A Checklist For First-Time Homebuyers

Once you decide that you’re ready for home ownership, develop a home buying checklist.

The list should be wants and needs to help your realtor find your dream home. Buying a house brings up many questions and ideas of what’s important.

Which Neighborhood?

Choosing a home isn’t just about selecting or building your dream house, it’s also about finding the right neighborhood for you.

Things to consider when choosing your neighborhood:

• Do you want to be in a family neighborhood?
• Do you want to be near a playground?
• Do you want to be close to your child’s school?
• Do you want to bike along the lake?
• Do you want to be close to public transportation?
• Do you want entertainment within reach?
• Do you have easy access to loved…

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Single Woman’s Tips for Buying a Home

Single in 21st century is not a stigma; it’s a sign of independence. Women nowadays are their own bosses. They take leading positions and are in control of their own lives. So, why wait for “Mr. Perfect” to come around in order to buy a home? This is a big step that may appear challenging for a single person at the beginning. But it’s not impossible!

Can you buy on your own? Should you? This single woman’s guide to buying a new home will help you determine if you are ready. Here is how smart girls do it.

Planning to buy a home

Buying a home is an overwhelming experience, especially when you do it alone. List all the important issues and activities related to your new purchase. Schedule a time to search for homes, to meet with real estate agents,…

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To rent or to buy? 8 questions Canadians should ask before taking the plunge

Should you rent or buy?

Conventional wisdom suggests it’s a no-brainer – buying real estate is a worthwhile investment with a high return.

Despite record low interest rates,  the sky high prices and carrying costs are causing many to rethink the allure of home ownership.

When you factor in the costs of repair, maintenance and other expenses associated with owning a home, Toronto-based financial planner Shannon Simmons argues that renting and putting saved money into another investment may earn more in the long run.

If you filled in a  questionnaire asking where you see yourself in 10 years, many would answer “buying/owning a house. Do you really care if you buy a house, but think you should? Lets look at both sides of the argument and…

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Is Your Realtor Trying To "UpSell" You?

High end restaurants train their staff to "up-sell" diners.

 It starts with the designer water.  The server may continue to suggest the higher priced appetizers, entree and wines.  The restaurant and the server make more money if you run up a big tab.  Some top restaurants hold training classes to teach the staff how to recommend the more expensive items.  They seldom recommend the less expensive item if you ask for an opinion.

Car dealers and department stores are also good at upselling consumers.  Buyers worry that Realtors will work the same.  This is one reason buyers are cautious about letting a Realtor know they're looking to buy.  Here are some tips to help you establish and stay with a reasonable budget when buying your home.

Setting…

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Spring Home Buying Tips

Spring can be the busiest season for buying and selling homes.

The rising temperatures and Spring flowers make it a pleasant time for house hunting.  It's good timing for families who want to move at the end of the school year.  There are good articles about "Selling" your home in the Spring.  Here are some tips for home buying in the Spring Real Estate market.

1 - No Surprise here - Hire a Good Realtor.  I know.  Everyone is tired of blogs that talk about how you need to hire a Realtor.  How they'll hold your hand through the process and they'll save you money.  No need to repeat all of that. Fact is, you can search homes for sale online. Some of the ones you see may still be available.  Some sites will let you see homes after they went into…

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Metro Vancouver ‘millionaire’ homeowners selling out and buying in rural areas

Millionaire homeowners cashing out of Metro Vancouver’s red-hot real estate market are seeking greener pastures elsewhere in B.C.

Real-estate experts say they’re seeing more city slickers selling off their urban homes and heading north or east to buy hobby farms and acreages, where they can live off the land with cash to spare.

And in regions where property prices haven’t yet been affected by the Vancouver market, some realtors say it’s only a matter of time. Landcor Data Corporation tallied 3,226 sales of single-family detached properties of more than two acres in 2015, up from 2,988 in 2014. The real estate data and analysis firm also counted 1,139 units of residential, vacant land larger than two acres sold in 2015, up from 803 in 2014.

Ian…

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Avoid Mistakes When Selecting A Realtor

Common Mistakes In Choosing A Real Estate Agent

You have come to that time in your life when you will be packing your bags and looking for your next housing gig. Part of this process will be picking a great Real Estate agent to work with. Unfortunately choosing the right Realtor is an area where many home sellers can make a mistake that leads to disappointment.

Your Realtor is the most important part of your team when it comes to selling or buying your home. He or she will be the link between your home and the housing market, particularly buyers and their agents. Because your Realtor can mean the difference between a quick and lucrative sale and a sale that is anything but, you should be exercising extreme discretion in your choice or Realtor. Like…

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Kamloops First Time Home Buyers

First-time Home buyer in Kamloops

Making an Informed Investment

If you’re in the market for a new home, take a moment to ask yourself a few key questions about what you should be looking for, how much you can comfortably afford to spend, and whether home ownership is right for you.

How much home can you afford?

• Before you begin shopping for a home, prepare a simple budget, so you can figure out where most of your money is going on a monthly basis. If you aren’t sure how much you’re spending each month, use CMHC’s Household Budget Calculator to take a realistic look at your current expenses.
• When preparing your budget, don’t forget that there are many up-front costs that come with buying a home. This can include a deposit, appraisal…

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Inspection needed even when buying new condo?

Many buyers think it's unnecessary to hire a building inspector before purchasing a new condo.Is that correct? In most cases yes.

Prospective owners often assume a condo building and their unit of interest is fine and everything is to code and working properly. While this is usually the case, purchasers still need to protect themselves against those rare occasions where a problem exists.

A recent case, for example, someone moved into a newly constructed condo where someone had inadvertently dropped a piece of plywood down the chimney flu, blocking it off. When the new owner lit the fireplace, smoke backed up through the unit.

Although the condo corporation took care of the fireplace, the owner was responsible for the smoke cleanup. A pre-purchase…

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BC Home Sales Post All Time Record

Vancouver, BC – April 15, 2016.

The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a record 12,560 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in March, up 38 per cent from March of last year. Home sales last month eclipsed the previous record of 11,683 unit sales in May of 2007. Total sales dollar volume was $9.69 billion
in March, up 66.9 per cent compared to the previous year. The average MLS® residential price in the province was up 20.2 per cent year-over-year, to $771,620.

“Housing demand has never been stronger in the province,” said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist. “Most large population centres of the province are now experiencing record levels of housing demand.”
“Strong employment growth,…

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