After two years of working in downtown Toronto but living in Brampton, Russell and June Fordham decided it was time to cut the hour-long commute. Within a week, they’d sold their house (to an interested neighbour’s parents) and needed a new one, fast. While they didn’t have the sort of budget that can lubricate a high-speed search, a blinder-like focus and an understanding agent got results in just four weeks.

The buyers: Russell Fordham, 36, consultant;
June Fordham, 30, recruiter
The price range: $410,000– $430,000
The criteria: Three bedrooms;
move-in-ready townhouse or bungalow with backyard;
quiet neighbourhood;
maximum 30-minute commute to downtown
The agent: Ram Rajendram, a broker with Century 21 Harvest Realty Ltd.
The search: Roughly 25 houses over
the month of April

Cadorna Avenue, north of Cosburn between Donlands and Greenwood; two-plus-one-bedroom detached bungalow listed at $399,000
This was the first house they saw that fit all their criteria, “But it didn’t wow us.”

Kingston Road, east of Victoria Park; two-plus-one-bedroom detached bungalow listed at $399,900
This flashily reno’d home did wow them, but the price had bidding war written all over it. They held off on an offer till the first round of bids was in. It went for nearly $90,000 over asking.

40th Street, south of Lake Shore; two-bedroom, two-bathroom detached bungalow listed at $419,900
This one was steps from the water, but it didn’t have a third bedroom, and it needed work.

32nd Street, just north of Lake Shore at Long Branch; three-bedroom detached bungalow, purchase price $450,000
Just a few blocks from the one on 40th Street, this one finally had it all. But the asking price was $40,000 over the Fordhams’ limit. They offered low, and the sellers balked. Worried about losing out, they sweetened the deal with a quick closing. This sealed it. They took possession in June.