The Real Estate Podcast

In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, Adrian Trott and Chris Behie break down the unwritten rules of showing etiquette from a buyer’s perspective. They discuss what buyers should and shouldn’t do when touring homes, why you should always assume you’re being watched or listened to, how to handle kids, shoes, washrooms, photos, food, timing, and why being respectful inside someone else’s home...

What your seller legally has to disclose — and what they don't — could affect your buying decision more than you'd expect. Stigmatized properties cover everything from natural deaths and suicides to grow ops and hauntings, and the rules around disclosure are a lot grayer than most buyers realize. Steve and Kristina from the KT Team break down where the law ends, and personal psychology beg...

Should every buyer get a home inspection? In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, Steve Cecchetto sits down with Mark Ellison from The Home Coach to talk about what home inspections really do, what buyers should expect, and why the right inspector matters. With over 7,000 inspections completed, Mark explains why a good home inspector does more than just find problems. They communicate clearly,...

What does it actually take to open a brick-and-mortar store in a small town — as a young first-time business owner, competing against Amazon and Indigo, in a market you had to validate yourself? 📚 Jacqueline Puesta, owner of Wildwood Bookstore & Market, did exactly that. She started with a mobile bookshop, tested the market at Milton events, pitched her dream to a landlord with a full busines...

🏡 Not all home inspectors are equal — and your agent's recommendation might be doing more work than you think. Ariel and Adrian unpack a viral home inspector TikTok that sparked a real conversation about agent steering, referral fees, and what actually makes a home inspection worth the $750 you're spending.⚠️ If you've ever wondered whether to skip the inspection or bring a contractor...

A tired, dated kitchen doesn't always need a $40,000 gut job. With the right process, a few thousand dollars and about two weeks can get you a near-new kitchen — without emptying a single cabinet. In this episode, Ariel and Adrian sit down with Nasir Ishmail, owner of Wet Paint, who's spent 18 years building one of Ontario's only dedicated cabinet-refinishing companies. He breaks down...

Is a 10% under-asking offer a smart play or an insult? In this episode, Ariel and Adrian break down what actually makes a real estate deal "fair" — and why the lowball offers flooding the GTA right now are getting rejected even in a buyer's market. Whether you're about to make an offer or weighing one on your own home, this is the negotiation reality check both sides need. They g...

In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, Steve Cecchetto sits down with Jason Dasilva — OHL hockey player, CrossFit athlete, entrepreneur, and the young owner behind one of Milton’s most iconic local spots: The Ivy Arms. Jason shares how his competitive sports background shaped his mindset in business, why he decided to purchase the commercial building instead of continuing to rent, and the les...

In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, the team breaks down a key statement made during the latest Bank of Canada announcement — and why it could have a major impact on the real estate market in the coming weeks. They discuss how potential future rate hikes could influence buyers, sellers, affordability, inventory levels, and consumer confidence across Milton, Burlington, Oakville, and the GT...

What does it actually cost a small business to lose its building? Andrea and George Savard — co-owners of Firepower Training in Milton — spent 10 years navigating an expropriation that reshaped their business, their finances, and their view of the town they helped build. In this episode, Steve sits down with the Savards (George is also a 28-year Toronto firefighter) to unpack their journey from a...

If you're using AI like a glorified Google search, you're leaving most of its value on the table. In this episode, Ariel and Adrian sit down with Sandeep Sambhi, co-founder of Milton-based marketing and AI agency Sandbox Media, to unpack the single skill that actually separates novice AI users from the ones getting real leverage out of it — context and prompting. All three hosts trade real example...

The HST rebate on new construction homes sounds like a $130,000 windfall — but buyers who believe the marketing may be in for a rude awakening. With the 2026 federal budget proposing a full 13% HST rebate on new builds (now open to all buyers, not just first-timers), agents are flooding social media with "save $130K" messaging — and most of it is misleading. In this episode, Ariel and Ad...

An interior designer with 41 years of experience can walk into a room and know exactly what's wrong in under a minute — and it's seldom what you think. In this episode, Steve sits down with Sara Bergsma, owner of Bergsma's Paint & Decor in downtown Milton, to talk about the design mistakes most homeowners make, what's actually trending right now, and how the right choices can t...

Signing a buyer representation agreement without reading the fine print can leave you legally bound to a real estate agent who isn't working for you. Ariel and Adrian break down the key contract terms buyers and sellers consistently overlook — and what your actual options are if things go sideways. From geographic scope and remuneration clauses to the mutual release process, this is the contra...

Most sellers have no idea there's a hidden clause buried in their MLS listing that can cut their buyer's agent's commission — and potentially cost the deal. Ariel and Adrian break down broker remarks: what they are, why listing agents are using them to protect their own commission, and what it means for you as a seller, buyer, or realtor working in today's market. We'll break d...

Having kids changes more than just your monthly expenses. In this episode, Kristina O'Connor, Chris Behie, and Robin Dasilva break down how children affect your cash flow, risk tolerance, and overall home-buying strategy. They talk through the real impact of childcare, camps, lifestyle changes, school-zone decisions, and why mortgage approval numbers don’t always reflect what feels comfortable...

Should a listing agent be present during showings — especially in luxury real estate? In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, Ariel Kormendy and Adrian Trott debate one of the most common practices in high-end listings. From awkward buyer experiences and rushed walkthroughs to storytelling, security concerns, and perceived value, they break down when it helps, when it hurts, and why it may act...

Most buyers and sellers misunderstand the irrevocable period — and it can quietly cost you negotiating power and real money. In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, Ariel Kormendy and Adrian Trott break down what an irrevocable clause actually means in an Agreement of Purchase and Sale in Ontario, when it matters, and when it doesn’t. They explain why counters do NOT have to happen before the...

Days on market isn’t just a number—it’s real-time market feedback. In this episode, we break down why DOM still matters, why the way it’s reported can be misleading, and how buyers use DOM to judge leverage before they even walk through the door. We also talk about setting realistic seller expectations (so nobody panics at day 10), what long DOM can actually mean, and how low offers often hide beh...

Days on Market used to tell a clear story. In 2026, it doesn’t. In this episode of The Real Estate Podcast, Ariel Kormendy and Adrian Trott break down why DOM (Days on Market) can be misleading in today’s market. From anchored sellers who will wait forever for their number, to anxious sellers who may be far more negotiable than you think, they explain why assumptions can cost buyers and sellers re...

Launching a listing properly can be the difference between immediate traction and months of frustration. In this episode, we break down why pricing strategy, professional pushback, and strong first impressions matter more than ever in today’s competitive market. From overpriced listings that sit for years to the critical first three days of exposure, we explain what actually drives results—and why...

Your bank makes mortgage renewals look easy for a reason — “sign here” convenience can cost you real money. In this episode of After Dark (EP7), we break down why the renewal letter is one of the sneakiest moves banks pull, why “being a good client” often just means being a profitable one, and the exact mindset shift that helps you reduce the impact of higher rates: start early, shop around, negot...

People obsess over price and square footage—but this episode flips the script: you’re not buying square footage, you’re buying the neighbours. The team breaks down why the “wrong” neighbour can turn a great home into a nightmare, how to stress-test a street (at different times of day), and why talking to multiple neighbours can reveal things you’ll never see on a listing. Watch Neighbours, Noise,...

Why do some homes sit on the market while others sell—even in the same neighbourhood? In this episode of After Dark, the hosts break down the real reasons homes don’t sell in today’s market. From incorrect pricing and seller inflexibility to avoiding tough conversations and misunderstanding days on market, this episode explains what actually stalls a sale and how better preparation, data, and hone...

Predictions feel satisfying—but they can be dangerous when people start treating them like advice. In KT After Dark Episode 4, Steve Cecchetto and Shehriyar Shahzad break down why real estate forecasts are often “doom and gloom” clickbait, how confirmation bias pulls people into narratives, and why the smartest approach is focusing on what the current data says (with a realistic range) instead of...