Most buyers start their search on a listing portal. They look at the photographs, glance at the price, and decide whether to book a showing. That is understandable, but it skips the most useful part of the listing. The written details, read properly, can save you a wasted afternoon or point you toward a property that deserves a closer look.

Here is what to pay attention to before you pick up the phone.

The Price and What Sits Behind It

The listed price is not always the expected sale price. In parts of the GTA, sellers still price below market value to attract multiple offers. In others, the list price is the asking price. How do you tell the difference? Look at two things together: the price and the days on market.

If a property has been listed for one or two days at a price that seems low for the neighbourhood, it is very likely priced for offers. If it has been sitting for thirty or forty days, the list price is probably the seller's real expectation, and there may be room to negotiate.

The TRREB Market Watch for August 2026 showed an average of 35 days on market across the GTA, with Toronto East averaging 31 and King averaging 61. Those numbers tell you how quickly a given area moves. A property that has been listed significantly longer than its area average is worth investigating further.

Source: TRREB Market Watch, August 2026.

Lot Size, Frontage and Depth

For freehold properties, the lot dimensions matter more than most buyers realise. A 30 foot frontage on a 120 foot lot is a different proposition from a 50 foot frontage on an 80 foot lot, even if the total square footage is similar. Frontage affects what you can build, whether you can widen a driveway, and how the house sits relative to its neighbours.

If the listing does not include lot dimensions, that is worth noting. It may mean the information was not readily available, or it may mean the lot is unusually small and the seller's agent chose not to highlight it.

Taxes

The annual property tax figure in the listing is one of the most reliable numbers you will find. It tells you what the municipality has assessed the property at and what you will owe each year. A property listed at $1,200,000 with annual taxes of $4,800 is being assessed very differently from one at the same price with taxes of $8,500. The gap usually reflects the age of the assessment, the size of the home, or recent renovations that triggered a reassessment.

Compare the tax figure to similar properties in the same area. If it is noticeably higher or lower, ask why.

Parking and Garage

In Toronto proper, parking can add $50,000 or more to the value of a property. The listing will usually say how many parking spaces are included, whether the garage is attached or detached, and whether additional parking is available on the driveway or street.

For condos, check whether parking is owned or rented. Owned parking is part of the unit. Rented parking can be taken away or repriced at renewal.

Inclusions and Exclusions

The list of what stays and what goes is more important than it looks. Light fixtures, window coverings, appliances, and even garden sheds can be listed as exclusions. If something you assumed was part of the property is excluded, you need to know before you make an offer, not after.

Read this section line by line. If the listing says "as per schedule," that means the full list will be provided in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale. Ask to see it before you write your offer.

The Remarks Section

This is the free text field where the listing agent describes the property. It is marketing copy, and it should be read as such. But it can also contain genuinely useful information: whether the seller has had a pre-listing inspection done, whether there is a tenant in place, whether there are easements or right of ways, and whether offers are being reviewed on a specific date.

If the remarks mention that offers will be reviewed on a particular date, that tells you two things. The seller expects competition. And you have a deadline.

What the Listing Cannot Tell You

A listing cannot tell you about the neighbours, the noise level at 7 a.m., the condition of the roof, or whether the basement leaks. Those things require a visit and, later, an inspection. But the listing can tell you whether the visit is worth making. Five minutes reading the details properly can be worth more than an hour in the car.

If you are searching for a home in Toronto, Vaughan, King City or anywhere in the GTA and want help reading the listings that match what you are looking for, call me at 416-560-4983.

Danny Macedo, Macedo Real Estate Group, Royal LePage Supreme Realty, Brokerage.