Kamloops Property For Sale Real Estate Blog - first time buyer

Understanding the BC First Time Home Buyer Incentive Program

You may have heard of the incentive programs that the federal government has created to try to entice first time home buyers into the real estate market, but how much do you really understand? Is this something for you?

The government of Canada has a couple of programs that are designed to get first time buyers on the property ladder. Read on to see if they are right for you.

1) The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP). This is a program that allows you to withdraw funds from your Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself or for a related person with a disability. The HBP allows you to pay back the withdrawn funds within a 15-year period. So what are the rules?

• Permits two first-time buyers in the same…

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Don't fall for the staging: Real estate expert on how to avoid rookie buyer mistakes

Being a first-time home buyer without guidance from qualified professionals is like using the internet to diagnose a serious illness -- it’s not going to end well. That’s the advice Toronto real estate agent and industry expert Karyn Filiatrault gives to millennials looking to enter the housing market.

She joined CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday to warn against some of the biggest mistakes she sees real estate rookies make, even when they are getting help from the pros.

Not getting pre-approved by an experienced mortgage broker

Online calculators can help buyers get a rough idea of how much housing debt they can handle, but Filiatrault recommends using a mortgage broker to find the rate and terms that are best for you.

She adds that younger…

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The pros and cons of rent-to-own

As the real estate landscape changes, renting to own may provide a win-win for both owners and tenants.

The changes to the mortgage rules last July are making it more difficult for first time buyers to get approved for a mortgage. Other buyers may have good credit but not enough of a down payment. At the same time, landlords are looking for good tenants to rent their units. Rent-to-own may provide a win-win for both owners and tenants.

Here’s how it works:

A landlord rents the home or condominium under a basic home lease. For an extra payment, the tenant receives an option to buy the home at a later date, for a set price. Let’s say the home is worth $250,000. The parties agree the tenant will have the right, but not the obligation, to buy the…

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10 Worst First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes

Are you gearing up to buy your first place?

Shopping for a home is exciting, exhausting and a little bit scary. In the end, your aim is to end up with a home you love at a price you can afford. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, many people make mistakes that prevent them from achieving this simple dream. Arm yourself with these tips to get the most out of your purchase and avoid making 10 of the most costly mistakes that could put a hold on that sold sign. (Don't know even where to get started when purchasing a home?

1. Not Knowing What You Can Afford
As we've all learned from the subprime mortgage mess, what the bank says you can afford and what you know you can afford or are comfortable with paying are not necessarily the same. If you…

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4 dos and don’ts of buying your first home

Thinking of buying your own place? It’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed.

After all, it’s the biggest purchase you can make. In an effort to remove some stress from the equation, here are a few tips from the experts.

What to do when you’re a first-time home-buyer:

1. Get pre-approved.

Some real estate agents won’t even work with you until you’ve been pre-approved for a mortgage. This is an important first step in the home-buying process. You don’t want to start house-hunting and fall for a home you can’t afford.

Plus, there may be problems with your credit that you don’t know about.

“Sometimes people are just unaware that they may have like a Sears card that they forgot to cancel and it’s caused a problem on your credit rating,”…

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How Buyers can win in a Seller’s Market

The housing market is crazy and out of balance right now.

It’s 2017 and interest rates are still low, home values are up, but something is lacking. It’s SELLERS! Inventory is down from this time last year, and we were thin on inventory at that time. What does this all mean? It means that we are seeing homes sell the first day they are on the market, with multiple offers, and with many offers over asking price. It is tough sledding for buyers right now. This makes for a hard time for people moving with their job to Kamloops and are forced to maybe overpay or cannot find a great home.

There are always some steps you can take to get at the front of the queue, get a great Realtor working for you, get yourself put on the MLS PCS (Private Client Services)…

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B.C. Home Owner Mortgage and Equity partnership

Every British Columbian deserves a place to call home. That is why we are taking action to control the cost of housing, increase access to affordable rental units, and help families make their dream of homeownership come true.

What is the Home Owner Mortgage and Equity (HOME) Partnership?

From middle class families to young professionals, first-time home buyers are looking to invest in a secure and stable future.

For many British Columbians dreaming of buying their first home, the hardest step is saving for a down payment. That is why the Province is partnering with British Columbians to help make that dream come true, through the B.C. Home Owner Mortgage and Equity (HOME) Partnership program.

Through the B.C. HOME Partnership program, the…

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5 Ways To Make Sure That a House Has What it Takes to Become Your Home

There’s an undeniable thrill in house hunting

After all, for most of us, a home is the most expensive and important thing we’ll ever buy. Chances are, your search will turn up a lot of properties that don’t fit into your plans at all, so the excitement of finding a potentially suitable place in your sights can certainly be overwhelming.  It’s got enough rooms, the neighbourhood seems nice, and it’s in your price range. Where do you sign – right?

Well, perhaps it is the Shangri-La it seems to be – but there’s no harm in pinching yourself a few times to make sure your dream home isn’t just a mirage. By asking a few tough questions now, you can ensure the right answers down the road.

Here are 5 ways to make sure the house you are considering has…

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Five Top Financial Tips for New Homeowners

If you thought down payment and closing costs were all you'll pay for when buying your new home, think again. Here's how you can manage your expenses

So you’ve finally purchased a home! After all of the months of searching, and another few weeks poring over endless paperwork, you have been given the keys to your beautiful home. Now all you have to do is buy new appliances, get some new furniture, bedding for the guest room, hire a landscaping service...and the list goes on and on. Just when you thought you had spent all your money on your down payment, now is the time that the expenses really start to add up. After you buy a home, you suddenly realize how many things you “need” in order to make your home function. But now is the time to be careful with…

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Feds’ Strict New Mortgage Rules - Target First-Time Buyers and Millennials

Finance minister announces new “stress test” on applicants for all insured mortgages, which will “take lots of people out of the housing market,” according to local mortgage expert

Canadians applying for a mortgage that requires CMHC insurance will have to qualify under higher interest rates under a new “stress test” announced October 3 by federal finance minister Bill Morneau.

The tougher mortgage rules were announced as part of a wider series of "preventative measures" aimed at “ensuring the long-term stability of the market” and reducing risk, according to Morneau.

Under the proposed new mortgage qualification rules, the current “stress test” that currently applies to some insured, variable-rate mortgages and insured mortgages with terms of…

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