Buying A Home
Purchasing a home can be a fun and exciting process, however home buying can also be intimidating, and mistakes are possible. The average person spends around 1/3 of their income on their home. The home that you choose has a big impact on your life, and can also seriously affect your finances, as well. This is a major life-time decision and you don’t want to go at it alone. A Realtor can help alleviate the fears and possibilities for mistakes.
When choosing a Realtor, you want someone who will be invaluable to you as a Buyer, and can be the difference between a wonderful transaction or a nightmare. You want a Realtor who is bold enough to talk straight with you instead of always telling you what you want to hear. You want someone who is truly listening to your questions, needs, wants and concerns, someone who will look out for your personal interests before their own. You want someone who will not only point out the positives in a property but the negatives as well. Most of all, you want someone whom you feel comfortable with, someone you can TRUST.
There are several steps to buying a home. The first step would be to get prequalified for a purchase. To do this, you will need to talk to a mortgage specialist. A mortgage broker may be able to get you a better rate than your local bank. Be careful not to shop around too much – every time a credit check is done it affects your credit rating. This is not a guarantee – once you have found the perfect home and an offer has been accepted your mortgage specialist will then need to obtain approval from the Lender for both the property you are buying and your own current financial situation.
While driving neighbourhoods is an excellent idea to help you decide which locations you prefer, it’s not a very efficient way to find your new home. Gas is expensive, and your time is valuable. Your Realtor should listen to your needs, make fantastic suggestions based on your likes and dislikes, and provide you with a list of homes that match your buying criteria. They will also help you better organize your search, personally assist and direct you when viewing prospective homes and help you in your decision making process – saving you valuable time.
When you and your Realtor find your ideal home, your Realtor should help you determine if the property is listed at fair market value and what the sellers may expect to receive in today’s market. They will also draft up an offer that would include conditions that would protect your best interest and help you determine dates that suit your needs best. ie: Closing date and title search date. They will also present your offer on your behalf and assist you in negotiations.
Once your offer is accepted, your Realtor should guide you in fulfilling any conditions laid out in the offer based on the time lines agreed by both parties. What might seem complicated and intimidating to you is fairly common and familiar to a Realtor. They should know what to expect and when to alert you if and when anything out of the ordinary occurs.
Your Realtor should ensure all necessary paperwork is completed and forwarded to lawyers and financial institutions once all conditions are fulfilled. They should also follow through on closing to ensure total client satisfaction.
When all is said and done, you should feel confident in your purchase and know that your best interests have been accounted for. You can now confidently open the door to the new chapter in your life.
Download the Realtors® Help Booklet
published by The Canadian Real Estate Association
Contact Me For Assistance with Buying a Home
Selling your home can be a confusing process. It helps to have a professional guide to help you define your goals, and assist you with a plan which makes the experience as stress-free as possible. As a top Realtor with years of experience and a proven track record, it is my job to guide you through this process.
As your Realtor, I will work with you every step of the way to ensure you get the highest possible price for your home in the shortest period of time. Fill out the NO OBLICATION SELLER'S FORM below and I will contact you at my earliest convenience to discuss your Real Estate needs.
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