Buying A Home
Everyone has a dream home and Jana Thompson is the realtor to help you find it. Her experience in spotting quality and potential will work to your advantage. She will also share ideas on how to finance your new home purchase so you’re ready to buy when you spot the ideal house.
Let’s Find the Home For You!
• First, define your absolute “needs” and then top it off with your “wants”.
Number of bedrooms, access to garage, size of kitchen, yard space, proximity to schools and work…these are the key “needs” that buyers clarify when they begin looking for a home.
Then add your “wants” like spacious deck, swimming pool, finished basement and diningroom. These items won’t make or break your decision…but they’re in the “Sure would be nice” category. Share these with Jana and she will begin the search.
• Second, determine how much you can afford for a new home.
Make a honest, detailed budget and assessment of your household income, then determine how much a downpayment you will need, how much you can afford monthly in mortgage payments and the length of time if will take to pay off the mortgage (amortization period). Making the maximum down payment possible will minimize both your monthly payments, your amortization period, and subsequently the overall interest you will pay.
Jana will direct you through the steps of getting pre-approved for a mortgage. This will determine how much you can afford to pay for a home and better define your search.
• Third, begin the Search.
Don’t be intimidated by your many options. Jana loves showing people what they want, but also giving you options for neighbourhoods and house designs you may not have considered. Keep your mind open and you will find the perfect home.
Trust Jana to point our features that you may not notice that could cost money down the road: pools in the yard that indicate bad drainage and possibly leaky basements, curled roof shingles, creaky floorboards, bubbles in ceiling paint, steamy windows…etc. You want a home that is ready to move in and been properly maintained.
You’ve found your perfect home and now it’s time to…
• Fourth, make an Offer!
Stay calm and let Jana help you make this a wise investment for you…not an emotional purchase. Jana will help you make the Offer to Purchase and make sure you understand all the details and commitments.
If negotiations are required, you can trust Jana to work on your behalf to ensure you get what you want, including price, closing date and other conditions of purchase.
But it’s not over quite yet.
• Closing the Deal.
Be aware of closing costs that include mortgage and application fees, legal fees, insurance, registration and possibly home inspection costs. Jana will help you determine these costs in advance so there are no surprises.
Click here for the Homebuyer’s Checklist.
