Choose a Real Estate Professional
STEP #1
While it is possible to find a home on your own, for most buyers, a REALTOR is key to finding the right home. You may not realize that you can get the help of a Professional Realtor - at no expense to you.
A real estate agent is a professional who can save you time, trouble, and possibly even a lot of money. You see, real estate agents have the home buying experience most people lack. They know all of the steps and they are good negotiators who will work on your behalf.
The assistance of a REALTOR can be a real benefit to you. Not only in terms of knowledge and experience , but also through ready access to new listings and market information.
A professional REALTOR should give you the highest level of service and will:
- Provide undivided loyalty to you by protecting your negotiating position at all times, and disclose to you all known facts which may affect or influence your decisions.
- Maintain the confidentiality of your information.
- Help you understand the home buying process, and introduce you to trusted contacts that should be on your team, such as mortgage brokers, lawyers, and home inspectors.
- Help you determine your needs and the features you will want to look for in a new home.
- Alert you on all new listings as soon as they become available.
- Keep you informed of current market conditions, sales activity, and as a result help you make the right purchasing decision.
- When you are prepared to make an offer, assist you with all aspects of the developing a strong offer to negotiating favourable terms on your behalf.
- Assist you with the details involved in conducting your due diligence and closing the deal.
You can count on me to be available to see that your purchase goes smoothly- from the moment your offer is accepted until you take possession of your new home.
STEP #2
Purchasing a new home involves two costs - "one-time" costs and "monthly" costs - the initial amount you will need for your purchase and the ongoing costs of paying back your mortgage along with monthly operating costs. The largest one-time cost is the down payment. It usually represents 5-10% of the total price of the property.
Typical One-time Expenses:
Expense | Time of Payment |
Mortgage application & appraisal fee | Time of Appraisal |
Property inspections (optional) | Time of inspection |
Property survey (sometimes provided by seller) | Time of survey |
Legal fees & disbursements | On closing date |
Property title insurance | On closing date |
Home and property insurance | On closing date |
Mortgage Insurance | On closing date |
Adjustments (Taxes, strata fees, etc.) | On closing date |
HST on New Homes | On closing date |
Property Transfer tax (first-time buyers are exempt) | On closing date |
Moving expenses | On date of move |
Connection Fees (hydro, telephone, cable, etc.) | On date of move |
Typical Monthly Expenses:
- Mortgage payments
- Maintenance (strata fees)
- Property and content insurance (if not paid annually)
- Property taxes (if not paid annually)
- Utilities
Obtain a "Pre-Approved" Mortgage
A "Pre-Approved Mortgage" will give you the confidence of knowing exactly how much you can afford to spend on a new home before you start looking. You will know the maximum amount of financing for which you qualify, and therefore, the price range in which you can afford to look.
You will also be in a much better position to purchase your home once you have found it because you can make a firm offer.
In addition, your interest rate is guaranteed for a certain period of time. You can then shop worry-free, knowing you are protected if rates increase during this period. If interest rates are lower when your home purchase closes, your mortgage will be based on the current rates in effect.
The mortgage application process is much easier than you may think. Most of the time the approval process can be done within 2-3 business days once you have all the necessary documents. We can refer you to a Mortgage Specialist, if you need one, who will provide you with professional advice, and who will customize a mortgage to meet your individual needs and resources.
Once you've figured out your monthly expenses and what you can afford, you can start your search. It could happen that the first home you see is the one you want; or you might look at home after home with none of them catching your interest. Rest assured, the home you're looking for is out there, and when you find it, you're ready to make an offer.
Testimonials
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Peter proved to be a very helpful, professional and knowledgeable agent when our company became desperate and needed to look for a new location to move too. He was very quick to let us know of any new listings that came up and even went above and beyond scoping out possibilities and approaching other agents for any leads that may be coming up. We will definitely recommend his services to others!!!
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- Gordon Adams
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Peter was very pleasant and easy to deal with. He also showed a lot of patience and made an effort to answer any questions we had. We felt very comfortable with him.
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- Herta Seiblod
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Peter is a great realtor, friendly, professional, flexible with his time. Was always available when I wanted to view a new listing. Once he figured out what my needs and wants were he was very helpful in my search for just the right place to call home. I highly recommend him to find your new home too.
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- Michelle Cote
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Peter made the whole process seamless and steered me through my property purchase in a very professional and efficient way. I would highly recommend Peter....
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- Steve Molloy
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Very responsive and was patient, respectful, and understanding of my elderly mother and all of her questions. He helped make the entire process less stressful, offering invaluable guidance in both selling our property and finding the perfect new home. Highly recommend his services!
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- Wade Mayer
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Peter was an incredible fit for us as a real estate agent. We moved from Ontario, and having moved to BC from Ontario himself years ago, Peter's knowledge of the Comox Valley market and understanding what we were looking for in a provincial move was critical and made all the difference for our family. Peter has a friendly and easygoing manner and always made us feel empowered in our search. He was in constant communication with us and made the entire process from our first meeting to signing on the dotted line as stress-free and easy as possible. We would highly recommend Peter as a real estate agent and will absolutely use him again if and when we choose to move.
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- Sabrina and Dave Hall
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Incredible fast and friendly service Peter gave us. Thank you so much for arranging several extra visits for measuring up. He is very helpful and happy to make the process as easy as possible. Please...
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- Carol Christian
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Peter stuck with us for over a year as we took our time finding our place near the ocean. He was always willing to answer any questions, including the great fishing spots in the area. Good experience all around.
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- Susan Duncan
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Working with Peter was an absolute dream! From start to finish, he brought an incredible level of professionalism, dedication, and care to every step of the process. Peter showed a lot of patience and expertise when working with our tenants to schedule showings — something that could have easily been stressful, but he handled it with such grace and respect for everyone’s time. His communication to all parties involved was very professional and clear, which made everything run smoothly and efficiently. We felt fully informed and supported the entire way. If you're looking for a realtor who truly goes above and beyond, Peter is the one. We couldn't be more grateful for his hard work and heart throughout the experience.
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- HF
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Peter was professional yet very personable. He was always available to answer our questions. We enjoyed working with him and highly recommend him.
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- John Frisch
