Real Estate Blog

Home Seller's Guide: Easy Tips To Prepare For A Home Inspection

A home inspection gives potential homebuyer’s the opportunity to have a professional inspector evaluate a home and give an assessment of its condition.

Usually, homebuyers get an inspection done before they purchase a home - but sellers sometimes opt to have one completed as well before listing their home for sale, whether by themselves or a professional. 

If you’re selling a home, you’ll want to make sure the inspection goes as smoothly as possible, so you can close on the sale sooner rather than later. Here are 5 easy tips on how to prepare for a home inspection.

1 - Keep It Clean

This one seems pretty obvious, especially if you’ve gone through the process of selling a home before, but be sure to keep everything clean and tidy! How clean…

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The Risks of Remodelling Property Without a Permit

Did you know that building permits help ensure renovations and construction projects comply with local bylaws, health and safety standards as well as building codes? Well, if you didn’t, now you do!

So, why do they matter?  Keep reading to find out.

What Is A Building Permit?

As you prepare to start a project, considering a building permit is a great first step. After all, you’re required to obtain the relevant permits before you can even start tackling any renovations.

As the expectations and rules for every municipality differ, it’s crucial you understand your cities requirements – it would be a waste of time adhering to standards that don’t even apply to your given area! And, some cities are actually more vigilant than others in…

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What Is A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) And Why Do You Need One?

Defining A Comparative Market Analysis

CMA is a real estate acronym that stands for “Comparative Market Analysis”. It’s a report your real estate agent prepares that provides you with the relevant data for comparing your property to other similar properties in the market.

Essentially, a CMA is a method for evaluating your properties worth by comparing it to others, which helps with setting a listing price.

A CMA Is Not An Appraisal

While it might seem like a CMA and an appraisal are quite alike, there are a few differences worth outlining.

The main difference between the two concerns the personnel involved – a CMA is conducted by a real estate agent, whereas an appraisal is completed on behalf of the bank or by a licensed appraiser.

…

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How To Negotiate With Sellers When Buying A Home

If you’re overwhelmed with the thought of buying a home, you’re not alone! Afterall, purchasing a property is one of the biggest transactions you can make, so it’s no wonder you might be feeling intimidated. To help calm those nerves, keep reading for important tips & tricks to making the right decision the first time.

Preparation Is Key

If you want to negotiate with home sellers, it starts with being prepared. Potential home buyers should consider the following questions before they begin their negotiations.

Questions To Consider

Why is the homeowner selling?

You should always ask why the current homeowner is selling because you never know what you might learn. For example, you might discover they’re leaving because they find the area…

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You Have An Accepted Offer On A Home, Now What?

Getting an offer accepted is definitely one of the most exciting parts of the process when you’re buying a home - so congratulations, you’re now well on your way to owning your very own home!

Now things get really serious, but if you follow these suggestions (and your realtor’s advice), closing will go as smoothly as possible.

Deposit Check

You have been asked to give a deposit check with your offer, make sure that there are sufficient funds in your account to cover this check which gets cashed upon acceptance of your offer.

The deposit check may be held by an attorney or in the broker’s trust account and forms part of your total purchase price. Assuming the sale goes through, this money will be applied to the purchase price of the home.

If…

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Getting The Best Rates For Your Mortgage

Naturally, you want to get the best deal for the least amount of money. This holds true for mortgage rates as well.

A lower interest rate means a lower monthly mortgage payment, which can save you money in the long run. Also, it is easier to qualify for a lower payment than a higher one.

You basically have two routes to finding the best rate. The first is to do all the research on your own. The second is to use a mortgage broker.

Do-It-Yourself

With the advent of the Internet, much of this information is readily available online. Once you have educated yourself sufficiently about real estate loans, all it takes is the time and energy to sift through online resources to find the information you need.

Rates change quickly. That great…

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Types Of Mortgages Explained

Fortunately for buyers, there are a variety of mortgages to choose from. It is in your best interest to investigate each of them to determine which is the best for your situation. You probably won’t qualify for all of them. In fact, you may only qualify for one. But if you do qualify for more than one, you may save yourself money (and worry) in the long run if you do your homework before signing on the dotted line.

Fixed Rate Mortgages

Consider a fixed rate mortgage if either of the following describes you:

- You plan on living in your new home for many years, and/or

- You are not a risk-taker and prefer the stability of knowing how much your payment will be each month.

Since most home loans are for a period of 25 years, if you want a…

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Advice for First-Time Home Buyers

• Pre-Qualification: Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home.
  
  
• Pre-Approval: While knowing how much you can afford is the first step, sellers will be much more receptive to potential buyers who have been pre-approved. You’ll also avoid being disappointed when going after homes that are out of your price range. With Pre-Approval, the buyer actually applies for a mortgage and receives a commitment in writing from a lender. This way, assuming the home you’re interested in is at or under the amount you are pre-qualified for, the seller knows immediately that you are a serious buyer for that property. Costs for pre-approval are generally nominal and lenders will usually permit you to pay them when you close…

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Tips For Securing The Deal When Selling A Home

Real estate deals can be long, drawn-out exercises... often filled with boring procedures and stress-inducing formalities!

You may be keen to get the whole selling process over and done with, but are you truly ready to make the sale? Maybe not just yet.

Be sure to keep these factors in mind before you secure the deal! 

Make Sure The Price Is Right

You won't be surprised to hear this is the most important factor that comes into play when selling a home. Look at it this way, every house is “sellable” if it is priced accordingly - so be sure to price it accordingly!

That means you should be realistic about the home’s true market value, and avoid misinterpreting market data. You should only be factoring in SOLD homes in your area, of…

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