So you’ve made the decision to buy a new home. Congratulations!

For most people, buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions they will ever make. It can also be a very emotional and stressful time, which is why it’s important that the first step in your home-hunting venture is to find a real estate professional who can guide you through the process, offer an objective viewpoint, and provide solid, unbiased advice.

After selecting a realtor, you are well-advised to contact a bank or mortgage broker to get pre-qualified for a mortgage. Once you know how much can be borrowed, you must decide how much of a monthly payment you’re comfortable with. Those two pieces of information will determine the price range for your home purchase.

Now that you’re approved for a mortgage, the next step is to get your bank or mortgage broker to shop for the very best interest rate and lock it in, to protect you from rate increases while you’re shopping for your new home. If you would like a recommendation for a mortgage broker, please let me know, as I work with several good ones.

Once the mortgage pre-qualification has been done, the home hunting can begin in earnest. You probably have a pretty good idea about what you’re looking for, and these days many buyers, even before they’ve contacted their realtor, start their search at www.realtor.ca. It certainly isn’t necessary, but I find most buyers want a more hands-on approach than they have in the past. Besides, it’s exciting to start looking and getting ideas, and once you have some ideas, that’s where I, as your real estate professional, come in.

As a realtor, I have access to information on new listings, price reductions, etc. even before it appears on realtor.ca, and I can set my clients up so that they also receive new information two to three days before the general public sees it. That’s a definite advantage when you’re shopping for a new home! I also have access to much more in-depth information about the homes you’re interested in (room sizes, history, court-ordered sales, etc.) so you aren’t wasting precious time on properties that don’t fit the bill.

I pride myself on helping clients find their Home Sweet Home… whether it’s a first home purchase, downsizing from a house to a condo, or even an investment property. I work hard to help clients realize their goals, and if you choose me to help you with this very important purchase, I guarantee you’ll receive my very best efforts.