Buying Tips

Our goal in all of this is to make your home buying experience as stress-free as possible. We are resident agents with over 30 years experience in the real estate field, and we have helped hundreds of people, both new buyers and repeat buyers, find the home that fits their family to a ‘T’.

• First, you must ascertain the approximate price range that you can afford by calculating your monthly housing budget.
• The next step is to figure out how much financing you need. You must take into account the Deposit, the Down Payment, plus the related expenses. These would include such things as Building Inspection; Appraisal (if required); Legal fees and disbursements; GST (if it is new construction); Deed transfer tax; Property taxes; Water Quality and Quantity (if there is a well); Mortgage fees including Brokerage, loan insurance, loan insurance premium; Condominium fees (if applicable); Moving expenses; Utility hook-up; Home insurance; and miscellaneous such as window coverings, carpets, paint, appliances etc.
  
  We recommend that you get quotes from two or three different law firms. We can recommend some that deal in real estate and are well known in the industry. When getting quotes, make sure that you ask what the fees include; some firms include the cost of the title search in their fees; others add them on as a disbursement - you want to be comparing apples to apples.
• Next you need to define your needs in a home. You want to consider: Neighbourhood: new or established? Down town or the suburbs?
  Proximity of services: what are your needs in terms of public transit and commercial services? Is being close to school, work, etc. important to you? What interests do you and your family pursue and will the areas you are considering suit those needs?
  
  Indoor Considerations: What are your needs in terms of space? How many bedrooms & bathrooms are necessary? What type of heating do you prefer? What storage room do you need? Laundry room? Work shop? All bedrooms on same level? Walkout from basement?
  
  Outdoor Considerations: What parking do you need? How large a yard do you want? Do you like gardening? Where does the sun come up and go down? Is it a favourable exposure? Patio? Pool? Garage?
  
  The key to choosing the right home is to really know your needs. Let us know what your priorities are and try to identify the features you are looking for but could be subject to compromises. This way you will avoid wasting time viewing homes that don’t meet your needs.