Starting Out in High-End Resale
Breaking into real estate is never easy. Starting out in the million-dollar home market is even harder. That was the reality for Michelle Kam when she joined Re/Max after graduating from York University.
High-end resale homes are glamorous, but they come with pressure. Buyers expect perfection. Sellers want results. Every detail matters, from staging to negotiation. Michelle remembers clients who wanted nightly updates and open houses that felt more like luxury events.
Toronto’s market in the early 2000s was heating up. According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, average home prices grew by over 40% between 2000 and 2005. Competing in that environment required sharp instincts and fast learning. Michelle built confidence by treating every showing as an opportunity to build trust.
Her early years shaped her approach: listen closely, be transparent, and work harder than anyone else in the room. Those habits stuck.
Shifting to the Urban Market
By the late 2000s, Toronto was transforming. Condos and lofts were springing up across the skyline. Downtown was filling with young professionals, students, and downsizers.
Michelle Kam saw the change and shifted her focus. Urban living was no longer a trend. It was the future. She moved from handling traditional suburban estates to selling condos, lofts, and townhomes in the city.
Why the switch? Demand. By 2011, condos made up more than half of new home sales in Toronto. Today, over 70% of new builds in the city are condos. Lofts and townhomes filled in the gaps, giving buyers modern spaces in neighbourhoods that had once been industrial or low-rise.
Michelle enjoyed the pace. Condos required a different strategy. Instead of sprawling estates, she was selling floor plans and square footage. Buyers wanted walkability, amenities, and easy commutes. She started talking less about backyards and more about rooftop pools, gyms, and shared lounges.
One client, a first-time buyer, told her they cared less about the kitchen size and more about whether the building had fibre internet and a dog-friendly policy. That shift captured how different the audience had become.
The Pre-Sale Challenge
Selling resale homes is one thing. Selling properties that don’t exist yet is another. Michelle moved into pre-construction sales, working with developers like Concord Alex and Baker Real Estate.
Pre-sale means buyers are purchasing based on models, brochures, and promises. There’s no finished product to walk through. That demands trust. It also demands a clear vision.
Michelle learned to walk clients through floor plans as if they were stories. She would point out where the morning light would come in or how a layout could fit their furniture. She had to paint a picture of a home that was still two years away from completion.
Volume was also a factor. Instead of selling one luxury estate, she could sell dozens of units in a single project. That required stamina and strategy. She compared it to running a marathon, not a sprint.
Developers valued her ability to explain projects clearly and handle the questions buyers always asked: “When will it be ready?” and “What happens if the market changes?”
Running a Brokerage
After years of proving herself, Michelle was invited to open her own brokerage. She accepted and founded City Accord Realty Inc.
Owning a brokerage meant more responsibility. She wasn’t just selling anymore. She was leading. She had to manage agents, train staff, and keep the business moving. For over ten years, her team built a reputation for professionalism and service.
Her focus was simple: empower her agents to succeed. She created a structure where new agents could learn quickly, and experienced ones had the freedom to grow. The brokerage became a hub for people who wanted to do real estate the right way.
Michelle once said her proudest moments weren’t closing big deals but seeing agents on her team gain confidence and find their own voice in the industry.
Returning to Re/Max
In 2016, Michelle made another move. She joined Re/Max Condos Plus after meeting with owner Jamie Johnston.
The decision wasn’t about leaving something behind. It was about scaling up. Re/Max Condos Plus had the infrastructure to support her goals and the energy of a brand that dominated the condo market.
By that time, Toronto’s condo market was booming. Prices for condos in the city core jumped nearly 25% between 2015 and 2017. Buyers wanted convenience and urban living. Investors wanted rental opportunities. Michelle was back in the middle of it all.
She embraced the change, bringing her experience from high-end homes, pre-sales, and brokerage management to a brand built for volume.
Lessons from the Journey
Understand Your Market
Michelle’s career shows the value of following the demand. She didn’t stay locked in luxury estates when buyers shifted downtown. She adapted. Real estate agents today should study data, watch where people are moving, and adjust their focus.
Build Trust with Every Client
Whether selling a million-dollar mansion or a 500-square-foot condo, trust is the key. Michelle’s method of listening carefully and being upfront works across niches.
Specialise Without Limiting Yourself
She found her strength in condos and lofts but never forgot her foundation in high-end homes. Having multiple skill sets makes an agent more resilient.
Lead by Teaching
Her brokerage experience proves that leadership isn’t about being the biggest seller in the room. It’s about helping others grow. Agents who mentor others often gain long-term loyalty and stronger networks.
Recommendations for New Agents
- Start with Research: Know the numbers. For example, condos now account for the majority of new housing starts in Toronto. Clients expect you to understand what that means.
- Get Comfortable with Floor Plans: Buyers can’t always picture space. Learn how to explain layouts clearly.
- Stay Flexible: The market shifts fast. Be ready to move into new niches when demand changes.
- Invest in People: Build strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and mentors. Long careers are built on networks, not just sales.
- Work Where You’re Energised: Michelle chose the condo market because it excited her. Agents should focus on niches that keep them motivated.
Conclusion
From selling million-dollar estates to managing pre-construction sales and running her own brokerage, Michelle Kam has navigated every corner of Toronto’s real estate world. Her story shows that success isn’t about sticking to one path. It’s about moving with the market, learning from experience, and staying curious.
For anyone entering the industry, her career offers a clear lesson: pick your niche, master it, but don’t be afraid to change when the city does.
