Do they have a network of professionals to refer?

Another thing that I think is important, is does your realtor has an associated network of professionals; people they can refer you to, whether it's a lawyer or notary, home inspectors, or a landscaper; all those other little things that you may need during the sales process.  Just knowing that your realtor has those people that they can refer to you gives comfort, I think to most clients.

I’m proud to be a member of BNI Chapter in Vancouver, Business Network International.  Having being in this industry as long as I have, I have a huge network of people that I can refer to.  Pretty much anything you’re going to need, I going to be able to help you find someone that I know and trust.   

Communication is Key.

I think one of the biggest things that you need to determine when you’re choosing a realtor is whether or not this is a person that you’re comfortable with.  It’s the biggest purchase you’re probably, likely to make in your lifetime and when you’re selling a property it may well be the biggest asset you’ll ever sell.  You want to make sure you have someone that you trust, that you believe in, and that you can communicate very, very well with.  

I really see myself more as a consultant and an advisor, than I do as a sales person.  My personal style is to be one of listening and working with my clients, rather than selling something to my clients.

I try and bring information to the table and expertise to the table and present it in such a manner that we can create a plan together, that’s going to work, either buying a home or selling a home in order to achieve my client’s goals in the timelines that they want and the manner that they appreciate. 

Have they received any special recognition?

I think having a realtor who’s received awards is important; have they received awards from the community, from the real estate community, from outside the real estate community.  It allows you to understand they’re credible, full time professionals.

I’ve been honored to have earned Medallion Designation in the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, for the past four years and that means that I’ve been in the top ten percent, in terms of the sales volume of all realtors in the Greater Vancouver Board.  In addition, I’ve been voted by readers of the Georgia Straight, ’Best Realtor’ in Vancouver.  That’s a huge honor.  

Are They Part of a Team? 

I do think it’s important that your realtor has a team because you want to make sure that you’re going to be able to see those properties that you want to see when you need to. 

If you’re marketing your home you want to make sure someone is going to be able to show your home when the prospective buyers want to see it. 

Team Toffoli has two full time licensed realtors who are available when you need them. In addition, I have other team members that I can call on for specialized language skills like Mandarin and Cantonese. 

It’s nice to have a team so that if I’m not available at some point in time, someone else is able to fill those gaps, respond to emails and make sure that we are able to service our client base as fully as possible. 

Full-time or Part-time? 

One thing you may want to consider when you are speaking with realtors is, are they full-time or part-time. You want someone who’s going to be available when you’re available and who focuses on this as their full-time profession.

I’m a full-time realtor. My business is actually at the point where I have a full-time associate working with me so that we’re available whenever we’re needed by our clients and we have other team members that we can bring in if we need specialized language skills or other skills that we may not have between the two of us.

You expect a certain level of expertise and focus from a professional you are working with and when you know someone is a full-time realtor you know that they’re going to have that level of focus that you require. 

Can they provide testimonials? 

I think it’s important to choose a realtor who has testimonials and references that they can provide because that’s how you get to know that they’ve actually had clients and that they have been happy working with them. That they’ve got an established track record.

Having been in this industry for over ten years, I’ve got testimonials from a wide variety of clients. I’ve had first time buyers to people moving out of their family home and downsizing. It’s nice to see testimonials from those people saying, “You know what, I worked with Paul and he did a great job for us”. 

 Does their Philosophy and Methods Align with yours? 

I think it’s important to have a realtor whose philosophy and methods align with your own. What I think is critical is that you find someone who fits with your personal values and that you communicate well with. I mean, you need somebody who’s going to listen to what your needs are, understand what your needs are and give you the best advice based on your situation. 

I look at myself more as an advisor and consultant than I do as a sales person. What I will bring to the table is my expertise, I will give you unbiased advice and I’ll make sure the advice I give you is going to be in your best interests. 

Really how we do things is driven by my client’s needs and how they want to do things. 

Clients often ask me the best time of year to sell a property.

The fact is that homes are sold every month of the year, and that there is no perfect time.   Sales cycles also vary from year to year, depending on what is happening with interest rates, the economy, and world events.  However, there are usually busier and slower sales periods during the year.

Spring, from March through to the end of June, is typically the busiest time of year for real estate sales in Greater Vancouver.  In recent years, Chinese New Year’s has also greatly impacted local real estate markets.  This has led to a very active sales period, earlier than the typical spring market.  This occurs for 2 weeks on either side of the holiday, which is usually in late January to mid-February.

July and August are slower months, as Buyers are on vacation, and then the market is busier in the fall, starting in September, often slowing by end of November.

December is a time when many home-buyers are distracted by vacations and family time, and are not as focussed on buying a home.  There are less, active purchasers. However, there are also less homes for sale.   This can be an opportunity for a Seller who may not want to wait until the New Year to sell.

The key at any time of year is to understand the current market situation, to properly present and prepare your home for sale, to fully expose the property to the market-place so that the greatest possible number of real buyers become aware of the property, and of course, to set the price properly to ensure that you receive the highest possible sale price, while also selling in a timely manner.

We work closely with clients to provide the information you need when making important real estate decisions. 

Please call me with any questions.

Paul Toffoli

Top 10 Things you can do to sell your home for top price

1.Keep clutter to a minimum. Remove all un-necessary items and furniture in order to make the space look as large as possible. All surfaces should be clear, except for a few decorative items.

2. Depersonalize. A potential homebuyer needs to picture herself in your rooms, any quirky decorating or pictures of the kids hurts the illusion. Remove all family photos and, if necessary, paint brightly coloured walls a more neutral shade.


3. Make sure everything in the house is in top condition. No torn screens, cracked plaster or burnt out pot lights. You may have gotten used to seeing them, so tour your house with a critical eye (or ask someone else to), and repair anything that needs it.


4. A tidy kitchen.  Kitchen counters should be clear and clutter-free. A single bowl or vase holding cooking utensils is okay, but that's about it. Store small appliances in cupboards.

5. Be aware of scale in the house when it comes to furnishings. You might have a giant sofa that you love, but if it makes the room look small, it has to go. Aim for small groupings of furniture (ideally more than one in a room, especially a large one), with plenty of space around them.

6. Kitchen decor. If your kitchen doesn't have a backsplash, this is a weekend job that a reasonably handy person can tackle for little money. Invest in some gorgeous tiles (since you're doing such a small area, it shouldn't cost too much) or consider glass mosaics, mirror tile, or plain tile interspersed with a few fancy ones.

7. Spotlessly clean home. Hire a professional cleaning company to get at all the little nooks and crannies, down to the last detail. This rule should apply to the whole house, and especially kitchens and bathrooms.

8. Fix up the bathroom. In the bathroom an ugly builder's mirror can be replaced with a pretty framed mirror for under $100. For a little more, you can buy an antique or higher-end model from a housewares boutique. Switch out the lighting for a nice chandelier or some attractive new sconces and the bathroom will look as if it's been renovated.


9. The exterior of your home should look as polished as the interior. This means neatly trimmed bushes, mulched flowerbeds and fresh seasonal arrangements in urns by the front door.

10. A great smell makes a house memorable. Make sure to get rid of any unpleasant odors (ie: pets, mildew, etc)  If you don’t have a strong sense of smell, check with a friend to see how your home smells to them. Baking cookies has become a cliché, maybe buy a room spray with a fragrance you love and spray the house sparingly before each showing. Top of Form

Credit to www.Canadianliving.com for some of these home staging ideas.

 1. Experience Matters

I think it’s important to have an experienced realtor because they will have been through the situations you are dealing with and you know that it’s not their first kick at the can, they’ve been through it before.

I’ve been a licensed realtor for over ten years and prior to that I worked about 10 years doing asset and property managements, doing home renovations both for myself and others, so a very deep experience in real estate and particularly as a realtor.