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About this episode of the I Love Edmonton Real Estate Podcast
This episode’s guest is Aidan Woodfine of Sweetly Real Estate. Originally from Camrose, he moved to Edmonton when he was about twelve-years-old and has been a realtor for six years. A former poker player, Aidan got into real estate when he realized he needed a new career path.
[2:33] Are there any parallels between poker and real estate?
- Poker is about seeking value. When you’re working with clients in real estate, you need to provide and seek value in similar ways.
- In poker, you’re always trying to think about what the other person is doing based on their tendencies. It’s similar to thinking about why clients are making certain decisions.
[5:38] What have you been seeing in the market lately?
- It’s been slow, and the condo market has been hit the hardest because there’s a lot of inventory.
[6:39] Tell me about the new approach you’re taking towards real estate with Sweetly.
- We launched Sweetly with the idea of modelling it after the iBuyers in the US.
- These are websites that allow you to enter your property’s info and receive an offer within twenty-four hours.
- If you go to our website, you’ll be provided with an offer within twenty-four hours as well. We look at comparables and then send the offer, but another option is to request a private evaluation.
[9:12] Why would a seller want to do this?
- Our offer is good for ninety days, so they can pick their own closing date.
- Another huge benefit is that there’s no showings with people going through your home.
[10:48] Where does Sweetly make money in this process?
- We charge a service fee of 5.5%.
- We’ll pay 80% market value upfront, and our fee is deducted from the final sale price.
[13:07] What traction have you been getting so far?
- Seniors especially have been very positive about our model.
- We’re focusing on homes between $280,000 and $500,000, but we’ve made a few exceptions.
- If a client doesn’t want to go with the Simply model, we can still take care of them as a traditional realtor.
- We’ve worked with a few clients where they’ve already bought their next home but haven’t been able to sell their current one.
[15:57] How do you make sure you get top dollar for that original seller?
- We’ve had discrepancies between what the seller thinks it’s worth and what we think it’s worth. We’ve given them the 80% based on our evaluation, but list it for what they think it’s worth.
[18:52] What is the difference between what Sweetly can bring to that table versus what you have been doing for the past six years?
- We can do a lot more. It feels really good that I can go into a presentation and provide a solution for people that didn’t have one before.
- There’s a learning curve, but once they get it, they wonder why every real estate agent doesn’t offer this.
[19:41] What is some of the best real estate advice you’ve ever received?
- I recently heard “only work with the willing,” and that stuck with me.
[20:53] Have there been any themes with your last few transactions?
- They’ve been a bit more gruelling. I’m finding that buyers are expecting the world, but sellers are not accommodating to that because their prices have slipped.
[22:16] What should people be looking for in a realtor?
- Having a few years of experience is pretty important. Picking a realtor with good reviews and that understands the market is important as well.
Connect with Aidan Woodfine:
Sweetly: https://sweetly.ca/
780-264-1234
#227, 6005 Gateway Blvd NW
Edmonton, AB
T6H 2H3
More About the I Love Edmonton Real Estate Podcast
Host Jason Scott of The Mortgage Group talks to everyone and anyone who knows real estate in Edmonton.
Learn from local experts and get the inside scoop on anything that impacts Edmonton’s real estate market. Whether you are thinking of buying, selling or investing in the Edmonton market, Jason and his guests are here to help.
We interview top real estate professionals, decision-makers, influencers, and people who can help you learn more about what’s happening in Edmonton.