How Michael John Lau helped a Markham seller turn down an early offer and sell 24 Juniper Crescent $93,000 over asking in 7 days.
The seller of 24 Juniper Crescent found Michael John Lau on Google, met him the next day, and told him three other agents were coming that week. He emailed that same evening to say no one else could match the marketing. With a clear roadmap in place, the home launched, drew a pre-emptive offer the seller was happy with, and Michael advised him to wait. On offer night there were four offers. The home sold for $1,193,000 against a $1,099,990 list, $93,000 above asking, in 7 days.
The deal, in six lines.
- Client
- A Markham homeowner who found Michael through a Google search and called to talk about selling
- Situation
- Interviewing four agents in one week; quiet in the first meeting, weighing marketing above everything else
- Location
- 24 Juniper Crescent, Markham
- Property
- Detached home, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, finished basement
- Timeline
- Call, in-person appointment the next day, hired that evening; launched with a set offer date; sold in 7 days
- Result
- Sold for $1,193,000 against a $1,099,990 list price, $93,000 above asking, four offers on offer night after declining a pre-emptive offer
How did the seller find Michael?
A Google search and a phone call. He wanted to talk about selling his home in Markham, and after the first conversation Michael booked an in-person appointment for the very next day. Speed matters at this stage. A seller who is ready to talk is usually talking to more than one agent.
What happened at the listing appointment?
He was quiet. Beyond the basics about the property, he did not share much, which made it hard to know what he was weighing. Michael did not try to fill the silence with pressure. He walked the seller through the full listing presentation: exactly how the home would be marketed, how maximum exposure is created, and how other Markham homeowners had sold successfully with the same plan.
At the end, the seller said three other agents were coming that week and that he would call in a week. Michael respected that and left the appointment professionally.
Why did he decide the same day?
Later that evening the seller emailed. He loved the presentation, felt no other agent could match the calibre of the marketing, and wanted to work with Michael. The three other appointments had not even happened yet. The lesson for sellers is worth noting: the agent who shows you the plan in detail is easier to trust than the agent who tells you the price you want to hear.
What did the roadmap look like?
Before the sign went up, Michael and the seller agreed a clear plan: staging, marketing, open house strategy, the offer review date, and communication expectations, meaning how often the seller would hear from the team and what he would hear about. Throughout the listing, every activity at the home was tracked and reported, so the seller was never guessing what was happening.
Why advise against a pre-emptive offer the seller liked?
Before the offer date, a pre-emptive offer arrived from one of Michael's own buyer clients. The seller was comfortable with the price and the terms. Taking it would have been the easy call, and it would have looked like a win.
Michael advised him not to accept it right away. The activity at the home and the interest from buyer agents suggested the market could deliver a stronger result on offer night. Michael's obligation was to the seller's outcome, not to a quick close, so the advice was to hold and let the offer date do its work.
How did offer night go?
Four offers. The home sold for $1,193,000 against a $1,099,990 list price, $93,000 above asking, within 7 days on the market. The pre-emptive offer the seller had been happy with would not have reached that number.
What should someone else in this situation know?
The right marketing, preparation, communication and negotiation strategy, working together, is what produces a result like this. Not any one of them alone.
If you are interviewing agents, ask each one to show you the plan, not just the price. And if an early offer arrives that you are comfortable with, ask your agent what the activity at the home is telling them before you say yes. Sometimes the best advice is to wait one more week.
Questions people actually ask.
Why did the seller choose Michael over three other agents?
He said the calibre of the marketing was something no other agent could match. Michael walked him through exactly how the home would be marketed, how maximum exposure would be created, and how other Markham homeowners had sold successfully with the same approach. The seller emailed the same evening, before the other three appointments had even happened.
Why turn down a pre-emptive offer the seller was happy with?
Because the evidence pointed to a stronger result on offer night. The offer came from one of Michael's own buyer clients, and the seller was comfortable with the price and terms, but Michael advised him to hold. Four offers later, the home sold for $93,000 above asking, which the pre-emptive offer would not have delivered.
How did 24 Juniper Crescent sell in 7 days?
A clear roadmap set before launch: staging, marketing, open house strategy, an offer review date and agreed communication expectations. The seller knew what would happen and when, every activity at the home was tracked, and the offer date created the competition that produced four offers.
What does a listing roadmap include?
Preparation and staging, the marketing plan and launch timing, the open house schedule, the offer review date, and how and how often the seller will hear from the team. Setting it in writing before the sign goes up is what keeps a sale calm when offers start arriving.
A conversation is just a conversation.
If you are interviewing agents this week, or you have an offer in hand and are not sure whether to take it, call or text Michael at (416) 700-0286 or book a consultation. He will show you the same roadmap the seller of 24 Juniper Crescent saw.
Book a consultation Call (416) 700-0286Michael John Lau is a licensed REALTOR® with eXp Realty, Luxury Division (License #4784577), serving Markham, York Region and the Greater Toronto Area. Case studies describe real transactions; client details are shared with permission and some identifying information has been withheld. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and every sale or purchase depends on the property, the market at the time, and the client's goals. Nothing on this page is legal, tax or financial advice.