How Karen Doering found her niche in Toronto’s east end

Buying a first home or finding enough space for a growing family can be one of life’s biggest transitions, and Karen Doering knows that from experience.

That experience, in fact, came to influence her career in a big way when Doering and her husband left downtown Toronto in search of more space after deciding to start a family. They settled in Birch Cliff, the east-end neighbourhood between the Beaches and the Scarborough Bluffs.

Today, the solo Bosley Real Estate agent works almost exclusively in Toronto’s east end, building a business around helping buyers find a home that suits their changing needs. 

“It certainly happened organically,” she said. “Going through that whole process myself, I thought building my business around that experience and helping families move through that process a little bit easier made sense.”

That approach has produced results. In 2025, Doering, who has been in the field for around nine years, ranked in the top one per cent of Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) agents by units sold and earned a place in the Chairman’s Club of Bosley Real Estate, recognizing the brokerage’s top 10 agents by annual gross commission income. Bosley has more than 250 agents. 

Helping families see the bigger picture

Working primarily with young families means many of Doering’s conversations have less to do with countertops or curb appeal, and more to do with schools, daycare options and commute times.

Doering’s brand speaks to families who want to make their dream home a reality. But lately, some client conversations have become more challenging among homeowners who bought during the pandemic housing boom and are now facing lower home values.

“It’s hard to wrap your head around that you would sell for less than what you bought, but that, that is a lot of the conversation I’m having. I do have some families that are moving out of the city for whatever reason, and you’re taking a loss, which isn’t what we’ve been used to for so long in Toronto.”

Recently, Doering worked with a family who accepted they would likely sell for less than they had paid. Rather than focusing on the loss, they looked at what it would allow them to gain – a larger home they expected to stay in for years, purchased at a lower price than it would have commanded just a few years earlier.

“I really do give people the truth,” she said.

“Sadly, in this market, sometimes it’s not what you want to hear, but we can move through that together.”

Marketing beyond the listing

Doering believes successful marketing begins even before a home hits the market.

“The days of putting a sign in the front lawn are over,” she said. “You really need to be preparing the house, and you get one chance to have a first impression.”

Every listing follows a detailed preparation process that includes minor repairs, painting, landscaping, decluttering and professional staging. 

“We can’t control the market,” she said. “What we can control is the preparation for the home.”

 Along with traditional weekend open houses, Doering hosts neighbourhood-focused events that invite buyers and local residents to experience the community. Weekday evening open houses give prospective buyers a chance to see what the neighbourhood feels like on a typical day after work. 

“So many times the buyer comes to the Thursday night open house,” she said. “It’s crazy how many times it’s been successful in that respect.”

Community events play a role throughout the year as well. Annual pumpkin drives and Easter celebrations attract hundreds of local families, all in support of the Scarborough Women’s Centre. 

An entrepreneurial approach

Doering’s business philosophy was shaped well before she entered real estate.

Her mother immigrated from Scotland as a teenager, while her father came to Canada from Germany. They met in Toronto.

Growing up, Doering watched her father build and operate several businesses, including video stores, sparking her own interest in entrepreneurship.

She earned an undergraduate degree in business communications before completing a master’s degree in business and entrepreneurship at the University of Waterloo. She later founded and sold a medical aesthetics business before making the transition to real estate.

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