Sometimes the best move is not to move at all. That was the case for Jamie, Tyler and their rapidly growing family in Toronto. Life in their semi-detached home worked for the couple in the early years, but with a 4-year heading to Junior Kindergarten, a toddler and a new baby on the way, the semi was beginning to feel a bit cramped. Jamie and Tyler reached out to Michelle to help them find a new home, in a great school district. The timing of this move was critical because their eldest was heading off to school in the Fall.

The search was on, and for eight months the Michelle Walker Team took the couple to see many houses in the highly sought after Jackman school district. They faced the dual challenge of finding a big enough place to accommodate everyone, while staying within a realistic budget. After an exhaustive search, the group concluded that Jamie and Tyler could not afford the forever house they wanted with their current budget. Michelle realized it was time to look at the problem from a new angle.

“Michelle and her team suggested that and we go back to the drawing board and rethink all of our options,” said Tyler.  “Frankly we were stuck, and Michelle’s fresh thinking helped us see that we had more options than just buying a new home.”

Michelle analyzed the situation and presented the couple with multiple economic scenarios to consider. After many hours of consultation, it was decided that it would be best to stay in their current place and build an addition on the back of the house and add a 3rd floor master suite. In addition to the much-needed space, the decision to stay put allowed Jamie and Tyler to free up the necessary funds to contemplate a local Montessori school for their children.

During the renovation, Michelle worked with Jamie and Tyler to make sure they were not overinvesting in the addition. For Michelle, it was critical that the couple struck the right balance between expanding the house, while at the same time making sure that there would be a significant return on their investment.

Michelle is unique,” said Jamie. “She actually convinced us not to buy a home from her.
You can be sure we will be buying our next home from Michelle Walker and her team.”

Now Jamie and Tyler have a house that fits their lifestyle for today, while building the equity they will need to allow the family to buy their dream home in a few years.