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Before diving into the incredible realm of real estate shopping, it is important to be aware of a few things you should have in order before the search begins which includes the following:
1. Pre-Qualification
Be prepared to provide your mortgage specialist with a lot of paperwork which could include job employment letters, tax assessments, bank statements, credit card statements, and many more documents. Meeting with a mortgage broker allows you to acquire a lot of relevant information, but most importantly how much you can afford to pay for a home!
2. Pre-Approval
By applying for a mortgage and receiving written commitment from a lender for a specified amount, you can shop confidently knowing what you can safely spend and sellers will be much more receptive as pre-approval demonstrates your seriousness in regards to a future purchase.
3. Needs and Wants List
Write down 2 lists, the first list includes necessities in a home (a certain number of bedrooms required for family, etc.) and the second list includes wants (a pool, a double car garage, etc.). This helps set realistic standards for what you’re looking for in a future home because although we want to satisfy your dream list, often there are some compromises to be made, so let’s sure we prioritize the necessities first!
4. Preparing Accessories For the Search
This could include regional maps with neighbourhoods of interest highlighted, a list of properties you’re interested in that you may have already seen accompanied by photos, or most recommended a good old fashioned notepad for taking notes along your search.
As a buyer there is nothing quite as exciting as beginning the search for your future home! Discovering new properties, checking out neighbourhoods, and discerning which property best fits your criteria are all par for the course, however there are a couple tips that allow your shopping experience to run a little more smoothly:
1. Visualizing Your Possible Future Home
Homes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and with that comes a plethora of unique design options chosen by the current residents of the home, whether they are vacant, lived in by the current owners, or staged by a professional, it is important to visualize your own furniture and unique pieces in the space.
2. Think With Your Head Then Your Heart
You deserve to fall in love with the home you aspire to make the home base to your future, but sometimes certain enticing home features can deceive our own perception of the reality of the property. The home may have that dream backyard space for all your outdoor entertaining dreams, but will you still be happy come the winter when the faulty basement continues to leak and leaves you with a hefty bill? Let your head analyze the pros and cons of the property before your heart settles on making the purchase!
3. Be Thorough
When participating in a home showing, shoppers often turn their eyes to the most attractive and notable features of the property (don’t get me wrong a bifurcated staircase would enamour me too!). In order to prevent negative surprises in the future, it’s important to observe thoroughly and ask questions because some problems you can see, others you can’t, so let’s work together to iron them both out and guarantee that the property truly meets the mark!
So we’ve finally found your dream home? Bravo, kudos, and hats off to you, you shrewd real estate mogul! Now comes the point in our journey that I must demonstrate my mettle and develop you a sound, ironclad offer, however below are a few of the ways that we can best make that offer bulletproof for your own safety!:
1. Inspection Clauses
Including clauses that allow you the buyer to have the property inspected within a given timeframe are paramount to your offer’s success! Whether we suspect there may be flaws in the property or simply want to set ourselves at ease with confirming that the general condition of the property meets your standards, these clauses can provide you with the opportunity to cancel the contract or negotiate remediation if anything is unearthed that does not satisfy you!
2. Mortgage Clauses
Most buyers in today’s market require some type of mortgage, and they are indeed one of the best solutions to making home purchases as they require particular spending power! Unfortunately, mortgages and financing can be a hurdle that can cause problems for buyers and sellers alike, so in order to protect you from being locked into a real estate contract that you need a mortgage to fulfill, mortgage contingencies give you a stout defence against any legal problems that could arise from an inability to obtain a mortgage!
3. Property Inspections
Inspections are crucial in analyzing the more minute details of a property that could affect your ability to enjoy your future home, and because of that we have a plethora of inspection types available that could be required for your particular dream home. These include examples such as general comprehensive home inspections (examining features such as the foundation, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, mold, asbestos, and more), sewer or septic inspections, pest inspections, and many more!
3. Leading Practices
Although real estate paperwork might all seem the same, I prefer to operate in a different manner from the rest and like to make certain all the t’s have been crossed and all the i’s have been dotted. This includes things such as scheduling a second walkthrough within 24 hours of closing to ascertain that the property is still in its expected condition and fixtures that you expected to be included in fact still remain (do not fear the chandelier will not leave without our say so).
Now that I have taken you through a brief synopsis of the buyer’s journey, I have one last piece advice below for my friends who have been curious enough to check out my purchaser’s guide!