Brad Macdonald, Broker - The MAC Team

09/24/2026

✅ New price. New opportunity.
📍 208 Queens Quay West, Suite 804, Toronto

This 1 bedroom plus den at Waterclub 2 sits on the 8th floor with a southeast exposure over Lake Ontario. Two bathrooms, a granite kitchen, a den overlooking the water, and a private balcony - all in a layout that lives larger than 712 sq. ft. suggests.

Maintenance covers water, heat, hydro and central air, and one parking spot and one locker are included. If you’ve been running the rent-vs-own math on downtown Toronto, this is the kind of unit that changes the answer.

Comment VIEW and we’ll send you the full listing, gallery and floor plan.

https://waterclubcondos.ca

Now offered at: $675,000


FirstTimeBuyer Tony Sachdev Brad Macdonald, Broker | The MAC Team

09/23/2026

There is a road in the GTA that can cost a home buyer about $20,000 to cross. Toronto charges its own land transfer tax on top of Ontario's, and Markham does not.

If you know someone house hunting in Toronto, share this with them.

Illustration only, before rebates. Confirm with your lawyer.

Brad Macdonald, Broker - The MAC Team - REMAX All-Stars Realty Inc., Brokerage

09/21/2026

A broken toilet flapper, a clogged bowl and a shut-off valve that would not turn cost two condo owners more than $42,000, plus court costs, and the court did not need to find they had been careless. Ontario's Condominium Act only asks whether something in your unit caused the damage.

Four things to do this week: turn every shut-off valve and replace any that sticks, show your tenant where they are, check that your policy covers the building's deductible, and never hand over keys without a copy of the tenant's insurance.

Full post on the website - link in comments.

09/18/2026

Open house Sunday, September 20, 2 to 4 PM.

If the family has outgrown the space but not the neighbourhood, this is the house to see this weekend. Custom built in 2009 with nearly 2,600 square feet, four bedrooms and five bathrooms, high ceilings, oversized windows and three skylights, and Fairfield Park behind the back fence.

An 11-minute walk to Islington station, in the Norseman and Etobicoke Collegiate catchments. The finished lower level is a permitted legal studio apartment with its own entrance, which works as the grandparents' floor, a mortgage helper, or a rec room again by removing one door and a short wall.

$1,675,000. 1113B Islington Ave, Etobicoke.

Come by Sunday, or message us to book a private showing. If you know a family that needs more room and doesn't want to leave the city, send them this.

09/14/2026

Ontario's rental rules change this Sunday, September 21, and if you own a rental condo, a basement apartment or an investment townhouse in Markham, a few things you may have taken for granted are about to work differently. The notice period for unpaid rent drops from 14 days to 7, "persistent late payment" finally gets a legal definition, and the one-month compensation on an owner's-use N12 can be waived if you give 120 days' notice instead of 60.

There is also a wrinkle for anyone selling a tenanted property: the compensation waiver does not apply when a buyer needs the unit, so a seller who promises the tenant can be moved out for free is giving the wrong information.

I have laid out what changes, what it means for landlords, tenants and sellers, and what I would do about it before the 21st. Full post here:

On September 21, 2026, Ontario's N4 notice period for unpaid rent drops from 14 days to 7, persistent late payment gets a legal definition, and the one-month compensation on an owner's-use N12 is waived with 120 days' notice. What each change means if you own a rental condo or basement suite in Mar

09/02/2026

As expected - Bank of Canada holding rates steady.

The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25 per cent on September 2, 2026, but fixed mortgage rates are still drifting upward on rising bond yields. What Markham buyers, sellers, and homeowners facing a renewal this fall should do about it, with current local market numbers.

08/27/2026

SOLD - Suite 713, The Essential Condos, 540 Bur Oak Ave, Markham.

Offer on day two. Firm in ten days. Priced once, never reduced.

In a condo market where the average unit sits for about six weeks, that comes down to one thing: getting the price right before the sign goes up, and then holding it when the first offer comes in low.

Congratulations to our sellers.

Photos, video and the full story:

2 bedroom, 868 sq.ft. condo with a 75 sq.ft. balcony and an unobstructed south-west outlook at The Essential Condos, 540 Bur Oak Ave, Markham. $618,888.

08/24/2026

OREA vs. RECO: What’s the difference?

If you’ve ever bought or sold a home in Ontario, you’ve probably heard the names OREA and RECO.

They sound similar. They both deal with real estate. And both are important to the industry.

But they are not the same thing. Here’s the simple version:

RECO = The Regulator

The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) is the provincial regulator for real estate agents and brokerages.

RECO’s job is to protect the public. It:

• Registers real estate agents, brokers and brokerages
• Administers and enforces Ontario’s real estate legislation, including TRESA
• Sets and oversees regulatory requirements
• Investigates complaints
• Can take enforcement action when the rules aren’t followed
• Provides information to help consumers understand their rights

In simple terms: RECO makes and enforces the rules that govern real estate professionals. Registration with RECO is mandatory if you want to legally trade in real estate in Ontario.

OREA = The Association

The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) is a professional association representing REALTORS® in Ontario.

OREA’s job is to support its members and advocate on behalf of the profession. It:

• Advocates on real estate and housing issues
• Provides tools, education and resources for REALTORS®
• Develops commonly used real estate forms and clauses
• Represents the interests of its REALTOR® members

In simple terms: OREA supports and represents REALTORS®.

OREA membership is voluntary. RECO registration is not.

So why does this matter to you?

Think of it this way: One exists primarily to protect the public and enforce the rules. The other exists primarily to support REALTORS® and advocate for the profession.

And there is another important organization you may hear about:

CREA, the Canadian Real Estate Association, operates at the national level and represents REALTORS® across Canada.

Three organizations. Three different roles.

Understanding who does what is important because, as a consumer, you should know who regulates the person you’re trusting with one of the biggest financial transactions of your life.

If you’re buying or selling a home in Ontario, you can also check whether an agent or brokerage is registered and in good standing through RECO’s public registry.

Questions about how real estate is regulated in Ontario? Drop them in the comments.