Chris Cook

The Lockdown is here. For many businesses it means a shut down. For those who were not at home it means, staying home. If you've got kids, buckle up things are about to get even more real! From a real estate perspective, we remain on the essential service list. This may seem confusing but please do keep in mind that Shelter is essential and many people are either already in the process or may have no choice with their need. My role is to service these needs as safely and eff...ectively as possible. I stress to anyone in the process to use the digital tools we have at our disposal to the maximum. There are great 3D tours, floorplans and photos to help pick the right places to go see. I also offer live or recorded video tours to my clients so you can stay safe at home and let me do the first walk through. If you currently own a home, the market here in the GTA has remained resilient through this pandemic so far. Indicators show that we will remain solid. If you have any questions about your home or condo and are not sure how to best proceed, I'm at your service. Stay Safe, Stay Sane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wScqFDpWsNY

My name is Chris and I'm a workaholic . Serious. I get so involved in what I'm doing that I forget to eat . Not good for me and for sure not good for my clients. Here's what I've done / am doing about it. ... I have one day off a week. No matter what. I've made a strategic hire to help me with the work and I'm planning on making more. I have a plan to decrease the hours I work and to be more effective while I am working. This is designed to make me more present for my clients, not less. You see, this business has a lot of very different jobs and they all need to be done, sometimes all at once. My goal is to help as many people as possible and to be flawless in my execution . I've realized I can't do that alone. For years I've been called the Halyard Group in name only. Now I have a group of talented people helping deliver a great service . I'm so excited to start keeping promises to my family while still keeping promises to my clients .

What are you all about? I was asked this by a coach recently. I was stumped for a minute. I used to know the answer right away. I was an athlete. I had good friends all over the world. I had devoted myself to being the best at my craft (sailing). Now years after leaving sport I was asked for the first time. What are you all about? Then it hit me. I knew the answer. It was so obvious.... I'm about my family . My kids and my wife are everything. They're the reason I get up in the morning. They're why I work. They're why I make improvements to myself everyday. Here's a little secret though . I love giving them things. It's my personal joy to see them having a great life. If I make improvements every day, their lives will get better too. Pretty cool. It crept up on me. Being a Dad . But I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I didn't come into this with any sales training. I just liked helping people . I think that's a good thing. I've avoided being slippery. My approach has been to offer valueand service. For me, Sales is Service. I like being able to bring value to people. I like knowing I'm working for someone else's best interests . That's what cranks me up about this job.... Here's the thing though, it took me a little while to figure this all out . I went through my first couple years in the biz trying to help people. I wasn't able to articulate exactly what I was offering. Now I've found my place to speak from. I know how to offer my value and how to say it clearly . My goal is to help people through what can be a very stressful and confusing process. I've developed systems that put my clients needs first. I've learned to listen first , ask questions and then deliver value based on need. Sales is Service. Period.

Do you remember your first time driving on the DVP? I do! I was scared out of my mind! I was 16 and my parents were finally free! I could take myself to weekend regattas. I was given the B2000 pickup truck, my boat on a trailer. I was told very, very clearly not to take the 401 / DVP downtown (We lived in Whitby).... I didn't listen and took the 401. Kingston Rd was going to take like 15 minutes longer, who had time for that? 401 on a Saturday at 8:00 am back in 1990. No big deal . Then I took the on ramp from 401 to DVP and transitioned into driving hell . As you may or may not know, that highway transition dumps you into the fast lane of the DVP. Every maniac already coming south from the 404 ready to cut you off . How dare you merge! I was boxed and going about 110 kph. I was frozen , unable to get out of the left lane. There was a car right behind me, pissed that I was not doing 140. I was sweating , big time. There was more to come. This road wasn't done with me. The DVP is not a straight highway. For me at the time I felt like I was on a mountain pass in the Alps. About half way down the highway I finally managed to get out of the left lane to the relative sanity of the right . I caught my breath and had a brief moment to recall my parents last words. DO NOT TAKE THE DVP!! Is there anything worse than being 16 and knowing your parents were right? The last part of this trip though I think the highway engineers did just for little shits like me . You see I was going to Cherry Beach, at the end of the road. I had to get back into the left lane to make my exit... Needless to say, I missed the exit, ended up on the Gardner and had to get off 2 exits later . After a backtrack on Lakeshore I got to Cherry Beach 15 minutes late. Yep, exactly what time I would have gotten there had I listened to my parents. Every time I drive on the DVP I remember that day. I have a bit of a chuckle which takes my mind off what a total cluster of a highway it really is!

How much are you willing to risk? My own risk tolerance has changed as I get older. It's not been on purpose, over time I've become more careful. Careful isn't the right word. Calculated . Yes that's it.... I've always been able to take certain risks but now they're more calculated . I weigh the pros and cons. I see the potential then make a move. When it comes to being crazy though, those days are well behind me. Now I check the ice before I step onto it and even then I'm constantly skeptical. There's a difference between calculated and crazy. Not all risk is the same and anything worth doing has some risk that comes with it.

I can write for sale in mustard on the front lawn and it would sell. I've heard all kinds of lines that cut at how difficult this job is , what we do and how we get paid. It's the getting paid part that I'd like to talk about. I get paid a "contingency fee". This means I only get paid if I can produce a favorable result . This is the same working with buyers or sellers.... The process can take a couple days or it can stretch on for months . One thing that is always required is an investment of time and often a financial investment. The investment in time is broken into two categories. First, professional fees, experience and training . I have to know what I'm doing well before I meet a client so I invest in my own training. This is not paid for by my brokerage, it's a business expense. Second is the investment in software. I have excellent systems and services that I offer. They run on specialized software . This is a personal business expense. Paid by me. Last is the investment in my client. This is greatest if I'm selling a clients house. The cost to properly prepare and market the home can cost $1000's . I pay this as a business expense well before I ever get paid a commission. After all the above, my client still has to be satisfied with the result I produce. If at any point they decide not to work with me or not to accept an offer, that's it. No commission This job is unique. I actually pay my brokerage to be there, not the other way around. I don't make 5% of a deal. It's actually much closer to 0.5% of the sale that ends up being a pay cheque for me . The rest is legitimate overhead required to do my best work.

My clients beat the other buyer by $1.00 Yea man a buck! The listing agent wrote in the remarks for brokers, "One shot, best offer wins" ... We offered $x,xxx,xx1 I got a call from the agent . Here's the dialogue. LA : Hey Chris, listen man, your offer and one other are identical. ME : Are you sure? I mean, isn't our offer $1 better? LA: Yea. ME: Cool, so were done right LA: Can you round up? ME: I would imagine so, I'll get right back. Well we bumped up the offer but in reality we did win by a buck. Moral of the story, odd numbers in offers can work to your advantage . I always try to be creative with my offers and find any advantage possible.

Not great for the electical bill but...lets get those lights switched on. If you're selling a home in TO you've likely had the place staged and cleaned up real nice. Then you leave for the showings and turn all the lights out?!? Don't be shy, lets show the place off! Get every light in the house on, including those table lamps... If my stager's done the job then every light has a purpose and that purpose is to show the hosue perfectly, day or night . Now I know the cost of Hydro in this great city so if my clients aren't in town I'll make sure to swing by in the morning and again at night to make sure the place is showing right, then tucked in for the night. Same goes for houses I'm not listing though. I want that place showing right so whenever I can I'll go a couple minutes early and switch them on and make sure we're not fumbling around in the dark PS I'm legit afraid dark basements so part of this is for my own piece of mind! If you love it, lets get those lights shining!

It's too bad the photo album was packed...I would love to see the pictures from 1954 of cows in the backyard of this house! Some 66 years ago my client moved into the first house built in the area. She's called it home ever since. While we were chatting in the backyard she was telling me that there used to be a farm behind her place. Cows would be along the fence all the time!... A lot has changed over the years. Grace was lucky enough to raise a family in this home. There have been a lot of memories. When it was time to sell she knew it and we sat down to "talk turkey" This wasn't going to be a normal listing, none are anymore! This was her wish list. No sign on the lawn. Her business was just that. As few showings as possible. Safety first, the fewer people the better Limit the prep needed to the home, including decluttering. Get it sold as quick as possilbe Had to meet her price I'm so proud to say we did it...I mean we did it all. Sold in 5 days with 1 showing no prep work needed. We did pretty good on price too...really good actually. Working with great people and helping them with real estate is exactly why I got into this. Here's my hat off to the whole family who pitched in to help with the eventual move and to Grace, just a super lady.

So what does it matter if the print marketing is terrible? To me, it matters quite a lot ! I spend a lot of effort putting together a kick-butt book for every house I sell. I do this because it matters now, maybe more than ever.... There are still homes selling which means there's competition for the Sellers too. You can't just print off a quick copy of the listing and expect to stand out. Staging matters, Photos matter, online exposure matters. The print material matters just as much. It should have all the important information. My books contain: Amazing photos An overall property description Individudual room descriptions Important upgrades to the home and property Age of important items like roof and furance Floor Plans Neighbourhood info, including schools. All of this is in one great looking package so the potential buyers can remmeber and reference the material. Showings are down for homes but the intent is higher than ever. When someone comes to see the property it's because they have genuine interest. You want to make sure the print material represents the work that went into preparing the home. If you'd like a digital copy of one of my feature books DM me here and I'll send one over.

A little work with my newest helper. We’re getting 116 Rhodes ready for the market next week. What I like about working with this fella is he can see angles I miss! He’s pretty handy at handling the pillows too. ... I’d like to give a special thanks to my clients who’ve given us the keys and run of the place to get it ready. While we’re getting this ready I hope ya’ll have a great Thanksgiving Long weekend!

Newer isn't always better To know the quality of a product and how it's put together you need to look at the individual product. I've looked at new builds and thought..."not a great job". I've also walked into 100-year-old homes and thought "WOW"... It's all about the quality of the original work and the ongoing maintenance. Some less obvious things I look at include The overall quality of the finishes and how they were installed. How carefully the trim and outlet cover plates are installed. If they were reckless with small details they were likely as careless with the larger items now hidden behind the walls. The organization and age of the electrical panel as well as the wires coming out of it. Thre are no guarantees the wiring has been updated but it can show if it hasn't. Permits! Were they pulled and are there any left open. Most every renovation job requires some sort of permit. Was the job done right? Last is to make sure to get an inspection report that looks as deep as possible at the property. Looking at moisture as a focal point. Moisture is the worst and not always easy to spot! There are so many things to consider and getting started can be confusing. Let me know here if you'd like a copy of my Right Size Buyer's Checklist.

For the extra point! Buying a house with a laneway! I’m a huge fan of the laneways. Here’s a couple reasons why...... 1 it’s so nice to not pull out into traffic get a backetball hoop or hockey net. What a great place to play games with the grandkids / kids! 3 laneway get togethers with neighbours. 4 depending on the lot and location you can add laneway housing. There’s loads of reasons why they rock! I know a fair bit about laneways, what you can do with them and how they affect value. I think you can tell from the above...I love them!!

Nobody matters more than you! The first job in my business is to be organized so I have time for what matters, you! What I do best it talk to people. I love making and maintaining connections so if there's a way for me to help, I'll know where to start. So what about all the "stuff" that needs to get done to make a successful business?... I've learned to use and implement systems. As soon as I started started using my checklists and templates I found that the business part of the business can run like clockwork. Even better, all my great results with past clients can be repeated. Setting up new listings, onboarding new Buyers, calling leads and organizing my team. It all gets done, and done right. Now I have time to talk to you! If you've got a real estate question or you'd just like to catch up I'm all yours! If you've read this far let's connect! Drop me a TEXT or CALL 416-435-8324.

Open House during COVID! Please stop this madness!Open House during COVID! Please stop this madness!

Don't get mad, get analyzing...better still, let me do the work! First of all, I'm good at it, analyzing property values that is. I don't go with my gut, and I definately don't guess. Pricing is a sience. Here's what I look at when finding good comparable properties... 1. Size. Lot size (in particular the frontage or width) House size and type Finishes 2. Location. Close counts for sure but there are other things to take into account. School districts is a big one. A property right across the street could price very differently because of the school district. 3. Time. Finding something that sold recently is important. Especially here in Toronto. The market moves fast so old sales count less. Pulling this info and presenting it to my clients is an essential part of my job, for both Buyers ad Sellers. I actually play a game to keep my skills sharp. I pull 3 local listings (not mine) and price the home before it sells. Practice makes perfect and I'll say, my pricing skills are pretty sharp.

Real Estate Media miss the important stuff. So here's the first segment on how to read prices and figure out what the heck is going on out there. The prices look random but they are not. Today I'm going to explain Days on Market and how that affects the way you should look at prices. First. The low price. Looks great...maybe too good to be true?? It is! ... Toronto Sellers aren't dumb. They know you're going to like that price. Tip #1 Attractive + less than 7 days on market + holding offer date = Multiple offers Tip #2 Between 7 and 14 Days on market with a price change = price close to Seller Expectations Tip #3 House on the market for more than 15 days at the same price = Overpriced. If you can't find the Days on Market for a property, ask your real estate agent. This is one of the most important pieces of information you can have. Bonus Tip Make sure your realtor has pulled all expired and terminated and price changes for the property. It's a comon Seller tactic to cancel a listing and come back to the market at a different price. This is an effort to hide past activity and "refresh" the listing.

Where did my $50,000.00 go? A deposit on a home takes some explaining. Here are some key things you should know. A deposit is not a down payment but it does get used toward the purchase price of the home. ... This money needs to be liquid and ready to put down with your offer in a home. Size matters! A strong deposit shows the Seller that you’re capable of purchasing this house. The money is held by the listing brokerage in a special account which is insured up to $100,000 per deposit. If the deal has conditions and those conditions are not met, the deposit is returned without deduction. If you’d like to know more about deposits or anything else related to the buying or selling of real estate DM me here for a copy of my COMPLETE guide. This outlines everything you’d like to know including sample forms.

I see my work getting ripped off all the time. I go on listing appointments and the next thing I know the house is listed by the Seller's out of town something-in-law. All of my pricing strategies, staging ideas, the high level stuff that can be duplicated...has been copied...to the letter.... The thing that the Seller missed, and that up until now I've likely failed to mention is, these systems, ideas and work are not as effective as they could be. What's missing??? Me man! I get the results. My systems are just a tool that I use. Let me put it to you this way...because I love analogies. I own paint, brushes and a canvas...NEVER ask me to paint. Not if you want it to look nice! But, if you're talking about buying or selling a house. I'll crack out Mona Lisa after Starry Night. I'm a regular Picasso of real estate! Joking aside, the science can be copied but the artistic parts matter too. My systems and I are a package deal that don't separate well.

Shop Talk, Technical Jargon, whatever you call it...it's confusing if you're not up to speed. Every industry has it's lingo, I use it too, but never with my clients. I know from personal expericnce what it's like to get lost in the process of selling a home. Before I was an agent I worked with someone who didn't explain the process clearly.... There were tons of words and clauses that went over my head. It wasn't until after I'd become a realtor that I realized what I'd missed! The last thing you should have to do is become a realtor to understand the process and what's going on! That's why I designed my Right Size Method. This method takes all the "jargon" out of the explanation. I speak clear English and I take my time to make sure every step is understood. If you'd like your own copy of my right size method DM me here and I'll send it right over!