toronto? Have a peek at these blog posts for more information and advice.

What About the High Interest Rates?

Right now one of the most common qualms that potential buyers have about making the leap to homeownership is interest rates. Ahead of the pandemic, Toronto home buyers were able to secure their mortgages at extraordinarily low rates, so in comparison, today’s rates may seem sky-high. However, that’s not actually the case. Looking back at the past four decades, today’s mortgage rates are about average. The ultra-low mortgages from just a few years ago are far more anomalous than what today’s buyers are paying.

While interest rates aren’t as uniquely buyer-favouring as they once were, market conditions are! Right now buyers have the opportunity to search for their ideal home without facing the ultra-competitive buying landscape that Toronto is known for. Therefore, rather than waiting for rates to return to pre-pandemic numbers, buyers can get a leg up by choosing a flexible rate mortgage today, and then locking into a lower fixed rate once the market dips in the future. By the interest rates decline again, these market conditions will be long gone.

Getting Purchase-Ready

For buyers, today’s market offers favourable conditions that won’t last forever. So what do you need to do before you’re ready to start house hunting? Here are four simple steps to ensure you’re market-ready.

1. Have Your Finances Organized

Having an idea of what you can afford is an essential part of getting ready to buy. Therefore, it’s crucial to assess your financial situation thoroughly and ensure you’re prepared for homeownership before you head to the market. Take stock of your (and your spouse’s) current income, expenses, and existing debts. Then, use an online mortgage calculator to estimate your monthly mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and other housing-related costs.

If you do have concerns about your financial eligibility regarding homeownership, talk to a real estate agent. Their up-to-date market knowledge can help you determine what you can afford.

2. Get Pre-Approved For a Mortgage

Securing a pre-approval for a mortgage is a critical step in the home-buying process. Pre-approval provides you with a clear understanding of your purchasing power and demonstrates to sellers that you’re a serious buyer.

3. Know What You’re Looking For

Before you head to the market, you’ll want to have a firm idea of what you’re actually looking for in a home. Determining your preferred neighbourhoods might be based on proximity to work, schools, access to public transportation, amenities, and the overall community vibe. Along with location, don’t forget to consider which essential features and amenities you need in a home, things like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen layout, outdoor yard space, parking availability, and any other must-have features.

Buying a home in Toronto for the first time? Check out these other posts from our blog for helpful tips.

4. Find the Right Real Estate Agent

In any market, working with a real estate agent is essential for navigating the buying process. However, given the current state of Toronto real estate, choosing the right agent can make a world of difference. That’s where we come in.

With multiple decades of experience in Toronto’s active market, we have the insights and buying strategies needed to maximize your chances of finding (and landing) your dream home. Helping you stand out from the crowd and optimize your position as a buyer in today’s market, we’ll guide you through a seamless purchasing process from start to finish.

Ready to head to the market? As Toronto’s leading real estate experts, we can help you find a home that speaks to your heart. Send us an email or call 416-587-3300 to discover your path to success.

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One of Toronto’s best family neighbourhoods, Yonge & Lawrence is a small community at the centre of Lawrence Park, stretching out about a 1.5-kilometre radius from the intersection of Yonge Street and Lawrence Avenue. As it’s nestled just about halfway between midtown and uptown Toronto, Yonge & Lawrence offers the ideal balance of seclusion and big-city accessibility.

Yonge & Lawrence makes a great fit for all types of residents. However, the neighbourhood is particularly popular with families. In this blog post, we’ll explore why!

Why do I love Yonge & Lawrence so much? It’s where I grew up! Watch my personal tour of the area below.

Family Homes at Yonge & Lawrence

You can’t have a great family neighbourhood without an abundance of homes that work well for families’ existing and evolving needs. Thankfully, Yonge & Lawrence has lots. As an area that was carefully developed with a garden suburb feel, the neighbourhood’s housing stock caters well to families of all shapes and sizes.

Homes here are typically spacious with open and bright layouts – creating a roomy feel. No matter how many bedrooms or bathrooms you need, there’s a good chance you’ll find a home perfectly suited to your family. On top of indoor space, many Yonge & Lawrence homes feature nicely sized front and back yards, offering a private outdoor space to play, exercise, share a meal, or just relax as a family.

While most homes are over 100 years old, many of them have been upgraded or renovated to match the contemporary needs (and tastes) of today’s families. Along with these gorgeous heritage properties, there are some newer homes too. Some of them carefully blend into the neighbourhood’s older housing stock while others’ ultra-modern architecture and design choices provide an intentional contrast.

Looking for a great family neighbourhood? Explore these other blogs from our site to find the right one for you.

Yonge & Lawrence’s Top Schools

Another reason Yonge & Lawrence makes an exceptional fit for families is the great public and private schools located either right in the neighbourhood or nearby. As a community with families of all backgrounds and demographics, the wide selection of schools ensures that families have access to a strong education – whatever their preferred educational style may be.

Yonge & Lawrence Public Schools

John Wanless Junior Public School
Bedford Park Public School
Blythwood Junior Public School
Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School

Yonge & Lawrence Private Schools

Upper Canada College
Crescent School
Havergal College
Greenwood College School
Toronto French School

Seasons & Synchronicity

As a family-first neighbourhood, most residents at Yonge & Lawrence follow similar schedules and timelines – creating a unique feeling of unity and synchronicity across the community. For instance, as most kids in the area attend schools nearby, carpooling is fairly common. Families also tend to plan their year around the school calendar just as much as the 12-month calendar, scheduling vacations and other getaways for when school’s out. With so many residents in the same boat, the neighbourhood has a dynamic rhythm that adds to its close-knit feel.

Buying a home in Toronto soon? Check out these other posts from our blog for helpful tips.

Where Families Lay Roots

Because Yonge & Lawrence has everything families need, most residents have laid their roots here. In other words, once families arrive in the area, they hardly leave. Not only is this trend a testament to Yonge & Lawrence’s family suitability but it also continuously bolsters the community’s down-to-earth ambience as many homeowners have life-long relationships with their neighbours.

Looking for the Perfect Family Home?

In Toronto, few neighbourhoods offer the same family-first perks and lifestyle as Yonge & Lawrence and Lawrence Park.

That said, if you’re hoping to find the perfect home here, you’ll want to partner with a real estate agent who knows the area best – like us! Our team, Silver Burtnick & Associates features proud Yonge & Lawrence locals! We use our insider, community-member knowledge to your advantage.

Of course, beyond just offering local insights, our industry-leading buying strategies can help you land the right home at the right price.

Looking to find the perfect home for your family? As one of Toronto’s top real estate teams, we can help. Click here to send an email or call 416-587-3300.

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Featuring some of the highest demand for housing anywhere in North America, Toronto real estate is constantly evolving.

In light of increased strain on local supply, greater demand for diversified housing options, and creative input from investors and other wealth-savvy homeowners, a handful of unique, alternative housing types have entered the arena in recent years. Among these alternatives, laneway homes and garden suites have gained significant traction, offering unique opportunities for homeowners and renters alike.

As newcomers to the real estate landscape, laneway homes and garden suites are often referred to interchangeably. However, they represent two completely separate types of secondary dwellings – each with its own set of characteristics and regulatory implications.

In this blog post, we’ll go over the key differences between the two, their advantages, and what you should know if you wish to build one.

Thinking about downsizing from your Toronto home? Explore these blogs for helpful advice.

What is a Laneway Home?

Given the current state of housing in Toronto, it’s no surprise that laneway homes have quickly gained popularity as a means of infill housing – steadily becoming more prominent both in newer areas and within established neighbourhoods.

What laneway homes share in common with garden suites is that they both take advantage of underutilized space on a homeowner’s property, allowing them to create a separate, standalone housing unit that can be used personally or as a rental property.

However, unlike garden suites, which can be located in any free space on the property (often the backyard), laneway homes are directly accessed by an alley or laneway behind the home – hence the name. This gives the person living there a more private and convenient way of coming home without having to move through shared space.

As they’re directly connected to Toronto’s vast laneway network, these properties are often built in place of a garage or where a garage once stood. While every laneway home is unique, builders and homeowners often choose to incorporate distinct architectural features and design considerations, taking advantage of their distinct setting to maximize natural light and privacy.

What is a Garden Suite?

While very similar to laneway homes, garden suites have their own unique characteristics. In short, garden suites are also separate, self-contained living spaces. However, they aren’t typically built against an alley or laneway. Instead, they are accessed on foot through another outdoor space on the property – usually the backyard. This flexibility can impact the scale of a garden suite depending on the unique layout of the property itself.

Looking for outside-of-the-box housing options as a downsizer? Check out these blog posts for unique insights.

Who Lives in Laneway Homes & Garden Suites?

Given their somewhat compact nature, laneway homes and garden suites have become a first-choice option for many retirees and rightsizers looking to age in place. These downsizers elect to move into one of these units (on their own property) while renting out their main home.

Along with this approach, many laneway homes and garden suites are used as dedicated income properties – tapping into the elevated demand of Toronto’s hot rental market. In other cases, they’re simply used to host guests or family members. The options are almost endless.

Before You Build

While both garden suites and laneway homes offer a wide range of benefits, navigating the regulatory landscape can be a complex endeavour for anyone looking to add one to their property. Although the City of Toronto has taken steps to better facilitate and expedite the development of secondary suites in recent years, there’s still a substantial amount of red tape to adhere to.

For laneway homes and garden suites, regulations typically govern aspects such as size and scale, height restrictions, parking requirements, and access to utilities. On that note, if you’re looking to build, you must obtain the necessary permits and approvals from the city before breaking ground, ensuring compliance with building codes and zoning regulations.

Is My Property Eligible For a Laneway Home or Garden Suite?

With all the legalities and fine print involved in developing a laneway home or garden suite, it’s essential that you consult an expert before making any concrete decisions. Luckily, having your property assessed to determine what your options are is relatively easy.

To do this, reach out to our partners at Laneway Housing Advisors. Lending specialized professional expertise, they can prepare detailed reports that outline your options in as little as 24 hours.

Considering adding a Laneway Home or Garden Suite to your property? As seasoned experts in Toronto real estate, our team would be happy to assist you. Click here to send an email or call 416-587-3300.

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Sitting in the east end along the shore of Lake Ontario, The Beaches is one of Toronto’s most interesting neighbourhoods. On top of boasting a unique heritage, charming homes and a plethora of locally-owned small businesses, this quaint enclave is perhaps best known for its one-of-a-kind community ambience. It’s artsy, a little bit eclectic, remarkably convenient, and above all else – neighbourly. The locals love it here, and you will too.

With all that in mind, it’s not hard to see why there’s so much buzz around The Beaches – and why it’s become one of the city’s most sought-after communities from a real estate perspective.

Keep reading to discover what makes Toronto’s The Beaches neighbourhood so special.

Looking to get the 411 on real estate in The Beaches? Click here to access our general guide to the neighbourhood.

Where is The Beaches?

On the map, The Beaches sits east of Coxwell Avenue all the way to Victoria Park Avenue. Sitting south of Kingston Road, the neighbourhood stretches down to the shore of Lake Ontario. However, there is a small enclave in The Beaches’ southwest corner where the formal boundary is set by Lake Shore Boulevard.

Want to know more about Toronto’s dynamic range of neighbourhoods? Explore these other blogs from our site to find the right one for you.

The Beach vs. The Beaches

Another unique character trait of The Beaches is that not everyone can agree on the neighbourhood’s name. Technically, the formal name for the community is The Beaches, however, if you were to ask some of the older residents who’ve lived in the area for multiple generations, they may tell you it’s called ‘The Beach’.

In fact, back in the day a lot of local businesses and services used this non-plural name. If you were to stroll along Queen Street in decades past you could spot the Beach Theatre or the Beach Streetcar – among a handful of other examples. At the end of the day, this debate is in good fun and most locals won’t mind whichever name you use.

What’s In a Name?

While The Beaches is the name of the neighbourhood itself, it can also be used to refer to the collection of sandy beaches found there. The Beaches features four side-by-side yet separate beaches: Woodbine Beach, Scarboro Beach, Kew Beach, and Balmy Beach.

What’s There to Do in The Beaches?

The Beaches is known for its local businesses and shopping. Along Queen Street East, you’ll find independent boutique shopping, trendy vintage stores, restaurants, cafes, bars, and more. There’s also one of Toronto’s newest and most popular concert venues, History, located right in the heart of the neighbourhood.

Of course, as a waterfront neighbourhood, The Beaches offers all the activities and perks of lakeside living. During the summer months, you can visit any one of the four beaches for sightseeing and relaxing. If you’re looking to hop in the water, Woodbine Beach and Kew Beach are both “Blue Flag” certified for cleanliness and safe swimming. There’s also the beautiful boardwalk, which stretches from one end of the community to the other. As part of the Martin Goodman Trail, it connects walkers, joggers, and cyclists in The Beaches to the rest of Toronto.

Buying a home in Toronto for the first time? Check out these other posts from our blog for helpful tips.

The Beaches Community Feel

While there are endless ways to spend time in The Beaches, no conversation about the neighbourhood would be complete without mentioning the community dynamic. Residents of The Beaches are famous for their passion, community advocacy, and love of their neighbourhood.

This dynamic stretches back decades. As the story goes, when the TTC originally began bringing streetcar service to the area, residents would attempt to dig up the recently-laid tracks in an attempt to preserve the neighbourhood’s small town feel. Luckily, this small town feel has lived on in spades, and residents are completely welcoming of newcomers, visitors, and daytrippers alike.

Dreaming of finding the perfect home in The Beaches? As one of Toronto’s top real estate teams, we can help. Click here to send an email or call 416-587-3300.

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Author: Jim Burtnick

How to Purge The Family Home