Have you ever shopped for a gift and had no idea what to buy? You may have gone from store to store hoping for inspiration, only to discover you wasted hours. Obviously, if you had a clear idea of what you wanted to find, you’d find it faster.

The same holds true when looking for a home. The clearer you are about the kind of home you want, the more likely you are to find it – and get it!

The best way to get clarity is to start big and then go small. That simply means you start by identifying the biggest thing – the area in which you want to live. What are the characteristics of the ideal neighbourhood for you? Make a list.

Next, go from biggest down one notch and think about the type of home you want. Size? Features?

Finally, think about the inside of your next dream home. Consider the number of bedrooms, size of the kitchen or living room, and any special features you might want.

Have fun imagining the next perfect home for you. You may discover it’s available on the market now – or maybe it will be soon.

If you're thinking ahead to your next dream home, the road you need to take to get there may seem confusing. Do you search for listings online? Drop by Open Houses on the weekends? Call the number on For Sale signs? Let's break it all down!

Here are the specific steps you need to take to ensure you find a home that fits your wants, needs and budget.

1. Find out how much your current property will likely sell for on today’s market.

2. Arrange for financing, so you know what you can afford.

3. Select neighbourhoods you'd love to live in. (That may involve some fun exploring!)

4. Decide on the type of home you want to buy. (For example: detached, three-bedroom, etc.)

5. Prioritize the property features you want most, so you can be flexible if a feature is missing from a home listed on the market that is otherwise ideal.

6. View properties on the market that closely fit your criteria, particularly new listings that may not yet be posted online. (Tip: Arrange to be immediately notified of new listings that are a good fit for you.)

7. When you find a home you want, make an offer designed to get the property — without overpaying.

8. Negotiate until you secure the deal. This may involve counter-offers.

9. If the negotiation is skillfully done and all goes well, the home is yours! 

As you can see, there isn't a lot of mystery in finding your next dream home. You just need to take the steps and get the professional help you need along the way.

Looking for a real estate agent that can get you to the finish line? Call today!

Imagine going to a restaurant with your family for dinner. You're planning on ordering a nice pasta and salad. Your heart is set on it. But, after you go to the trouble of driving there and getting a table, you discover that pasta is not on the menu.

That’s disappointing!

Of course, it’s only a meal. You can go somewhere else next time. But, what if the same scenario played out once you had moved into a new neighbourhood? Imagine you were counting on public transit being in easy walking distance, but discovered the nearest stop is four blocks away. Argh!

That's why it's important to ensure a neighbourhood has the characteristics you want — before you make an offer on a home you like.

Think about what you want most in a neighbourhood. Consider work, commuting, schools, playgrounds, noise level, walking and cycling, hobbies, shopping, entertainment, etc.

If there is a neighbourhood feature that is very important to you, check it out for yourself. For example, if easy access to a main highway is desirable for commuting, take the route for a test drive.

You can get a lot of information on a neighbourhood through the listed property's description and MLS listing.

Want more in-depth insights into an area you're considering? I have that information. Call today. 

Even if you’re not thinking about selling your home, you might be wondering how much of a new home you can afford. You might see a house for sale in a nice neighbourhood, for example, and think, “Could I get into a house like that? Is that even possible?”

Why not find out?

It only takes a few calculations to determine how much of a new home you qualify to buy. The calculation involves estimating how much you can get for your house on today’s market, taking a look at the type of home you want and determining what a house like that is currently selling for, and then taking into consideration your income, savings and other financial resources.

Once you put it all together, you’ll have a price range within which you can confidently shop for a new home.

This exercise might surprise you. You might find out you can afford to get into a home and neighbourhood you’ve always dreamed about. It’s worth finding out!

Purchasing a home is not the same as buying a product off the shelf. You don’t simply pay the price on the tag and know it’s yours. You can’t just see a home for sale and say, “I’ll take it!”, especially if the market is competitive.

You need to make an enticing offer. That offer, of course, would include the price you propose to pay. That price may or may not be the “price tag” or the asking price.

In order for your offer to be successful, it needs other ingredients too.

For example, winning offers often include evidence that appropriate financing has been arranged. This gives the seller confidence that you can afford the home and that the deal won’t fall through due to an issue with the mortgage.

Also, you may need to put conditions on your offer, such as making it conditional on selling your current home. You’ll need to be careful here. Adding a condition or two may be necessary to protect your best interests, but may also dissuade the seller from accepting your offer.

Negotiation is perhaps the most important part of the buying process. Even if there are no competing offers, there will likely be back-and-forth discussions about price, conditions, closing dates, and more.

Savvy negotiating is critical, not only to ensure you get the home, but also that you get it for the lowest price and best terms possible. Real estate negotiation is not for the timid. It requires in- depth knowledge of the local market, hard-won negotiating skills, and experience.

If you’re selling your home, buying a new home, or both, keep in mind the important role that negotiation has in getting you what you want.

Imagine you’ve purchased a home in a nice neighbourhood. Then, once you’ve moved, you discover that your kids’ school is not only far away, but also difficult to get to because of heavy commuter traffic. That’s an irritation that is not likely to go away until your kids have grown!

How do you avoid a situation like that?

When shopping for a new home, make a list of places and features you’d like to have nearby. Then, factor those in when selecting neighbourhoods to target.

For example, you might want your commute to work to be a relatively easy drive or transit ride. You might also want a park or playground to be within reasonable walking distance. If you have a hobby, such as golf, you might hope for a driving range or golf course to be within a half-hour drive.

In any home search, you may need to compromise. You may not find all of your wish list available in any one neighbourhood. But, the most important places and features you hope to have should definitely be in your profile of the ideal home.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had all the time in the world to find your next dream home? You could leisurely browse the current listings, select homes you’d like to see, schedule visits on dates that are most convenient for you, and make an offer on a property only after you’ve had plenty of time to consider all the alternatives.

Sure, that sometimes happens, but it’s not typical. Often, people shopping for a home are on a timeline. Sometimes a very tight timeline.

So how do you find your next dream home when you don’t have all the time in the world?

First, you need to develop a clear picture of the home you’re looking to buy. How many bedrooms? What size of property? What type of structure (two story, back split, etc.)? Then, you need to list your preferences. These might include “large kitchen” or “main floor office”.

Once you’ve completed that exercise, you’ll have a more detailed profile of the type of property you want. That will make it easier to decide which of the listings on the market you want to see.

You should also narrow down the area in which you’d like to live. If you have three or four targeted areas, and only consider listings in those areas, your home search will be much faster.

What if you don’t know the neighbourhoods well? Visit a few. Drive around. Explore. Get as much neighbourhood data as possible, such as demographics, recreational activities, parks, shopping, schools, etc. Then choose the neighbourhoods that fit your lifestyle.

Finally, the best way to find a new home on a tight schedule is to work with the right real estate agent — someone who, like me, is experienced in the local market. Call me anytime.

Imagine this scenario...

You’re shopping for a new home. You drive to visit a recent listing. As you walk through the front doors, you’re impressed. Every room looks fantastic. You see yourself relaxing on the spacious patio, cooking in the modern kitchen, and enjoying evenings with the family in the cozy living room.

Your emotions are on overdrive. This is your dream home!

Should you make an offer? Probably. In fact, you should make that decision quickly in case there are other interested buyers. However, your decision shouldn’t be guided purely by emotion. You want to make sure you take practical matters into consideration too.

For example, you’ll want to consider:

Is the property within your price range?
Does it have everything you need?
Do you like the neighbourhood?
How old is the property?
Are there items, such as the furnace, that may need to be replaced soon?
Will it need any major repairs or upgrades?
What are the average monthly costs of carrying the home? (Property taxes, utilities, etc.)

Once you’ve considered the purchase of the home from a practical standpoint, you’ll have a lot more confidence in your decision when you make an offer.

Need help? Call me.

Imagine you’ve found the perfect home. You love it. You’ve made an offer that’s been accepted. So far so good! The only catch? You’ve wisely made the offer conditional on passing a professional home inspection.

What happens if that home inspection reveals a major issue?

First, you should know that, depending on the age of the property, a home inspection will typically turn up at least a few areas of concern. The inspector might find loose insulation in the attic that is thinning out or roofing shingles that will need replacing in two or three years.

Issues like those are not usually deal-breakers.

However, if the home inspector finds a major issue — such as old wiring that’s worn and presents a safety concern — then you’re facing a potentially high cost of repair should the deal go through. I

n a situation like that, as your real estate agent, I will address the issue with the seller, usually through the seller’s agent. Since neither of you will want to lose the deal, the seller often agrees to get the repair done at his own expense or, have some or all of the estimated repair cost deducted from the sale price.

Will the deal be in jeopardy? Usually not. In most cases, if you have a real estate agent like me working in your best interests, it all works out.

Is there an area you’d love to get into that’s “hot”? In other words, an area where, as soon as a new home comes up for sale, buyers are clamouring to see it?

It can be intimidating to try to buy into a neighbourhood like that. On one hand, it’s the type of area you’d love to call home. After all, there are good reasons why it’s so popular! On the other hand, you might be discouraged by the competitiveness and prices.

If you want to live in that neighbourhood, there are a couple of things you can do that will increase your chances of success.

The first is to create a strategy. Most buyers rush to see a listing in a desirable area only when it shows up on MLS — or sometimes only when it’s advertised. You’ll have a better chance of getting into the neighbourhood if you are alerted the moment a property comes up for sale and you have pre-arranged financing. You’ll get to the head of the line and be ready to make a credible offer.

The second option is to consider targeting other neighbourhoods with similar characteristics. You may have long-dreamed of living in Prestigious Area A, yet there might be a Hidden Gem Area B that is just as good. Maybe it’s even better!

Ultimately, your goal is to find the home you want in a neighbourhood you like. The right strategy will get you there.

Contact me for more information.

When you’re viewing a home for sale, you may get swept up by its initial appearances. Everything may look clean and beautiful, with all the features you’re looking for. Indeed, you may even be considering making a serious offer.

So, during that viewing, don’t rush. Take a close look at the important details. For example:

• Will it need any major renovations?

• If the property is old, are there items (kitchen stove, furnace, roofing shingles, etc.) that will need to be replaced soon?

• Do you like the neighbourhood and surrounding area?

• Is there anything that might bother you? (For example, a single rather than two-car garage.) • Does the closing date work for you?

• Are the size and orientation of the rooms to your liking? (You might want a spacious living room if you entertain regularly.)

There may be other details you’ll want to consider as well. Most of what you need to know can be found out during that initial visit. So, take the time to view the property carefully and ask all of your questions. Then, if you choose to jump on the opportunity quickly, you’ll be ready.

If you’re shopping for a new home, you’ll likely be looking for a property that has been well cared for by its owners. A home that is in a good state of repair and may even be “move-in ready,” can ultimately save you time and money.

A well looked after property often has the following characteristics:

• No scuffs and dents on walls that look like they’ve been there for years.
• Major appliances are in good working order.
• Caulking around the bathroom tub or shower looks solid with no cracks, breaks or yellowing from water infiltration.
• The flooring looks clean and well-maintained. (If there is carpeting, it looks like it has been regularly vacuumed.)
• Proper lighting is installed and working in all areas.
• Seals around windows look good with no sign of air infiltration.
• Exterior landscaping is well groomed.

Besides those traits, a well-maintained property will tend to make a great impression. In some cases, you’ll think, “Wow, the owner really took care of this place.” Trust that instinct. It’s probably true!