Are you finding yourself overwhelmed with the prospect of purchasing a new place?
We have worked with hundreds of Buyers - let us help you try to get a handle on what to expect and how to get started. You can book a personalized Buyer's Appointment with Nicola or Dorothy (depending on your area of interest) and we will take the time to walk you through the process. Below are a few great links to information that we find very helpful. If you would like access to the entire Buyer's Guide, please email us at info@walterhomes.ca
STEP 1:
Go and speak with a mortgage broker and/or bank to see what you qualify for. We suggest this for 2 reasons:
a) Know what you qualify for!! Do not rely on those online mortgage calculators.... the payments are almost always more than what you can get with a broker.
b) Be prepared! Depending on the speed of the market, you may find yourself in multiple offers on a place you love. If you find yourself in this situation - a "Subject to financing" condition will almost instantly remove you from the competition. If you know and have a promise letter from the bank guaranteeing your financial backing, you can step up your offer.
STEP 2:
Get a realtor that knows the area in which you are looking! At the end of the day an agent will make or break your Buying experience. Believe it or not, but 95% of ALL buyers have their own agents!! The fact is that this is what we do for a living - we know what is on the market, what it is selling for, the buildings/areas to avoid, what questions to ask..... the list goes on and on. Some Buyers feel that they will get the best deal by dealing with the listing agent - while they will help you, the Listing Agent's FIRST priority is to the Seller. So make sure that you really have someone that is solely looking out for your interest!
Dorothy and Nicola are experts in this area. We have winning records in multiple offers and a book of testimonials from other happy Buyers... now owners! We offer a comprehensive Buyer's Consultation that will really get you ready for this whole process.
STEP 3:
Get out and start looking at property! We will set you up on an auto-notification profile that will be personally customized to your search criteria. This amazing program will email you ALL of the new listings 2 DAYS before they reach the public MLS. Further, it will keep a record of all the listings sent to you so you can index the homes of interest. We will book all the showings for you, all you have to do is show up!
STEP 4:
Make an offer. When that exciting day comes you will need to be ready to rock! We will explain all there is to know about the offer presentation, fulfilling your subjects and finalizing the Buying process.
STEP 5:
Have your money ready to go. You will need to have approximately 5% of the purchase price available upon subject removal by way of a bank draft. If you are pulling this money from RRSPs or other investments, make sure that you have enough time to do so. You will also need to select a notary or lawyer (please ask us for recommendations if you do not know of someone) to handle the closing.
STEP 6:
Finalizing the sale!! You will sign the documents with your notary/lawyer and prepare a cheque to cover any other adjustments on that day. This will be when you will pay for the property transfer tax - this 'wonderful' tax is 1% on the first $200,000 and 2% on the balance of the purchase price. This is applicable to ALL property. The only way out of the P.T.T. is if you are a first time homebuyer and are purchasing under the threshold ($425,000). For further details please visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/bdgt/2009/fqhbtc-eng.html
STEP 7:
Have us help you with getting everything settled so you can enjoy your new home!!
For more information/details or for an appointment with our specialist please email info@walterhomes.ca