Financing

Organizing your finances is the critical first step in your home purchase:

• Consider the one-time costs associated with a home purchase, including a down payment, legal fees, inspections fees, taxes and moving expenses.
• Understand ongoing monthly costs, including mortgage payments, insurance, utilities, property taxes, maintenance and, if applicable, condo fees.
• Taking into account the equity you may have in your current home and the applicable mortgage options avalible for your next move.
• Pre-qualifying for a mortgage gives you the comfort of knowing how much you can afford and what your monthly payments will be.
• A pre-approval from a mortgage lender protects you against intrest rate increases for a given period during your home search.

Needs & Wants

With an appreciation of what you can afford, determine your needs and wants within your home purchase price range:

• Consider your current lifestyle as well as any lifestyle changes you foresee longer term.
• Select an urban, suburban or rural location that best serves the needs of your evolving lifestyle.
• Choose neighbourhoods in close proximity to the amenities that are most important to you like schools, shopping, entertainment, recreation and transportation.
• Consider your commute times to work, school, friends and family.
• Determine the size of home you require, such as the minimum number of bedrooms, as well as any other space requirements, like a room for a home office.
• Understand the home features most important to you, such as additional bathrooms or a large yard.
• Decide on a property type that suits your lifestyle, needs and finances whether confo, townhouse, single or multi-family dwelling.

Home Search

Begin your home search when you know what you need and want, and what you can afford. As your chosen real estate professionals, We will:

• Provide access to both MLS listed properties and properties listed exclusively with Royal LePage.
• Send you listings of the properties that match your specific criteria.
• Ensure you receive new listings of properties that match your criteria as soon as they become available on the market.
• Supply supplemental neighbourhood information like historical property values from the area, property taxes, schools and public transportation.
• Help you hone your home search criteria, as required, with an appreciation for current market conditions.
• Prescreen and preview the homes that best fit your criteria.
• Show you the properties that you are instrested in viewing.

Viewing Homes

When viewing properties you are intrested in, it is important to remain objective. We will help you understand the importance of looking beyond surface aesthetics at:

• A home's exterior features from the foundation to the walls, the roof, the eaves and downspouts, drainage, windows, doors, fencing and landscaping.
• A home's interior fittings such as walls, floors, outlets, and switches, lighting, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and appliances.
• A home's heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical problems.
• Visible signs of problems such as water or pest damage.
• The benefits of having all of the above investigated throughly by a qualified home inspector.
• Noise levels from neighbouring properties, the street, cars and public transport, and where applicable, highways, railways and airports.
• The ability for you to live comfortably, according to your pre-determined needs and wants, with avalible space for your furnishings and storage requirements.

Making an Offer

There are a number of considerations to make before the offer is written for your next home. As your chosen real estate professionals, We will guide you through the offer process to help you:

• Appreciate what comparable houses are selling for, how current market conditions can impact your offer, and where applicable whether there is any competition from other intrested homebuyers.
• Understand the benefits of investing in a qualified home inspector who can expose any property deficiencies and who may also provide you with an estimate on thier cost of repair.
• Determine any offer confitions such as a satisfactory home inspection or arranging financing, and the potential impact of such confitions on the acceptance of your offer.
• Sort through the key elements of your offer, including price, deposit, finacial terms, inclusions and exclusions, and your closing or possession date.
• Present your offer to the seller or the seller's representative on your behalf.
• Manage all offers and any counter-offers, negotiating to get you the best possible deal.

Closing

Your home purchase becomes a reality on closing day when ownership is offically transfered to you. Before and on closing day, there are a number of tasks complete:

• If you are renting, give notice to your landlord and arrange for the return of your deposit.
• Confirm your home purchase with your mortgage lender and finalize your mortgage details.
• Hire a legal professional to represent your intests and manage closing documentation.
• Obtain home insurance and notify your lawyer/notary and mortgage lender of the selected insurer.
• Arrange for your self-move requirements or obtain estimates from reputable moving companies and book as far in advance as possible.
• Coordinate cancellations, transfers and change-of-address notification for medical, financial and contracted services, utilities, licenses, subscriptions, memberships, and personal mail.
• Organize the connection of services and utillties at your new home.
• Meet with your lawyer/notary on closing day to sign required mortgage and property closing documentation, pay associated balances and fees, and collect the keys to your new home.