When buying a home, there are always a series of questions that run through a home buyer’s mind. At Royal LePage Team Realty, we encourage you to ask them, we try to think of everything for you … including a checklist to keep track of the important details about homes we show you! Of course your Real Estate agent will be there every step of the way to help you find the right home, but falling in love with a property is not the only factor to consider when purchasing a home. We’ve put together a checklist that outlines details that are important to many buyers and
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Archives for Buyers
Finding the Best Neighbourhood for Your Family
Buying a home is arguably one of the biggest decisions we will ever make. The process can often seem a little daunting at first, especially for those who are first-time home buyers: where to buy, what neighbourhood, what to buy, when to buy – all relevant ponderings that can (and will) be answered in time, rest assured. Similarly, when it comes time to choosing a home that is best suited for your family, there are also a lot of factors to consider – some of which can seem a little overwhelming. We do, however, all go through it and the
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Considering Your Lifestyle When House Hunting
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make. As a result, making a smart and focused decision requires an analysis of your unique needs, allowing you to find a home that suits not only those needs but also your lifestyle. In addition to the physical attributes of a home, such as the number of bedrooms and total square footage, you should consider your lifestyle when choosing a home. Evaluate these factors on your next house-hunting adventure. Commute Time Your dream home might not be a dream if a lengthy commute comes with it. After
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4 Helpful Tips for Purchasing Home Insurance for a New Homeowner
Owning a home for the first time is incredibly exciting. After all, you have a space that is completely yours to decorate, spend time in and simply enjoy. However, with the rewards of homeownership also come the responsibilities, and people who are buying their first houses will discover that they suddenly have a whole slew of necessary to-dos. One of the most important things for a new homeowner? Buying a home insurance policy for the new house, which will not only protect the structure of the house, but also the things in it, should anything happen to it. If
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The Lowdown on Open House Etiquette for Home Buyers
[mp_row] [mp_span col=”12″] Open houses in Ottawa are an excellent opportunity for you to check out potential future homes. You do not need to have a real estate agent, nor is making an appointment necessary. You don’t even have to be an official home buyer. Instead, open houses can be a stress-free way for you to ease into buying a home. They may help you prioritize what you want, for example. That said, if you are new to open houses, you may be unsure how to act, so here are a few etiquette tips. Just Show Up You may feel
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Buying Near Parks and Recreational Facilities
According to RealtorMag, twenty-three percent of recent buyers indicated that convenience to parks or recreational facilities influenced their choice of neighborhoods. Proximity to parks and recreational facilities was the most important to recent buyers aged 34 and younger, and to those aged 35 to 49. Here are some reasons to believe those numbers will rise. Public Health Concerns The alarming increase in obesity, especially among children, has focused attention on how important physical activity is to our overall wellbeing. Governments at all levels are promoting the benefits of active living and we have become more receptive to the message. That
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What Is a Smart Home?
If you can turn the lights in your home on and off from your cell phone, you have the beginnings of a smart home. Smart home technology is now available that allows you to remotely control a variety of electrical appliances and components in your home, even when you’re not there. The purpose is to let you make your home more comfortable, secure and energy efficient. While smart home technology is still in its infancy, there are already many ways you can make your home smarter. Here are just a few examples: Smart Thermostats Programmable thermostats have been around for
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What's In a Name? Is your Street Name Desirable to Home Buyers?
[mp_row] [mp_span col=”10″] When you’re shopping for a new home, there’s a good chance you’ve got a long list of considerations that you will factor into your decision-making process: size, neighborhood, condition, etc. But have you ever considered a home’s street name to be a factor when you’re deciding whether or not you want to buy? It might surprise you, but for many home buyers the name of a house’s street can determine whether that house is desirable – or not – making addresses not just random labels for a property, but influential factors that could make or break a sale.
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4 Important Things to Know About the Difference Between a Realtor and Real Estate Agent
So, you want to buy (or sell) a house in Ottawa or beyond. What’s the first thing you do? If you’re like most people, you go find a real estate professional to help. While the whole process sounds pretty simple (hire a representative you like and trust!) there’s actually one extra decision you’ll need to make before you proceed — and that is whether you want to hire a Realtor, or a real estate agent. You might be thinking, “But those two things are the same!” If so, then you’re mistaken. There are actually some important things you should know
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Regulating Home Inspectors in Ontario
[mp_row] [mp_span col=”12″] The Ontario government has announced plans to begin regulating home inspectors, requiring potential inspectors to pass a written exam and field test in order to qualify for a license. In doing this Ontario will be following in the footsteps of British Columbia and Alberta, the only provinces in Canada that have home inspector regulations in place. The hope is that these measures will prevent stories like Alyssa Hanson’s, whose inspector missed water leaking into the basement that led to a $12,000 repair bill according to a recent article in the Globe and Mail. The big question about
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