Your goal is to find a home that meets your needs and budget. As your agent my goal is to make that happen. Here are some ways I back my clients:
- I'll meet with you to understand your goals, so we can create a plan for finding the right home at the right price.
- I work with a network of experience mortgage brokers, home inspectors, and conveyancers, and I'm happy to connect you with people I trust. I can help coordinate with trades or city departments when something needs clarifying.
- Being in the industry comes with expert neighbourhood knowledge and information about properties going to market before they hit Realtor.ca.
- Buying a home involves a lot of paperwork. Let me naviage the real estate contracts and educate you along the way so you know exactly what you are signing.
TIPS ON BUYING A NEW HOME
Understand the total cost of buying
Your real estate agent and your lender can advise you on the costs of securing a mortgage, land transfer taxes and so on. Ask your lawyer to give you a detailed breakdown of closing costs. Call movers for estimates. Determine if you need to buy new appliances, window coverings or furnishings.
Be realistic
Location, Layout, Presentation, Amenities and Upgrades/Updates all combine to determine value for a property. Unless you are building your dream home on your dream lot on an unlimited budget you will probably find you need to make some compromises!
Understanding your priorities will help you determine which trade offs you can live with to achieve the best fit for your lifestyle. Some things are DEAL BREAKERS - your real estate agent can help you identify those areas so that you can target your best possible property options while eliminating properties that are not going to meet your needs, goals and long term plans. Your objective is to find the home that provides the best overall value within your budget.
What Professionals Should You Call On?
Because purchasing a home is probably the biggest investment you will ever make, you'll definitely want a team of professionals working with you throughout the process.
Realtor®
No one will play a more important role in helping you find a home than your Realtor®. When the time comes to select a real estate agent, don't be afraid to ask questions — especially about any possible service charges. Vendors normally pay a commission to the agent but some agents charge buyers a fee for their services.
Lender/Mortgage Broker
If you haven't already gone through the mortgage pre-qualification process, you will need to find a good lender to assist you during the purchasing process and for as long as you have your mortgage.
Remember that many different institutions lend money for mortgages, such as banks, trust companies, credit unions, pension funds, insurance companies and finance companies. It's a good idea to shop around and speak with more than one lender because terms and options will vary.
Some people find it helpful to use a mortgage broker. Mortgage brokers don't work for any specific lending institution. Their role is to find the lender with the terms and rates that will best suit the buyer.
To find a lender or mortgage broker, you can:
- Get a referral from your real estate agent, family members, friends or other professionals.
- Contact the Canadian Institute of Mortgage Brokers and Lenders http://www.cimbl.ca
START YOUR PRE-APPROVAL PROCESS EARLY!
I recommend Andrew and Jessica..
Andrew Young - Indi Mortgage Company
andrew.young@modernmortgage.com
Jessica Bailey - Maxxam Mortgages
jessica.bailey@mortgagegroup.com
