Mike Cole

Mike Cole REALTORยฎ | Brantford & Brant County ๐Ÿก
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty
๐Ÿ“ฑ: (519) 777-5935
๐Ÿ“ฉ: [email protected]
Advice for Buyers & Sellers

06/11/2026

๐Ÿ“Š Two ratios decide whether you qualify for a mortgage โ€” and most buyers have never heard of either one.

GDS and TDS are the affordability metrics every lender uses. Know yours before you apply. ๐Ÿ’ก

Watch this Real Estate in Real Talk episode and walk into your mortgage conversation prepared. ๐Ÿก
โ€”
Mike Cole
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty, Brokerage
๐Ÿ“ฑ: (519) 777-5935
๐Ÿ“ž: (519) 756-8120
๐Ÿ“ฉ: [email protected]

06/10/2026

I know, controversial. ๐Ÿ˜… But the cash flow math on Brantford investment properties in 2026 doesn't lie โ€” and I'd rather give you the honest numbers than the hype. If you're thinking about buying an investment property, watch this before you make a move.

Mike Cole
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty, Brokerage
๐Ÿ“ฑ: (519) 777-5935
๐Ÿ“ž: (519) 756-8120
๐Ÿ“ฉ: [email protected]

06/10/2026

Whether you're thinking of buying or selling in 2026, go through this checklist before making any decisions. ๐Ÿ“‹

BUYERS:
โœ“ Full pre-approval done
โœ“ Down payment saved (90 days)
โœ“ $25-38K set aside for closing costs
โœ“ Total carrying under 40% of gross income
โœ“ Life stable for next 3-5 years
โœ“ Math works comfortably, not just at maximum
โœ“ Buying for the right reasons

SELLERS:
โœ“ Net equity funds your next move
โœ“ Home ready to compete
โœ“ Clear plan for where you're going
โœ“ Motivation justifies transaction costs

Checking most boxes? 2026 is a reasonable year to move.

Missing several? Taking the time to get them right leads to a better outcome than rushing.

Getting it right matters more than moving quickly.

Full breakdown on YouTube ๐Ÿ‘‰ Mike Cole REALTORยฎ
---
Mike Cole, REALTORยฎ
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty
๐Ÿ“ž 519-777-5935
๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]

The May 2026 numbers are in for Brantford and Brant County โ€” and the full story is more interesting than the headlines s...
06/10/2026

The May 2026 numbers are in for Brantford and Brant County โ€” and the full story is more interesting than the headlines suggest. ๐Ÿ“Š

Here's what buyers and sellers actually need to know:

177 sales (-4.3%) and a $652,000 median price (-2.7%) are the headline numbers. But the average sale price is UP 2.1% to $699,495. And the Housing Affordability Index improved 6.6%.

Sellers are still getting 98.1% of asking price. The market is adjusting โ€” it is not falling apart.

Single-family breakdown:
๐Ÿก Median: $705,000 (-1.9%)
๐Ÿ“ˆ Average: $762,151 (+4.6%)
โฑ 32 days on market

Condo market:
๐Ÿ“‰ Median: $510,000 (-10.4%)
โšก But selling in 36 days โ€” FASTER than houses
๐Ÿ’ฐ Getting 98.3% of asking โ€” BETTER than houses

By price range:
โœ… Under $549K: only growing segment (+7.8%)
โŒ $899K+: toughest market, 58 days, 95.9% of asking

Brant County single-family sales UP 10.3% with median price UP 2.9% to $875,000 โ€” outperforming Brantford city right now.

The full June 2026 Brantford market report is on the blog โ€” link in bio ๐Ÿ‘†

Questions about what this means for your neighbourhood or price range? Drop them below ๐Ÿ‘‡

---
Mike Cole, REALTORยฎ
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty
๐Ÿ“ž 519-777-5935
๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]

06/09/2026

If you're thinking about buying in 2026, here are 3 simple steps to do this week. ๐Ÿก

1. Pull your credit report โ€” Equifax or TransUnion offer free reports. Check for errors. You'd be surprised how many people have mistakes hurting their score.

2. Calculate your total monthly debt payments โ€” Add up all your minimums (car loans, student loans, credit cards). If it's over 40% of your gross monthly income, pay some down before applying.

3. Consolidate your down payment โ€” Move it into one account. Lenders want to see it sitting there for at least 90 days. If it's spread across multiple accounts, start bringing it together now.

Three steps. Big difference in your readiness.

Full breakdown on YouTube ๐Ÿ‘‰ Mike Cole REALTOR

---
Mike Cole, REALTORยฎ
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty
๐Ÿ“ž 519-777-5935
๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]
๐ŸŒ brantfordrealestatepro.com

06/09/2026

๐Ÿ‘๏ธ There are two types of problems a home can have โ€” the ones you can see and the ones hidden inside the walls. And sellers who hide what they know can face serious legal consequences.

Understanding latent vs. patent defects protects you whether you're buying or selling. ๐Ÿก

Watch this episode of Real Estate in Real Talk and know your rights and responsibilities.
โ€”
Mike Cole
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty, Brokerage
๐Ÿ“ฑ: (519) 777-5935
๐Ÿ“ž: (519) 756-8120
๐Ÿ“ฉ: [email protected]

06/08/2026

Empty nesters โ€” the equity sitting in your home right now is real. ๐Ÿ’ฐ We're talking $200Kโ€“$400K that could completely change your retirement picture. But the house-to-condo transition has timing nuances most people miss. I break it all down. Watch till the end. ๐Ÿ‘€

Mike Cole
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty, Brokerage
๐Ÿ“ฑ: (519) 777-5935
๐Ÿ“ž: (519) 756-8120
๐Ÿ“ฉ: [email protected]

Is your asking price helping buyers decide? ๐Ÿค”Pricing your home is equal parts strategy and psychology โ€” and most sellers...
06/08/2026

Is your asking price helping buyers decide? ๐Ÿค”

Pricing your home is equal parts strategy and psychology โ€” and most sellers focus entirely on the number itself without thinking about how buyers actually experience it.

Here's the tip:

The way you price your home changes who shows up to see it.

Here's what that means in practice. Online search filters are almost always set in round numbers โ€” $700,000, $750,000, $800,000. If you price your home at $810,000, you've just priced yourself out of every buyer searching up to $800,000. A small adjustment to $799,900 puts you in front of an entirely different โ€” and often much larger โ€” pool of motivated buyers. ๐Ÿ˜…

Smart pricing strategy means:
โœ… Understanding exactly where buyer search filters fall in your price range
โœ… Knowing what comparable homes have actually sold for โ€” not just listed at
โœ… Pricing to attract attention, not just to leave room to negotiate
โœ… Recognizing that the right price on day one beats a price reduction on day thirty

A price reduction might eventually get you to the same number โ€” but by then your listing has gone cold and buyers are wondering what's wrong with it. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

Getting your price right from the start isn't guesswork. It's research, strategy, and experience working together.

Thinking about selling in Brantford, Paris, or Brant County? Pricing strategy is one of the most important conversations we'll have โ€” and I'm ready to have it. ๐Ÿ˜Š

๐Ÿ“ฒ Link in bio | DM me anytime

Mike Cole
Sales Representative
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty, Brokerage
๐Ÿ“ฑ: (519) 777-5935
๐Ÿ“ž: (519) 756-8120
๐Ÿ“ฉ: [email protected]

06/08/2026

Before listing your home, answer this honestly. ๐Ÿก

Is your motivation to move a want or a need?

Selling because of a job relocation, a growing family that needs more space, or an empty nest that makes downsizing the right move โ€” those motivations clearly justify the transaction costs of selling, which run 4-6% of your sale price.

On a $650,000 home that's $26,000 to $39,000 in costs.

If you want to move but don't have a pressing reason, it's worth asking whether the timing and motivation are strong enough to justify that number โ€” or whether waiting until the motivation is clearer makes more sense.

Neither answer is wrong. But knowing which one applies to you makes the decision a lot cleaner.

Full breakdown on YouTube ๐Ÿ‘‰ Mike Cole REALTORยฎ
---
Mike Cole, REALTORยฎ
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty
๐Ÿ“ž 519-777-5935
๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]
๐ŸŒ brantfordrealestatepro.com

06/07/2026

Before you apply for a mortgage, here are 5 things worth doing. โœ…

1. Pay down high-interest debt โ€” $10K credit card paid off = qualify for $30-40K more mortgage
2. Don't change jobs โ€” lenders want stable employment
3. No big purchases before closing โ€” lenders recheck your credit
4. Consider a co-signer if you're borderline โ€” a parent with good credit can help significantly
5. Save a bigger down payment โ€” every extra $10K reduces your mortgage and strengthens your offer

Simple steps that make a real difference.

Full breakdown on YouTube ๐Ÿ‘‰ Mike Cole REALTOR

---
Mike Cole, REALTORยฎ
Coldwell Banker Homefront Realty
๐Ÿ“ž 519-777-5935
๐Ÿ“ง [email protected]
๐ŸŒ brantfordrealestatepro.com

Address

175 Brant Avenue
Brantford, ON
N3T3H8

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 8:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 8:30pm
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Friday 8:30am - 8:30pm
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Sunday 8:30am - 8:30pm

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