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Congratulations!  You have decided to purchase a home, or are thinking about buying one.  You'll be joing the ranks of hundreds of families who have realized that home ownership offers a number of benefits which include: building equity, saving for the future, and creating an environment for your family.  When you own your home, your hard-earned dollars contribute to your mortage.  The equity you earn is yours!  And, over time your home will increase in value. 

Owning your own home can bring you a large amount of personal satisfaction, and yet, at the same time, it can be a very stressful journey.  Wheather you have decided to buy or you are still thinking about it, there are many things to think about.  We hope that you find the information below helpful in making this life changing decision.  If ever you have a question, please feel free to contact us.

Things to Think About

Before you begin your search, there are many things to think about.  What type of neighbourhood do you want to live in?  Close to schools? One with lots of children for your kids to play with? Quiet? Mature?  How about bedrooms and bathrooms? How many will you need?  When buying a home, it is so very important to look ahead and think about how long you plan on living in this house. Are your children nearly grown and moving out? Will you eventually be having children? Asking yourself questions similar to these will help you narrow down your options to reveal exactly what you are looking for. It is a good idea for you to make a list of all the things you are looking for in a house. Break it down into two lists - a ‘must have’ and a ‘would like to have’ list. If you give these lists to your Real Estate professional, it will give him/her a good idea of what you are looking for and you will not waste time going through homes that will not suit your needs.

A Successful Plan

1.  Find the right representative
Even if you’re not quite ready to buy, your buyer’s agent can be an absolute wealth of information, and can often offer ‘scoops’ on local developments you may not have know about otherwise.  Speak to your Realtor first and he or she can begin helping to guide you right from the start.

2.  Find out what your price range is
Online mortgage calculators are a good place to start, but as you get closer to being ready to buy, there is no substitute for a written mortgage pre-approval.  Just speaking to your lender is an extremely worthwhile venture – this is the only way to really get an in-depth picture of your overall financial picture and to discover exactly what you can reasonably afford to spend on a home (and possibly on renovating).

3.  Find out what your local market looks like
The internet can be incredibly valuable in doing preparatory research.  Start with your agent – he or she can direct you to valuable resources and immediately start e-mailing you real estate listings that may interest you (or at least give you a better idea of what your needs and wants are).

4.  Find out what your true needs and wants are
Compose a needs/wants list that takes into consideration your local market conditions, your price range, and the advice of your Realtor.

5.  Find your dream home!
Once you’re ready to act, you may be surprised by how quickly you can make a decision.  Armed with your pre-approval, a little market knowledge, and your needs/wants list, call your Realtor, hit the pavement, and when you see ‘the house’, put in an offer. 

With the right team behind you, it really can be that easy!

Call us today!!!  905-667-8877