One of the services we offer to our clients is mediation. It rarely leads to a sale but we enjoy doing this. As it turns out, we're pretty good at it.
There are many circumstances when this becomes necessary. Ofttimes, a wife might be buying the husband's share of the matrimonial home after the divorce; or a sibling wants to buy out the other heirs when the family home is sold. This can't happen unless they all agree on what the property is worth.
These are always tricky. In order for everyone to agree on a price, both sides have to feel that their interests have been served. If one of the parties enters into this negotiation with their expectations out of whack, then it becomes doubly difficult.
There's one factor that plays out in every mediation and it has to do with the public perception of the Toronto real estate market. This factor is the largest obstacle in this process.
Most sellers think their house is worth more than it really is. It's human nature. The media is constantly relaying stories about "multiple offers" and "outrageous sale prices". It follows that the family member selling to the sibling is majorly concerned that the agreed upon price is fair. Does that mean "on the high side" of fair? Perhaps. That's where our input becomes invaluable. If we can explain the expectations of both sides and offer a balanced solution to satisfy everyone, then the transaction should proceed as planned.
This doesn't mean the buyer has the income to support the purchase but that's another matter entirely. We we can help with that also.