Hi! I’m Yael, the team lead here at yael + co. real estate team.

In this post, I’d like to take a minute to break down why I personally love working with first-time home buyers and first-time home sellers, and why I made it a focus for our team.

Growing With My Clients

Very early on, when I started working in real estate in 2018, I realized that I wanted to work with like-minded people and build long-standing relationships.

It felt most natural to work with clients who were renting or buying their first home. I wasn’t stepping into the middle of their story where they already had a lot of experience. I was starting at the very beginning with them, and that felt authentic.

As time has gone on, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many of the same clients a second time, and in some cases even a third. That ongoing relationship is something I don’t take for granted. It’s special.

Real estate goes way beyond a transaction. It’s a major life milestone, a huge financial decision, and it’s tied to the place where we feel safe and create our best memories. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that journey again and again? It feels like a no-brainer to me.

“Growing up with my clients” and guiding them through their real estate journey is what makes this career feel like more than just a job. It truly feels like a life purpose.

Part of my journey in real estate was growing a large community on TikTok. For more about that, read my post: The Truth About Working with a Realtor You Found on TikTok.

There’s Nothing Like A First Home

Every home purchase is special, but that first one hits a little different.

Transitioning from living at home or renting to owning your first piece of real estate creates an immense sense of pride and accomplishment. It’s a little scary, very exciting, and incredibly satisfying. For many, it’s something that has been years, sometimes decades, in the making.

Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Working with first time buyers is extremely rewarding. I get to vicariously, through my clients eyes and guts, experience that special once-in-a-lifetime feeling again and again.

Learn more about buying your first home with these videos next:

• Why You Need a Mortgage Pre-Approval Before Buying a Home
• Home Inspections: What You Need to Know Before Buying a Home
• What Every Home Buyer Should Know About Closing Day

I Love The Teaching Side Of The Business

I think in another life, I could have been a teacher.

Something I didn’t fully realize when I first started working in real estate, but have come to recognize over time, is how much I love the educational side of this business.

I love guiding clients through the buying or selling process from start to finish. I get to take them from feeling unsure about what they don’t know, to feeling confident, and sometimes even like experts themselves by the end of it.

There are so many nuances in the Toronto real estate market: The costs involved that people may not be aware of, the differences between condos and freeholds, the shifts in buyer and seller sentiment, even the micro-markets within the city that all behave a little differently. Walking clients through all of this, and being a source of knowledge that expands their understanding at each stage of the journey, is something

I take very seriously, and genuinely enjoy.

I love the teaching side so much that it extends beyond just the clients I work with. I create educational videos on social media and have built out a library of videos and blogs on this website as well. I’m happy to educate even those who don’t end up becoming my clients. It brings value to people’s lives, and that’s something that makes me happy.

In addition to my extensive video resources, I have a series of Buyer Calculators to help you figure out everything from your mortgage payment to land transfer tax and beyond!

The Emotional Side of It

Buying or selling a property goes far beyond a financial transaction. It’s an emotional process for pretty much every buyer and seller I’ve ever worked with, and probably anyone who’s ever gone through it.

Those emotions show up at every stage of the journey, but they tend to be even stronger for first timers.

Buying your first home, and eventually selling it, comes with a mix of excitement, sometimes sadness, and often a fair bit of anxiety.

This is where my past life comes in handy.

And no, I don’t mean an actual past life, just a previous version of Yael.

In university, I was a psychology major, and at that time I thought my life’s purpose was to become a therapist. Life took me in a different direction. I went on to get a sport and event marketing diploma and spent 8 years working in sales and marketing for a retail snack business, but that’s a story for another blog 😊

When I decided to pursue real estate, one of the reasons I felt drawn to it was because of that background in understanding human behaviour, and my earlier desire to work closely with people and support them through meaningful life moments. I had a feeling those skills would come in handy, and they absolutely have.

With all clients, but especially first-time clients, I get to be a Realtor, a consultant, a friend, and yes, sometimes a bit of a therapist too. It allows me to use all of my strengths, not just my real estate knowledge, to truly support my clients. And that is incredibly fulfilling.

Wondering what it’s really like to work with me? Book a meeting with me to chat in person.

I Chose This Niche on Purpose

If you’ve made it this far, you can probably see exactly why I chose this niche, and why working with first time buyers and sellers is such a natural fit for me.

Most Realtors focus on move-up buyers, downsizers, or luxury real estate. Those segments often come with larger paychecks and, in many cases, less hand-holding. These clients are further along in their real estate journeys and tend to have more experience.

But I actually like the hand-holding.

And I’m not in this just for the paycheck. Of course I want to get paid, this is my career and my livelihood, but that’s not what fulfills me or makes me feel the most successful.

I feel more fulfilled working with first timers because the role I play is bigger, and in many ways, more demanding. There’s more education, more guidance, and more emotional support involved. It’s not always the easiest path, but when you help someone navigate all of that and come out the other side successfully, it’s incredibly rewarding.

There’s something about doing the harder work, and doing it well, that just feels more meaningful. Plain and simple.

Selling your first home? Check out these home seller videos next:

• What is the Best Time of year to Sell Your House?
• How to Prepare Your Home For Sale
• Why Your Listing Agent’s Negotiation Skills Matter

Work With Someone Who Actually Enjoys Working With You

When it’s time to buy or sell a property, taking the time to choose the right Realtor really matters.

You want someone who is like-minded, communicates in a way that makes sense to you, and just as importantly, someone who genuinely wants your business and will prioritize and support you throughout the process.

If you’re a first-time buyer or seller, I strongly recommend working with a Realtor who specializes in that stage. It will make a noticeable difference in your experience. You’ll feel guided, supported, and like you’re at the top of their priority list, not the bottom.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you feel like me or a member of the yael + co. real estate team would be a good fit for you, we’d love to connect. Reach out by filling out the form on this page, by calling me, or by emailing me directly.