Why selling for less still made sense

Last year, I helped a family in Oakville make a move that required looking beyond just the sale price.

They were living in a three storey townhome in North Oakville and wanted to move into a detached home. They had recently had their first child and were planning ahead for a growing family. The decision was less about space today and more about where they wanted to be next.

They also knew the previous year had not been great for sellers. Rather than waiting a few more years and hoping for better conditions, they chose to plan around the market in front of them.

North Oakville townhomes are very similar. Layouts repeat. Buyers compare them side by side. That reality matters when pricing.

We listed the home and tried an offer date. It did not deliver the result they wanted. We relisted closer to their number and received offers, but none matched what they believed the home was worth. They passed, convinced they could do better.

After a couple of months and further price adjustments, the home sold for less than some earlier offers they had declined. That moment reframed everything.

Here are three realizations that changed the conversation.

First, the goal was not to win on the sale. The goal was to move into a detached home.

Second, selling for less only tells half the story when the next purchase is also coming down in price.

Third, markets do not reward belief. They reward alignment with supply, demand, and timing.

Once the numbers were laid out, it made sense. Detached homes had seen larger price drops than townhomes. The gap between the two had compressed significantly. Even though they accepted less than they originally hoped for, they were buying into a bigger home at a lower overall cost than they would have in a stronger market.

They still made money on their sale. What they gave up was not profit, but upside they once imagined.

This was not about winning or losing. It was about making a move that fit their life plan.

No one knows exactly where prices are headed. What does matter is having a strategy that fits the market you are actually in.

Essam

P.S. The best decisions usually make sense when you zoom out, not when you focus on one number.