Some of the happiest and most successful people in the world are open to change. They are adept at building on the skills they have and seeing where their strengths can take them.
Keira Toscan is a licensed real estate agent who joined Coldwell Banker Neumann in May of 2024. Just a couple of months later, in July, she started working with Nick and Christina FitzGibbon. Keira works with her own clients to help them buy, sell and rent homes, and shares a few clients with the couple as well.
Recently, REALTOR® Nick FitzGibbon sat down with the new agent. The pair discussed her love of home décor and design, the importance of a well-designed space, and the (sometimes surprising) role of emotion in real estate.
Nick FitzGibbon: Keira, can you share some of the highlights of your background, both work-wise and in terms of your education?
Keira Toscan: I went to school at Conestoga College for Business Marketing. I always knew I wanted to work with people, but I didn’t know in what capacity. I found an interest and passion in sales with my recent job at an environmental solutions company, where I quickly realized that it was important for me to feel like I can bring value and make purposeful change.
NF: What would you say are your unique strengths and areas of expertise?
KT: I am a people person; I love to get to know my clients and build long-lasting relationships with them. Purchasing a home is quite arguably one of the largest transactions that someone will make in their lifetime. I want people to feel comfortable and trust that I have their best interests at heart. I also love to help my clients envision a space that they can see themselves in, whether that’s through conceptualizing décor, furniture, renovations, or through their lifestyle and interests.
NF: What’s your connection to the City of Guelph?
KT: I grew up in Rockwood and I lived there with my family for the first 17 years of my life. I attended high school at St. James Catholic School where I met my now husband. My husband and his family were born and raised in Guelph, so I always felt a great sense of family and community here. I currently reside in Guelph and have lived here for the past 12 years.
NF: What drew you to the field of real estate?
KT: Through home ownership, I found a great passion for home décor and design. I love being able to improve comfort, functionality, and the aesthetics of a space. Through my love of home design and my experience in sales, I thought real estate would be the next natural fit for me.
NF: What do you hope to accomplish in this new position?
KT: I want to bring an added layer of understanding to the traditional approach to real estate. I want to not only meet great people and help them on their journey, whether that be for new home ownership, rental opportunities, investors, and everyone else in between. But, furthermore, I also want to add an extra layer of understanding to showcase how a well-designed space can increase a home’s appeal and add value by attracting the right buyer or renter.
NF: How are you liking the work so far and what, if anything, has stood out to you?
KT: I’ve loved this new journey so far. It has been a whirlwind of information but it has also been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I truly feel this is what I was meant to do! What has stood out to me thus far is how much psychology plays a factor in this business. From the outside, I always envisioned it as more transactional. Seeing how much people buy based on emotion has surprised me, but this makes complete sense to me. People buy based on how a home makes them feel, or because they can envision a future in that space… and those emotions can override logic.
NF: What are you most looking forward to over the next few months?
KT: I’m looking forward to continuing to connect with people and I’m always looking for ways to learn and educate myself. I’ve met so many amazing people thus far, whether it be colleagues, developers, or clients, and they all have different stories. It’s so fun to see people get excited about taking that next step in their life, and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to support them.
NF: Keira, thanks so much for sharing your experiences so far.
KT: Happy to! It has been great to work with you; I’ve learned so much from the two of you. Your mentorship and guidance has been really appreciated and has helped so much with me being new to the industry.
Connect with REALTOR® Nick FitzGibbon at 519-821-3600. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram @nickfitzgibbon.