How To Buy Real Estate And Save Yourself Some Money!

Hire a professional inspector to closely inspect the home before you buy it. Have an inspection done that includes a room-by-room review, the exterior home components, electrical systems, foundation inside and out, furnace and air conditioning units, plumbing and any crawl spaces, and the attic. This will enable you to know if there are any major or minor problems with the house prior to purchase.

Don’t make an offer on the first home you see. Even if you think you have found your dream home on the first visit, take the time to really look around before committing. Look at other homes in the area and really get to know the neighborhood. Buying a home is a big commitment, and one that should not be rushed into.

Don’t forget about extra home costs in addition to buying your home. You know about mortgage, taxes and utilities, but don’t forget about household repairs. Plumbing, appliances, roofing and general wear and tear are costs to be calculated. If you do not have money saved for these bills, then you may not be ready to buy a house.

When you are looking to invest in a new property, do not take the process lightly. Buying a home is a huge investment that you will likely be spending much time on.

If it is possible for you to do so, try to get a home in the suburbs. In most area’s, purchasing a home outside of the city can reduce the price of the home. Also, the cost of living in a city can be higher than it is in suburban location.

If you are looking to buy a home, it is advised that you get an agent that represents you and you alone. It does not save you money to use the seller’s agent, they were not hired to help you in the process and have a financial allegiance towards the seller. Take the time to find someone that will fight for what you want.

By now you have read and absorbed a lot of information. After you pick out those tips that apply to your situation, you can proceed with new confidence towards buying your new home. With the help of a real estate professional, you can secure that perfect location.

At We Sell Realty we specialize in buying and selling homes in the Okotoks and Calgary Real Estate market. If you are looking for a Condo, Single Family Home or an Acreage we have an experienced professional available to help you. Our Realtors are based in Okotoks but we also have offices in the NW and SE of Calgary.

Please contact Samantha Clement or Pollyanna Stokes for further information, their contact information can be found by clicking on this Link Contact

When you are in the process of buying a home, you may feel stressed out or overwhelmed or you may be having a hard time finding the perfect home. The following article will hopefully empower you with some useful home buying tips.

The first step is hiring your own people. Don’t share the seller’s agent, inspector or appraiser. Because they were hired by the seller, it’s an obvious conflict of interest and besides, you wouldn’t be doing yourself any favors as they have a fiduciary tie to the seller.

When it is time to make an offer on a home that you want to purchase, be sure to include in your offer that you want a home inspection to determine if the house is in good shape or needs costly repair work. A home inspector will point out potential problems that will be important in your decision to pursue the purchase of the home.

After your offer is accepted make you get a professional home inspector that you can trust. You can’t think of everything you need to inspect the home yourself  and your judgment will be clouded by the many other things that are happening. Make sure your home inspector is a licensed and experienced professional.

When buying real estate be aware that a 20 year old house is potentially the worst because so many components do not last longer than that. You will want to check to make sure the furnace, roof, and air conditioner have already been replaced or know that you will be replacing them soon out of your pocket.

In most circumstances buying a home is actually a better choice than renting one. Sometimes paying a monthly mortgage is cheaper than having to pay rent anymore. Plus, when you own a home, you are free to make any changes you want to it, unlike renting one.

Be aware that purchasing a home is not usually a quick process, most transactions take 6 to 10 weeks to go through although I have done them in 2 weeks in the past. You have to have patience for homeowners to make repairs, and for proper documents to be signed. If time is of the essence for you, try to avoid homes that are foreclosures or short sales.

When selling or purchasing a home, you should also be prepared to compromise. You may not receive everything that you want. Both you and the seller or purchaser, may have to give a little bit. You should try to focus on your top priorities and stick to them. Avoid letting your emotions get the best of you.

Always go for homes with multiple bathrooms, as opposed to multiple bedrooms, if the price is right. If you ever do need the extra room, constructing another room in or onto the home, is a lot cheaper and easier than running more plumbing and creating another bathroom. We’re talking, tens of thousands of dollars and months of labor, for a bathroom.

Buying a house can be a great investment, houses are expected to appreciate in value as a general rule. If you are currently considering buying or selling a home in the Okotoks or Calgary Real Estate market Samantha Clement and her team would like to help. Samantha is an Okotoks based Realtor who really enjoys helping her clients buy and sell homes. Please view our Website to see how we can help you.

Sales gain momentum in the first three quarters of 2011

Calgary, October 3, 2011 – According to figures released today by CREB® (Calgary Real Estate Board), residential sales continued to gain momentum in Calgary this year, totaling 14,832 after the first three quarters, a seven per cent per cent rise over last year.

“Despite recent turmoil in the global economy, Calgarians are showing confidence in the long term prospects for the city and are taking advantage of affordable and stable home prices,” says Bob Jablonski, president-elect of CREB®.

“Undoubtedly, there are a lot of unknowns in the world’s current financial situation, but Calgary and Alberta may be relatively safe havens amidst this uncertainty. Granted, gains in the housing market have been very gradual—but we are seeing signs of improvement. Our province’s growth is expected to outperform the national average, and this will help buoy consumer confidence in Calgary and Alberta.”

Single family home sales totaled 1,036 for the month of September, 2011, an eight per cent increase over last September. Year-to-date sales totaled 10,518 units a 10 per cent increase over last year. Monthly gains in listings brings inventory to 4,753 units, a level still lower than the previous year.

“Clearly there is a market for well priced listings. In particular, we are seeing strength in detached single family home sales. Relative affordability in this market has meant these homes are selling faster than condominiums and townhouses,” says Jablonski.

“And single family homes are selling closer to asking price—suggesting that homes will move in this market, when priced right,” added Jablonski.

The average price of single family homes for the month of September, 2011 was $466,167, while the median price was $400,000. Jablonski indicated that while prices have marginally improved compared to September 2010 figures, on a year-to-date bases both the average price and median price have remained relatively stable.

After the first three quarters of this year, condominium sales totaled 4,314, a two per cent rise over the same period last year. “While the increase is modest, it is a move in the right direction,” noted Jablonski, adding that a boost in condominium sales, along with a lower number of listings is helping to tighten this market. At the end of September, 2011, condominium inventories totaled 2,008 units compared to 2,204 units recorded in September 2010.

Average condominium prices reached $299,508 in September, 2011, appearing to record a significant increase. However, the increase in price is not caused by a general price rise, but has been pushed up by a $4 million plus sale. In fact, both the median price of $260,000 and the year-to-date figures continue to trend lower than figures recorded last year.

“The recent news of financial turmoil may be a shot across the bow for the world economy, but Calgary and Alberta are relatively safe harbours in the storm,” concludes Jablonski.

“Calgary continues to add full-time jobs to the economy, and migration is moving in the right direction. These are positive factors that will give momentum to our housing market and give wind to the sails of Calgary’s economy.”

The last couple of weeks have been very busy in the real estate market, we have  helped a number of our clients buy and sell homes and we now need more properties to sell.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in the Okotoks / Calgary or the surrounding area’s we would like to help. Nice home’s are selling quickly and we have active buyers looking for their dream home.

Please visit our website or contact Sam or Jason for more information at info@clementeam.com.

New Listing – $340,000 Beautiful home located in a very quiet street in High River.

Please call Sam or Jason to view 403 605 7200 or visit our main website www.clementeam.com  Click Here

Mortgage  Documentation Checklist

When applying for a mortgage, some documentation is needed to support your mortgage application.  The documents listed below will help your mortgage specialist finalize your mortgage application more efficiently.

Information about the property you are buying:

• Purchase Agreement
• Copy of the MLS Listing with photo
• Name, address, telephone number of your lawyer

Confirmation of your down payment:

• Savings or investment statement from within last 90 days
• Sale of an existing property – a copy of the sale agreement
• Gift letter
• Withdrawal from RRSP through Home Buyer’s Plan

Employment verification:

• Copy of latest T4 slip
• T4
• Letter of employment
• T1 General and Notice of Assessment (NOA if self-employed)

Other information that may be required:

As part of your application process, your mortgage broker will ask you questions relating to what you owe and own, what some of the projected expenses relating to the property are, such as taxes, heating costs and condo fees, and whether you will be using the property to generate income.

View our mortgage calculators and home affordabilty calculators here