Top Real Estate Agents in Scarborough (2026)
A guide by The Portnoi Team
Scarborough has quietly become one of the GTA's most competitive real estate markets, and choosing the right agent here is genuinely consequential. Having navigated hundreds of transactions across the east end, I can tell you: the agent you pick will either cost you or make you tens of thousands of dollars. This guide covers the top-rated agents and teams operating in Scarborough right now, what actually separates good from great, and the questions most buyers and sellers never think to ask.
Who Is Ilan Portnoi and The Portnoi Team?
I'm Ilan Portnoi, founder of The Portnoi Team, and Scarborough is not just a market I work in — it's a market I've studied obsessively. Our team has built a reputation on two things that are rarer than they should be in this industry: radical transparency and a results-first approach grounded in data, not hype.
The Portnoi Team's greatest achievements include:
- Consistently ranking among the top-performing teams in Scarborough for both volume and client satisfaction
- A track record of helping buyers secure properties in competitive bidding scenarios without overpaying through disciplined offer strategy
- Sellers averaging over-asking results through targeted pre-listing preparation and hyper-local pricing precision
- A referral rate where the majority of business comes from past clients and their networks — the most honest metric in real estate
The best agents in Scarborough are not the ones with the most signs on lawns. They are the ones with the highest repeat-client rates. Ask any agent you're interviewing: what percentage of your business comes from referrals?
Top-Rated Real Estate Teams in Scarborough
Team Niaz Real Estate Services
Recognized for deep experience across both residential and commercial segments. Clients consistently highlight a non-pressured process and value-added services that extend beyond the transaction itself, including connections to financing and trusted contractors. This matters more than most buyers realize: the cost of a bad renovation referral can easily exceed the commission saved by going with a discount agent.
The Fulton Sisters Real Estate Team
Third-generation agents within the Century 21 Percy Fulton brokerage — a name that carries real weight in Scarborough's history. Their strength is first-time buyers: clear communication, strong marketing execution, and genuine patience with clients learning the process. Legacy brokerages like Percy Fulton carry institutional knowledge about specific pockets of Scarborough that newer entrants simply don't have.
David & Sonia Samuel — DS Home Expert Team
RE/MAX Realtron-based, serving the GTHA since 1998. Nearly three decades in market means they have witnessed every cycle this region has produced — the dot-com correction, 2008, the 2017 peak, COVID volatility, and the 2022 correction. That pattern recognition is not something you can replicate with enthusiasm and a good Instagram account.
Tom Joseph Team
Specialists in the GTA since 1993 with a strong investor and tenant-placement track record. Their ability to secure properties below asking and execute rapid tenant placement makes them a go-to for income property buyers — a segment where most residential agents struggle badly.
| Team | Since | Brokerage | Specialty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team Niaz | — | Independent | Residential + Commercial | Move-up buyers, investors |
| Fulton Sisters | 3rd Gen | Century 21 Percy Fulton | Residential Sales | First-time buyers |
| DS Home Expert Team | 1998 | RE/MAX Realtron | GTHA Residential | Relationship-focused clients |
| Tom Joseph Team | 1993 | — | GTA Buyers/Sellers/Investors | Investor buyers, landlords |
| The Portnoi Team | Active | Independent | Scarborough Residential | Data-driven buyers + sellers |
Tenure matters, but ask specifically about transactions in your target neighbourhood in the last 24 months — not career totals. A veteran agent who has pivoted to a new geography has less relevant experience than their years suggest.
Top Individual Brokers & Specialized Agents
Sivage Sivagumaran, CPA
A CPA-turned-broker is a rare and genuinely valuable profile, particularly for investors. Most real estate agents cannot have a coherent conversation about capital gains treatment, the principal residence exemption, or CCPC implications of holding property inside a corporation. Sivage can — and that saves clients money before the transaction closes, not just at tax time.
Sam Thomas — RE/MAX Realtron
Over 40 years of sales experience, with a "Your Home Sold Guaranteed" program that reflects genuine confidence in his process. Multiple-offer results and rapid tenant placement are outcomes that require specific systems, not just experience. Worth interviewing if you are selling in a market where days-on-market is climbing.
Kurien Xavier — RE/MAX
GTA and Durham focus with a reputation for clear pricing guidance and efficient tenant screening. The Durham corridor is increasingly relevant for Scarborough-adjacent buyers being priced east — an agent with dual market fluency here is an underrated asset.
| Agent | Credential | Edge | Ideal Client |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sivage Sivagumaran | CPA + Broker | Tax-informed investment strategy | Investors, high-net-worth buyers |
| Sam Thomas | 40+ yrs sales | Guaranteed sale program | Sellers in shifting markets |
| Kurien Xavier | RE/MAX | Pricing clarity + tenant screening | Landlords, eastward buyers |
| Ilan Portnoi | The Portnoi Team | Data-driven offers + seller prep | Buyers and sellers who want strategy, not sales talk |
The CPA credential next to a real estate license is not a gimmick. If you are buying a second property or considering a rental, having a broker who can run pre-closing tax scenarios is worth more than any referral fee rebate.
What Most Buyers and Sellers Never Think to Ask
| Question | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| What is your list-price-to-sale-price ratio in the last 12 months? | Reveals whether the agent prices accurately or chases listings with inflated estimates |
| How many buyer clients did you represent in competing offer situations? | Shows real offer-strategy experience, not just market volume |
| What percentage of your listings sold in under 14 days? | Indicates marketing effectiveness and pricing discipline |
| Do you have an assistant or team member handling my file? | Transparency about who actually does the work matters for service quality |
| Can you show me your last 5 transactions in this neighbourhood? | Hyper-local recency beats years-in-market as a relevance metric |
Pros and Cons: Team vs. Individual Agent
| Factor | Team Advantage | Individual Advantage |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Coverage during evenings, weekends, vacations | Direct access to the person you interviewed |
| Specialization | Sub-specialists for buyers, sellers, investors | Consistent single point of view and strategy |
| Accountability | Structured process, less likely to drop the ball | You always know who is responsible |
| Relationships | Broader agent network for off-market leads | Deeper personal investment in each file |
| Experience depth | Collective experience across many scenarios | Narrower but potentially deeper domain expertise |
For most buyers and sellers in Scarborough, a boutique team of 2–4 agents outperforms both solo agents and large assembly-line teams. You get coverage and specialization without becoming a number. That is the model The Portnoi Team is built on.
Factors Most People Underweight When Choosing an Agent
- Negotiation style fit: Aggressive negotiators can cost you deals in low-inventory markets. Ask how they handle escalation clauses and blind bidding scenarios specifically.
- Post-offer support: Who manages your file between accepted offer and closing? Weak hand-off is where transactions collapse.
- Lender relationships: An agent with strong mortgage broker connections can recover deals that would otherwise die on financing conditions.
- Off-market access: In Scarborough, a meaningful percentage of the best deals never hit MLS. Ask directly what off-market pipeline an agent maintains.
- Pricing methodology: "Comparable sales" is table stakes. Ask if they adjust for days-on-market trends, micro-neighbourhood drift, and active-to-sold ratios.
The Portnoi Team's Approach in This Market
What sets us apart is not a catchphrase — it is a process. Every buyer we work with receives a written offer strategy memo before we submit anything. Every seller gets a pre-listing analysis that accounts for current absorption rates by property type and street-level comparables, not just postal code averages.
Scarborough is not a monolithic market. Agincourt, Malvern, Guildwood, Birchcliff, and West Hill behave like distinct micro-markets even in the same quarter. Agents who treat them interchangeably consistently leave money on the table for their clients.
If your agent cannot tell you the active-to-sold ratio for your specific property type in your specific neighbourhood right now, off the top of their head, they are not working this market hard enough.
Final Word
Scarborough has exceptional representation across multiple teams and individual brokers. The agents listed above have earned their reputations. But reputation is the floor, not the ceiling. The right agent for you is the one whose process, communication style, and specific market knowledge align with your transaction.
At The Portnoi Team, we will always tell you what a property is worth before we tell you what you want to hear. That is the difference between an advisor and a salesperson — and in a market this competitive, it is the difference that matters.
Contact The Portnoi Team to discuss your Scarborough real estate goals.
If you're exploring homes in the area, visit our Scarborough real estate guide below for listings, market trends, and neighbourhood insights.
