How am I different?

Location, location, location. You can change the footprint of a home, but it’s quite an undertaking to try and move that home to a new location.  As you start your search, it’s always a great idea to keep focus on where you would like to live – be it a specific community, city or neighbourhood. Other location related questions to ask include school districts, transportation access and other local amenities. 

A thousand percent YES! In fact being pre-approved for your mortgage is preferred for a few reasons. First and foremost – If we start looking at homes prematurely, I don’t want to be the one to burst your bubble when you find “the one”, only to learn that it is beyond your budget.

Additionally, sellers are opening up their homes for us to view and they have a reasonable expectation that anyone that I bring through is qualified to purchase their home.

Great question – and the answer is – that depends. The current market conditions will dictate how you should proceed. 

• In  a sellers market, there is typically less inventory to choose from. You may want to find and purchase your new home first to ensure you don’t get left out in the cold come moving day. And in a really hot sellers market, you could face a multiple offer situation and not have your offer accepted. (This is where working with a great agent comes into play – wink wink).
• In a buyers market, there is typically an abundance of homes to choose from and sellers are seeing their home sit for longer periods of time before receiving offers. For that reason, you may want to consider selling first or at the very least, include a condition in your offer to purchase that includes the sale of your current property. (At the risk of repeating myself – a good agent will be able to guide you through this process).

That’s like asking if you really need a parachute when skydiving. OK – maybe my “Captain Obvious” sarcasm wasn’t necessary, but you get the point.  Of course it’s not a requirement to use an agent when buying or selling a home but have you seen the contracts that go along with any real estate transaction? 

You are buying what is likely to be the biggest investment you’ll make in your lifetime. The process can be confusing, time consuming and difficult to understand. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone who knows their stuff guide you through the process and make sure your best interests are covered so that all you have to do is enjoy the ride?

You know what’s better than having a realtor? Having a realtor for free.

Real estate commissions are paid by the seller’s side of the transaction (in most cases). This means that if you’re buying, you get to enjoy the benefits of working with a professional who will help you find the best properties for your needs, do all of the paperwork and heavy lifting for you, and negotiate the best price on your behalf at no extra cost to you.