Bulldog in a Bunny Suit: Catherine Mortimer

Lifestyle

29 Mar

Happy Women’s History Month! This month, and every month, we’re celebrating women and change makers who are leading with consciousness, creativity and compassion. As we channel more inspiration this year, we’re highlighting Catherine Mortimer, an award winning real estate agent based in Toronto, Canada.

Thanks for slowing down with us Catherine! We’d love to hear more about your story leading up to being included in the Canadian Real Estate Professional’s Top 100 Under 35 roster…

I always thought that I wanted to be involved with sports growing up. As a proven athlete and an absolute people person, I always found myself attracted to leagues and team sports both in and outside school. Thinking I would go into sports medicine, I surprised myself and detoured from that path at The University of Western Ontario where I discovered my passion for media and marketing through their MIT program.

Prior to real estate, I worked in marketing and advertising. I found that I was drawn to the kind work that required strategising, analysing, and pitching ideas to people and clients - I loved it. I later found that my career path was organically weaving in more of a sales role. Having a ‘gift of the gab’ and a keen interest in learning what people want and need turned out to be a natural set of skills that ultimately led me straight towards real estate.

I was honoured with being inducted into the Real Estate Professional (REP) roster of top 100 Canadian agents under 35! It’s a significant achievement for young professionals in the industry, placing them among the best in the business. It recognises their sales, proven dedication, and innovation which feels incredibly meaningful.

You’ve been affectionately described by your clients as a ‘bulldog in a bunny suit’ - someone not to be underestimated! Do you have any words of wisdom when approaching negotiations?

I love this quote! Those clients from that particular testimonial are truly the best, and I’m forever grateful for that bang-on description of me; I think they really hit the nail on the head!

Negotiation is a skill. I like to think of it like tennis or dancing - two of my favourite pastimes. You need to hold your own and have a plan, you need to keep control, but also work with the other party to achieve your goal.

3 key elements that I’ve trained myself to bring to any negotiation are the following:

Prepare thoroughly: Do your research, know your clients goals and limits, and anticipate the other party's likely positions and objections.

Listen actively: Understand the other party's perspective, acknowledge their concerns, and look for mutually beneficial solutions.

Stay flexible: Be open to creative solutions and willing to adjust your position as necessary to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. In real estate specifically, it’s easy to feel like you’re arguing with another agent but if you keep calm and remember to be collaborative, the deal can be so much smoother, and everyone wins!

Being an influential broker requires passion, and establishing trust and quality service over time. What are some of your top tips for first time buyers?

Being a first time ‘anything’ is typically going to feel nerve wracking, so the best way to diffuse some of that anxiety is be as organised and prepared as possible. When it comes to buying your first home, there is a lot to consider and frankly it’s tough out there! At least in Toronto, the average sale price is over $1M CDN and in some areas, that doesn’t get you much (which is crazy, I know).

The good news is, there’s hope for everyone and if you get yourself a team lined up and do the work to get organised then you’re off to a great start. Here are 5 tips I always tell my FTHB before we get started together.

1. Determine your budget: Establish a realistic budget that includes your down payment, monthly mortgage payments, closing costs, land transfer tax (this one is a commonly forgotten cost) and ongoing home ownership expenses.

2. Get pre-approved for a mortgage: This is IMPERATIVE! It will give you a clear idea of how much you can afford to spend on a home and can help you move quickly when you find the right property.

3. Research neighborhoods and properties: Hit the streets and go explore. Look for areas that fit your lifestyle, and consider factors such as school districts, commute times, and amenities. Go there during ‘off times’ of the days or on weekends so you can get a good feel for the community and see if you like what that area has to offer you.

4. Don't rush: This may seem impossible, especially in a fast track market like Toronto, but it’s important to take your time and avoid feeling pressured to make an offer on the first property you see. Stay patient and keep searching until you find the right home. My clients will tell you that I firmly believe that “there’s a house for everyone” and when you’re bidding or feeling discouraged because of bidding wars “there will always be another one”, and it’s true. People are always moving, remember that!

5. Work with an agent that gets you: Interview your agent! Ask them questions and see if you gel. Any good agent can help guide you through the home buying process, answer your questions, negotiate on your behalf, and provide valuable advice and support, but you also have to like them. Buying a home is a process, and you’re going to be spending a lot of time together (on the phone, in meetings and on showings), so if your personalities aren’t meshing well or you don’t feel like you’re being heard then this super exciting journey for you may not be as pleasant as it could be, so keep that in mind...

We love that you’re born and raised in Toronto. For anyone who hasn’t visited yet, what are some of your favourite experiences of life in Toronto?

This one is so tough to answer because there really is so much to do, see and explore! Toronto is incredibly vibrant and is colloquially referred to as a cultural mosaic which truly hits the nail on the head. There is an incredible restaurant scene that spans from high-end Michelin list worthy to street food and that duality is any foodie's dream. I love to eat and try spots around town so experiencing the new offerings in the culinary world is something I really cherish about this city.

When you’re visiting, you have to do the main stops like taking a ferry over to the Toronto Islands which during the summer are absolutely bustling with visitors and tourists. It’s well worth it! The beaches there are surprisingly beautiful and you can forget you’re downtown until you look back and see the CN Tower (another must see from the top).

I am a huge music lover. Going to concerts and live shows are something my partner, Fabio, and I share and love doing together. We have some friends in the music community so going to different venues, large and small, is a great way to immerse yourself into some of the sub cultures that Toronto has to offer. There’s really something for everyone and that’s a beautiful quality of this city.

You’re also a mother! It’s incredible how you juggle motherhood and work - how do you balance both?

I am! There is so much that goes into running a business and also a household, and the truth of the matter is that it’s really about asking for help. You really can’t juggle it all. It may be an unpopular opinion, but that’s the reality for me at least! We have one child, and a dog and sometimes life feels like it’s spinning out of control, so for mothers out there who are managing more kids I take my hat off to you!

Motherhood and running my own business are two massive achievements that I am so proud of. I wouldn’t be able to do either without the help and support of my family and my partner, Fabio. I never knew how true the statement “it takes a village” was until my daughter was born. I found more balance when I started to set boundaries, make a schedule for myself, prioritised tasks through time blocking, and forced myself to delegate where possible. For someone like myself who is an AAA personality, learning to let go, ask for help and delegate was hard, but it has also been the secret sauce to my success. As well, making sure I schedule time for self-care, which for me can look like going to the gym in the morning, or doing a 5 minute meditation, or even going for a massage.

We love to share recommendations to our readers. What are you:

Listening to?

I’m always looking for new podcasts to listen to while I’m in the car because that’s how I like to spend my mornings. My daughter and I will usually listen to music on her way to school and then I switch gears to set up my day with something inspiring like the Women Rocking Real Estate podcast by Jen Percival.

Reading?

Reading anything ‘non-work’ related is tough but I have been getting better at carving out some time in the mornings to try. My best friend told me to just try for 10 pages a day, and that’s been a really nice and manageable target for me. I’m working through The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (a little late to the game, but loving it!) and re-reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Richard Kiyosaki (a classic!)

Watching?

‘Severance’ on Apple TV and the new season of ‘Ted Lasso’ on Prime Video.

GIFTED Team

Gifted, by Nature is a Multimedia Production, Entertainment and Communications company, comprising of a Creative Agency and Literary Publisher — rooted in consciousness, creativity and compassion.