Buying a Home

 To enhance your buying experience, it’s my  job as real estate professional to provide you with as much valuable information as possible. It is essential that the buyer be aware of all aspects of the real estate market before making a major decision.
 
Whether it be through newsletters, checklists or news articles, I am are here to help make this process stress-free and rewarding.
 
Choosing a Neighbourhood An Established Neighbourhood or a New Home? Established neighbourhoods tend to have their own personalities, mature trees and often larger yards. Older building styles tended to lean toward higher, plaster ceilings, hardwood floors and decorative woodwork. Depending on the age of the home, it may require a little more maintenance. Established neighbourhoods are usually closer to the city. Urban living usually puts you at the centre of the action. It offers a wide variety of amenities like shops, theatres and restaurants. It may be closer to your workplace. Of course, the drawback of an urban location could be a smaller, older or more expensive home. Look for schools (Public and Catholic), Playgrounds, Parks, etc. Make sure there are no undesirable areas surrounding your neighbourhood such as a garbage dump, industrious buildings disposing bad odours, etc. The suburbs usually have the advantage of newer homes, and more square footage for the same price as an urban location, but may not have the other amenities as close as you'd like. New neighbourhoods tend to have a noticeable lack of foliage and can look barren for years as the landscaping matures. If you purchase a home before it is built, you will be able to take advantage of upgrades during construction, and when you move in you can decorate to your taste. A new home won't have the charm of an old one, but will have warranties covering most major components. Be careful in understanding what the warranty covers. New homes have some real disadvantages that most people don't think of until it's too late. New vs. Used When buying a new home, keep in mind that the representative you are dealing with at the new home site may not be a licensed real estate agent. The new home representative's best interest may lie with the builder and not you. In many cases, the builder will not allow your Royal Lepage agent to protect your interests or help you prepare the agreement. The builder's agreements can be very one-sided in favour of the
builder. Did you know that many agreements allow the builder to extend closing by 2-3 months twice, and then cancel the agreement if the house still isn't built? Your team of experts cannot fully protect you when buying a new home. For example, your lawyer will not be able to force the builder to sell you a house that's not there yet. Whereas when buying a used home, your Royal Lepage agent will be able to negotiate the price, and your mortgage expert will be able to arrange the best possible mortgage for you. If you do decide to buy a new home, try not to get confused with terms like "mortgage-paydowns" that are built into the price of the home. Remember, your home inspector will not be able to inspect a house that's not built yet and new homes are not always trouble free. As a new home buyer you may have to spend money on additional expenses like driveways, decks, landscaping, decorating, recreation rooms, air conditioning and fencing. If you want all of the above without having to go through all the hassles a used home might be the solution for you.

Extra Costs

This year Ontario consumers can count themselves lucky, they are living in a time that offers unequaled opportunities for home ownership. This report gives you info on what to expect  the unexpected.

Determining Your Needs Location, Style and Cost The first question you're bound to ask is, "How much home can I afford?" That depends on a number of factors:
Your selected location. Are you set on a specific area? Downtown? The suburbs? A rural setting? Your preferred type of home. Detached? Semi? Duplex? High-rise? Link? Townhouse? New or Resale? There are a variety of home styles you will want to explore. Your income. After all, it's not just the mortgage you have to take into account. There are property taxes, utilities, and in some cases condo or strata fees. As a general rule of thumb, your monthly home-carrying cost should not exceed 30-35% of your income. Market conditions. Is it a buyer's, sellers or balanced market? There are also additional costs to keep in mind. It's a good idea to work out exactly what you want and what you can afford before you begin the search. Be specific! After all, you don't want to suddenly come to the realization that your dream house has come with a nightmare of bills and expenses. Stick to looking at houses in your price range. The more you've thought it out, the better your Royal Lepage agent can meet your needs. A part of deciding just what you can afford can be accomplished by meeting with your bank or a mortgage broker and negotiating a pre-approved mortgage. There are many types of mortgages and many different terms. Research all of your options. This ensures that there are no surprises once you're ready to make an offer. Once you've figured out your monthly expenses and what you can afford, you can start your search. It could happen that the first home you see is the one you want; or you might look at home after home with none of them catching your interest. Rest assured, the home you're looking for is out there, and when you find it, you're ready to make an offer. If your offer is accepted, the next steps are closing and moving into your new home. Purchasing a home is easy once you put your plans
into action.

Making an Offer

Overview Overview For some, this is a stressful experience. After all, you and
the seller may not be able to come to an agreement and you won't get your dream home. There are eight basic elements to an offer and there are various offer strategies that you may want to use during your negotiations. When you've found your home, you will make a formal, written offer to purchase. This is a legally binding contract outlining what you will give (a combination of price and terms) in exchange for the home. Your associate will probably use a pre-printed form covering all of the legalities and will modify it to cover what you want to offer. Remember, everything is negotiable. You should ask for what you want, but keep in mind what you're willing to give up. Your Royal Lepage associate will put everything in writing. Of course, the more contingencies in your offer, the less attractive it will be to the vendor. In a buyers' market, that's OK. The vendor may counter your contingency with an escape clause. For example, the vendor may wish to continue showing the house and if they receive another offer, you'll have the option of backing out or removing your contingency. The Offer Can be Firm or Conditional A firm offer means that you are prepared to purchase the home without any conditions. If the offer is accepted, the home is yours.
Although a firm offer to purchase is usually preferable to the seller, if you
are unable to close you will lose your deposit and may get sued. Take time to
confirm your financing and to think twice about the investment. A conditional
offer to purchase means that you have placed one or more conditions on the
purchase, such as subject to home inspection, financing or sale of your existing
home. The home is not sold until all the conditions have been met. Acceptance of the Offer Your offer to purchase will be presented as soon as possible. After
the seller has reviewed the offer, it may be accepted as is, rejected, or
returned with a counter offer. The counter-offer may be in reference to the
price, the closing date or any number of variables. The offers can go back and
forth until both parties have agreed or one ends the negotiations. It is best to
know your absolute upper limit before you begin negotiations, so that in the
heat of the moment you don't end up with a home you really can't afford.

26 Ways To Reduce The Costs Of A Move

Great ways of saving your money

Ways to Reduce the Cost of a Move There are many ways to reduce the time and cost required to complete your move. No single item will greatly lower your costs, but any combination of the following can produce significant savings.

1. Start the move as early as possible. Late starts, particularly on large moves,
can have a psychological as well as physical effect on both the crew and you.
Overtime can become a factor as well. 2. Be ready when the movers arrive. Make certain that all small items, including lamps, pictures, small mirrors,
lampshades, dishes, books, etc., are packed prior to the arrival of the movers.
Use cartons that can be sealed. Follow our 'Packing Tips' carefully. We can
supply you with all the materials necessary to ensure a proper packing job. Keep in mind that the costs of these materials may be outweighed by the extra cost of the move, should it take longer due to improper packing. Mark the cartons clearly to ensure proper placement in your new residence. 3. Discard unwanted items prior to the move. Have a garage sale for items that you no longer consider useful. Don't pay to move what you don't need. 4. Have the cars out of the driveway. Otherwise the moving van may block them in. If the truck has to load off the street, try to ensure that there is a parking spot specifically reserved for the movers. 5. If you are moving from an apartment, have the elevator on service and meet the crew when they arrive in the moving room. 6. In the winter, make sure the driveways and walkways are clear and salted to prevent slipping. 7. Remove all items that you are moving yourself prior to the arrival of the movers, so they won't be in the way during the move. 8. Move small plants yourself. The movers will move large plants at the customer's risk, if desired. 9. Disconnect all appliances and remove hoses completely from the washer and the dryer to prevent scratching and soiling of walls and floors. Place the hoses inside the washer to ensure that you will find them later. 10. Bring garden tools, lawn mower, patio furniture, etc. from the backyard to the front. 11. Bring small items and cartons up from the basement and put them in the garage for quicker access. 12. Disassemble swing sets and other large items. If you're moving in winter, plan ahead to prevent them from freezing in the ground. 13. Disassemble all beds. Movers assume that waterbeds will be drained completely and disassembled prior to their arrival. 14. Take mirrors off the dressers. Wrap the screws and tape them into the top right-hand drawer of the dresser. 15. Take the legs off large tables and handle carefully to avoid damage. 16. Remove screen door plungers and any doors that had to be removed when you moved in. 17. Walk through the house when the crew first arrives and point out the things that are not to go, as well as items you are especially concerned about. 18. Make yourself available at all times in case of questions. 19. Try to keep children from getting in the way of the movers. Remember this is a big day for them, and try to be as patient as possible. 20. Assist in carrying small items, boxes, etc. Do not attempt to carry heavy items requiring two people. The movers are experienced at working together. 21. Check the house thoroughly prior to the departure of the crew. The driver is instructed not to leave until you are satisfied that they have loaded everything that is to go. 22. Be organized at the new house. Have someone at the door to direct the movers. This will eliminate confusion about where to place items. 23. Pack and unpack the clothing wardrobe cartons you rented, or which the movers supplied on the day of the move, while the movers load and unload the truck. Make sure they're one of the last things to go onto the truck. This way, you can unpack the wardrobe cartons quickly and the movers can take them when they leave, thus avoiding additional rental costs. 24. Reassemble items on your own where possible to save time and
the cost of having the movers do it. 25. Pick a closing date that is unique and
not end of the month. 26. Think about where your moving from. (i.e. elevator to large building may be busy) The items listed above are just some of the
money-saving tips you can try. The most important suggestion we can make is to be organized. Your move should be an enjoyable event, and a little planning will ensure you and your family have a great move. 
   

Moving Day Etiquette

Some tips for the moving day from preventing making enemys with your new neighbors The move What to Expect on Moving Day Saying good-bye to one neighbourhood and discovering a new one is an exciting adventure. But let's face it, at the end of your home-buying process you may find yourself exhausted. After all, the other obligations in your life have not paused. What's more, now there's another cost -- moving. Whether you hire professionals or strong-arm friends into helping, be prepared for the cost of the move. Here are some suggestions on how to reduce the cost of your move, but let's first look at how to prepare for the big day. You will have noticed that your possessions expand to fill the space allotted. Guess what, if you're moving into a larger home, you'll be gathering more stuff, so start out right. Don't take it all. Before you pack it all into boxes and cart it to a new location, take a good look at everything and find out what you can live without. This is a great time to have a garage sale and what doesn't sell, you can give away to charity. Have all of your change of address cards filled out months in advance. You'll want to notify friends, family, businesses, organizations you're a member of, etc. Have the cards ready to mail once the deal is closed. Redecorate before the move. Sometimes it isn't possible, but if you have the chance to work without the obstructions of furniture, you'll find that you can get twice the work done in half the time. Put the utilities in your name. Hydro, water, gas are the first companies to call. But don't forget to coordinate your telephone and cable service. Of course, you'll want to let the companies servicing your old home know when to disconnect service there. Get Packing You'll want to ensure that each item you own is well packed to minimize damage during travel. Whether you're moving around the corner, across town or across the country, the moving process is always the same. To Hire Movers or Not to Hire Movers? If you hire movers to pack for you, they'll descend on your home with a crew of experienced packers who will seal, pad and itemize everything you own in a day or two. During the move, you'll want to make sure you're insured while your belongings are in transition. Many moving companies also offer additional insurance. On moving day, go through the house with the crew supervisor and have him take note of any special instructions. If there are items you will need first in your new home (like a crib) make sure they put it in the moving van last. The movers will also make note of the condition of your goods on a master list. It is your responsibility to make sure its accurate.
After the van is unloaded and your goods are unpacked, inspect everything and make note of any damage. While movers do unpack, they don't put dishes or linens away. If you are undertaking the packing process by yourself, it will take time.
Pack well in advance, and take note of what you can really live without. You'll
have items that need special attention and other items that need to be disassembled. Label each box in detail and, if you know where it will go in your
new home, put the destination on the box. Pack what you need most last! Label
each box carefully! Designate a destination! You'll also want to pack a box of
essentials. These are items you're likely to use once you arrive in your new
home. Include items like: toilet paper soap toothbrushes and toothpaste paper
towels garbage bags (a lot of them!) paper plates, cups and plastic utensils can
opener hammer, screwdrivers, pliers a flashlight, some light bulbs, snacks, 
drinks and a radio .