What things Realtors should tell you....

The vast majority of successful real estate agents are true professionals who take the long view.

Their advice is in their clients' best interests. Some agents go further by being fully transparent when conflicts arise (which often do) and make certain they are fully disclosed to their clients.

Realtors live a conflicted life.

On the one hand, they are salespeople that only make money when their deal closes.

On the other hand, they are consultants. They advise buyers and sellers throughout the process, ideally giving clients advice that is disinterested from their own financial outcome.

Often, these two objectives are aligned and there is no issue. For example, a listing agent makes more money if he is able to sell a house for a higher…

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Pre-Approval vs. Pre-Qualification

We know that getting ready to purchase a home can be confusing.

It is important to know the difference between a pre-qualification and a pre-approval, as one could lead you on, while the other nurtures your path to home ownership.

One of the primary steps of Buying a Home, is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. You should do this before the house hunt begins, so we (your Realtor) can show you houses that you can afford, to ensure we don’t waste any time or get your hopes up. There should be an open line of communication between your Realtor and your Mortgage Agent throughout the process, from determining the price range criteria, to putting forth an offer.

In the grand scope of things, a Pre-Qualification is a birds eye view of your ability to…

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Condo vs House - What You Need to Know...

With the average price of a detached home in cities such as Toronto now above the $1million mark, for many, condos have become the new starter home and possibly the domicile option for years to come.

First time home buyers are plagued with a whirlwind of decisions when looking for the perfect place to settle down. From locations to schools and public transportation, there’s one major consideration that will determine your type of lifestyle for the years to come, house or Condo. After coming to terms with the loads of money you’ll be borrowing, you’ll have to decide on whether you want to live in a condo vs house. But there are some major differences between house ownership and owning a condo. Here are some key factors to keep in mind.

Fees For All

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7 Tips for Buyers to Keep From Feeling Overwhelmed

You just made an offer on the house you love and it has just been accepted!

Congratulations!!

But then the panic and feeling of being overwhelmed sets in.  It’s a time filled with many different emotions, a seemingly endless To Do List, critical due dates, and a multitude of important decisions to be made. Buying a house is a tough challenge, no matter how well qualified you are, or even if you’ve done it before, and it’s pretty normal to feel stressed out.

Especially when you already lead a busy life and now have what feels like another full time job to do!  But there are some things you can do to manage that overwhelmed feeling and get done what has to be done. It's your responsibility!

1. Rely on your Buyer Agent

It’s his or her job to…

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What Does "Low Housing Inventory" Mean?

If you’re like many Canadians, you may still have a perspective of the real estate market influenced by media coverage of the 2008 crisis. However, real estate is always subject to cycles, especially around growing and expanding communities like Kamloops. The reality is this area is now facing a looming shortage of housing inventory. If your a buyer moving to the area it is key to find a local experienced realtor who can get you up to speed on your knowledge of Kamloops real estate market, its not all doom and gloom as we show in this article. IF you are a seller then the local "know-how" of a realtor is key in getting your house listed at the correct price with the best exposure possible.

From the Bank of Canada to local real estate firms, the level…

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Cooling of Canada’s Hottest Real Estate Markets Delayed Again

July 13, 2016

Canada’s residential real estate market posts strongest growth in five years in the second quarter of 2016

Central bankers expected to keep interest rates lower for longer in light of Brexit and global uncertainty

TORONTO, July 13, 2016 – Canada’s residential real estate market continued to show strong appreciation in the second quarter of 2016, posting the highest national year-over-year gain seen in five years, according to the Royal LePage House Price Survey[1] and Market Survey Forecast released today.  Amid continued world economic uncertainty, the historically low interest rate environment that has fueled Canada’s real estate market growth in recent years – most notably in Greater Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) –…

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Owner Financing - What you need to know

5 Reasons to Offer Owner Financing

It seems a bit counter intuitive for someone who owns home to allow a buyer to pay over time for their property. After all, wouldn’t it be better to get all the money in one go thereby requiring the buyer to get financing from a bank? Well, sometimes it’s more lucrative for the seller to offer financing and here’s why:

1. Better Selling Price

In a buyer’s market, it can take a while for a property to sell, and once a home has been on the market for longer than 60 days,  real estate agents often encourage the seller to drop the price. To attract more interest, they make sure that all the marketing materials, including the For Sale sign, clearly show that the price has been reduced. However, instead of cutting the…

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The Best Builder Upgrades to Buy in a New Home

New home builders make money by selling upgrades.

Usually, if you get all the builder upgrades, you can easily double the price of your home or more. This article will explain which upgrades are best to purchase from the builder and which can be done at a later date.

Lot
Upgrading your lot to a larger lot or a more preferred location is a great upgrade to purchase since you generally cannot change your home's location in the future.

Structure
Structural changes are also good to upgrade before the home is built. Adding an additional garage, an extra bathroom, or a covered back porch are usually more difficult and costly after the home is built.

Electrical and Plumbing
Electrical or plumbing additions or changes are good to upgrade before a home…

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What does a home inspection cover?

If you decide to have a home inspection, the major components of the home will be visually inspected and in some cases, tested by a trained professional.

You will receive a written report outlining details about the home and the inspection results. Com­ponents inspected generally include the roof, heating unit, plumbing, electrical system, structure, foundation, major appliances and much more.

A Great Tool For Buyers And Sellers

The question of whether or not to have an inspection should actually not be a question at all. One of the most common com­plaints against home sellers is in the area of condition, specifically disclosure of the condition. A home inspection is a valuable tool in deter­mining and disclosing condition to both buyer and…

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Honey, let's not use a Realtor!

The idea behind not using a real estate agent in the purchase and sale of a home is a simple one, to save yourself some money.

By Andrea Swiedler. Real Estate Agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties Licensed in Connecticut

I get that.  Buyers think they will save money on the price of the home, sellers will save at least half the commission amount. (Many do offer a commission to a buyer's agent.)

FSBO AND THE UNREPRESENTED BUYER, THE PERFECT STORM!

Now we are talking! Part of my job as a real estate agent is to know what my seller is selling, and what my buyer is buying. This includes data from the town hall such as property taxes, building department information, health department information and more. I make sure…

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