Here is a video for the “Top 5 Things To Do Before Shopping For Home”.

Buying a home is probably the single largest investment that you will ever make in your life so it is very important to understand the entire process.

Here is the transcript of the video.

Today I am going to talk to you about a few things you need to do before shopping for a home.  Buying a home is probably the single largest investment that you will ever make in your life so it is very important to understand the entire process. The following tips will help save time, money and headaches.

Number 5: Employment:  It is very important to ensure that you have solid employment before buying a house. You should also try and keep your debt in check and to make sure that you aren’t overextending yourself.   Maintain good credit so that you will be able to get a mortgage.

Number 4:  Down payment:  When buying a home, you will require down payment. You should save up at least 5% of the cost of a house as well as a little extra for closing costs such as lawyer fees, land transfer tax and a home inspection.

Number 3:  Pre-approval – By getting pre-approved, you will know exactly how much you can afford so you don’t waste your time looking at houses that are above or below your price range. The other reason to get preapproved is so you can lock in an interest rate so that if the interest rates go up you will already have the best rate.

Number 2:  Choose a good realtor to help you through the process. Buyers are able to choose a real estate agent the same way sellers can. The goal of a seller’s agent is to sell the house for the highest amount of money with the most favourable terms.  Likewise, the goal of the buyer’s agent is to help the buyer purchase the house for the lowest price with the most favourable terms. Working with your own licensed realtor will ensure that you are not taken advantage of.  A buyer’s agent will be able to tell you what the other homes sold for in an area as well as protect you with special offer conditions. They will also negotiate price and all the terms of any offers. Don’t risk buying a home without your own buyer’s agent. 

And the Number 1 thing to do before shopping for a home is:
Determine your Wants and Needs: Work with your buyers agent to create a list of everything you want in a home. Some things to consider are: Area, Size, the total number of bedrooms & bathroom, the age of the house and the style of the home.  Sometimes you need to look at a few houses before you find the one you like. Knowing what you want can help reduce the time it takes to search for a new home.

Shopping for a new home can be an exciting adventure. If you follow the tips above, you will be better prepared to start shopping for that perfect home.

If you are thinking about buying a house in the Waterloo Region and you would like to get started with this exciting adventure, please visit our website at www.clickthathouse.com or call us at 519-498-8118. Thanks for watching and see you next time!

We are a full-time real estate team in Waterloo Region, Woolwich & Wellesley Townships. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of real estate in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Elmira, Wellesley, Wilmot, Drayton and  everywhere in between. If you would like us to help you with your home search, please check out our brand-new free search website or if you are thinking of selling, get a free market evaluation.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage (  519.579.4110 | 519-498-8118                8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.ClickThatHouse.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ElmiraRealEstate.ca

Connect with us on the following social networks   Facebook: www.facebook.com/teammcneilremax

Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge offer a huge selection of condos, lofts or singles. Whether you want to live in a Kaufman loft, a Keats Way condo, a single-family in Doon South or a townhouse in North Waterloo the choices are  endless. But which is the best option?

I have written similar blogs about this topic before but it never seems to get old. I have lots of clients who say to me they would never pay a condo fee. I have other clients who say, they want somewhere that will allow them the freedom to come and go as they please without having to worry about maintenance. Whatever the case is, people have their preference and here are a couple of thoughts to ponder.

One of the cons to condo living is the extra monthly fee you have to pay for maintenance. I had a client say to me recently that they feel that the monthly condo fee is a waste of money. These people lived in a single-family home for 30 years and were used to doing all of their own maintance and upkeep on their house. My goal with them was to explain the benefits of condo living. One benefit I shared with them was that condo living would allow them the flexibility to travel for extended periods of time while leaving the condo unattended. All maintenane and upkeep is taken care of for them. No snow to shovel and no grass to mow.  We have many clients who own condos and lofts who absolutely love that they don’t have to worry about these types of things.

Choosing a condominium over a single-family home is about choosing a lifestyle. If you are used to living in a single-family home then moving into a condominium could be a huge shock to you. But wouldn’t it be great to not have to be responsible for repairs or other maintenance.  What about underground parking or access to a swimming pool? These are all amenities you can expect from living in a condominium.

 Overall, condominiums are a pretty secure investment for buyers over the last ten years. With diligent research on your part, you’ll be able to answer your own “which option is better?” question in the end and feel good about your decision.

Thanks for reading!
Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 
8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ClickThatHouse.com  
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!

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1. Things you Need to Know When Buying a Condo in K-W By Warren McNeil Do you have your New Years resolution…
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Do you have your New Years resolution yet? Let me guess, you need to lose weight, exercise and save money. Maybe your New Years resolution is to buy a condo or loft in Kitchener-Waterloo. If this is the case, then there are some things you need to know before you plop down the cash. Some people overlook these things so I will summarize what you should look for. That way you will know what to expect when you buy a condo or loft.

Check out this little video I created regarding buying condos and lofts.

Having an understanding of condos or lofts is important so you can make sense of their differences from freehold housing.

All non-freehold condo or lofts have common elements. Common elements are owned by everyone and include the lobby, elevator, swimming pools, exercise room, hallways etc. Common elements are anything outside of your unit.

It’s very important to understand how parking works. Do you get one spot? Can your rent another spot. Is parking underground? How much visitor parking?

Condos or lofts are also subject to a monthly condo fee. This fee covers maintenance of the building and ground and the common elements. The condo fees in Kitchener-Waterloo or Cambridge can range in prices from $150-600 per month. The higher fees usually cover others things such as fitness facility and swimming pool maintance costs.

If you have pets, you need to make sure that the condominium corporation will allow them. I know that the Kaufman lofts, LeMarche are a couple of buildings that allow pets. Size restrictions may apply. Realtors will be able to find out which condos are pet friendly.

Condos and lofts are subject to strict rules and regulations that prevent you from making changes to any of the common areas. You need to get permission if you want to make a change such as build a fence, changing doors & windows, paint garage doors etc. Read through the rules and regulations to find out what you can and can’t do. You can request the rules and regulations from the property management company.

Lastly. it is important to have your lawyer review the status certificate so that you know that the finances for the condo corporation are in good standing.

I hope you found this information helpful. As you can see there is a little more that you need ot know about condos or lofts when compared to a freehold housing.

What do you think your biggest concern is when buying a condo or loft in Kitchener-Waterloo or Cambrige (High condo  fees, pet friendly, parking) ?  Let me know.

Thanks for reading!

We are a full-time real estate team in Kitchener Waterloo area. We enjoy assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase or sale of condos or lofts in the Kitchener-Waterloo or Cambridge areas. If you would like us to help you with your condo or loft search, please check out our brand-new free search website.

Warren & Melanie McNeil | Sales Representatives, Team McNeil
Re/Max Twin City Realty, Brokerage ( 519.579.4110 
8 www.TeamMcneil.com, www.LoftStyle.ca, www.ClickThatHouse.com  
P.S. Looking for a condo or loft, check out our brand new website at www.LoftStyle.ca!

Related posts:

1. Should you Buy a Condominium or a Single-Family Home? By Warren McNeil Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge offer a huge…
2. [Tip] Searching for Kitchener Waterloo Condominums or Lofts By Warren McNeil, If you are on the fence about…
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