The ultimate secret weapon for buying a home in the GTA
Buy smarter and get cashback on your home purchase with help from expert realtors
When Michelle began her career as a realtor more than a decade ago, the idea of doing almost anything digitally was unimaginable. “Even texting was taboo in this business,” Michelle says. She was told, “Don’t do that—it’s unprofessional.” That’s a far cry from the Wahi team she’s part of today.
Wahi’s full-service brokerage and digital real estate platform empowers homebuyers by combining cutting-edge tech and a team of dedicated realtors like Michelle. Wahi transforms the house-hunting journey into a seamless app-based experience, without sacrificing the human element of real estate—plus, it offers homebuyers cashback. “The world has changed, and I think Wahi’s model is keeping up with the world,” Michelle says.
Here’s how Wahi Realtors’ experience, insights and negotiating power help you buy smarter.
Data-driven insights and dedicated support
After a house hunter books a consultation with a Wahi realtor on the website or app, the Wahi app becomes their virtual home base. It’s where they’ll find all the listings and previously sold data, and the real-time chat feature becomes their main point of contact with their Wahi representative.
“We’re here to make their experience easy and efficient,” says Michelle, noting that Wahi realtors are happy to pick up the phone or hop on a Zoom call if preferred.
The Wahi app also comes loaded with helpful features, including smart recommendations based on previously viewed listings and unique search filters. For example, instead of limiting searches to established neighbourhoods or communities, you can create your own boundaries on the in-app map. You’ll then receive notifications when new listings pop up. Couples and co-buyers can also share listings and chat right in the app, too.
“With Wahi, we can get deeper insights than the typical realtor, and that helps me win when I’m negotiating for people,” says Barb, another Wahi realtor.
Once a homebuyer is ready to start viewing properties in person, they simply click to book a showing. A Wahi tour assistant, who is also a licensed realtor, meets them at the appointed time. “The only difference between Wahi and a traditional brokerage is our realtors don’t drive around doing showings,” Michelle explains. This is one of the efficiencies that enable Wahi to provide cashback to clients.
Get to know the Wahi team
Wahi may be taking a new approach to the way Canadians buy homes, but it’s backed by a team of proven industry experts. In fact, Wahi’s cashback realtors all have 10-plus years of experience, and it shows: they handle 10 times more deals than the GTA average.
For Barb, who recently reached her 25-year milestone as a realtor, the high point of her day is seeing how thrilled her clients are when an offer is accepted. “A lot of the magic in real estate is how people feel at the end,” she says.
Michelle, meanwhile, loves nothing more than to help clients step onto the property ladder for the first time. “Getting that first house is so special,” she says. “After I did that for myself in 2016, it became fulfilling to help people achieve that same feeling of pride and safety in owning a home.”
Putting cashback in homebuyers’ pockets
This innovative real estate model helps cut operating costs. That means Wahi can afford to share a portion of the commission it receives from the seller—up to one per cent. That works out to $10,000 on a $1 million home, and it’s deposited directly into the buyer’s account within two weeks of closing.
“One of the biggest advantages of working with a Wahi realtor is we don’t earn commission,” says Barb. “We make a salary, and we’re here for homebuyers regardless of how long it takes.”
