Edmonton Real Estate Blog - Buying a Home

How to Avoid Home Buyer's Remorse

Unlike buying a sweater or a pair of shoes, a home is a long-term investment that requires careful consideration. You can't simply return your home within 30 days, but this should not discourage you. If you're feeling anxious about the long-term commitment of owning a home, don't worry - it's completely normal! So don't let this fear hold you back from making this exciting investment. Instead, take these tips to heart to help you overcome any doubts and make the most of your new home:

What is Buyer's Remorse?

A survey canvassing 2000 homeowners has found nearly 80% of people regret at least one thing about their house. This regret is buyer's remorse. 

What most people don't know is buyer's remorse is actually very common after such a purchase…

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Unlock Your Dream Home: How to Buy Smart and Affordably

When searching for a home to purchase, it's important to keep in mind the practical considerations of budget and financial responsibilities. It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the search and lose sight of these important factors. Overspending on a house can have serious consequences, such as difficulty making mortgage payments or covering household expenses. To avoid this, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

Know What You Want Before You Start Looking

Create a very specific list of requirements for your new house. Figure out which items are essentials and which are not. Be ready to accept the fact that a house in your budget may not have all of the things that you want. You may have to choose between your needs and some…

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10 Important Questions to Ask Before Buying a Home

Just as open houses and pre-approvals are part of the real-estate purchasing process, so are inquiring minds. You probably have your own questions that you want to ask before you buy a house, but you also don't want to ignore these basics that can make or break the deal. 

What School District is This House In? 

For people with children, this question is often one of, if not the most important. While you can often see a school district online, the information is not always accurate. Furthermore, you don't want to just know which school district the property falls within, but also the specific schools. The strength of different schools can vary even within a district.

What is the Crime Rate of the Neighbourhood?

While you can gain…

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10 Expenses to Budget for When Buying a Home

When preparing to buy a new home, you must also consider the additional expenses that usually arise after closing. To avoid being surprised by a big expense, smart homeowners plan for these costs ahead of time. 

Moving Expenses

Once you’ve chosen your new home and gone through all the documentation, you still need to move out of your current house. Some people may only have a few boxes to transfer to their new house, so they choose to move themselves, using either one of the rental companies like U-Haul or calling on a friend with a pick-up truck. Normally they also enlist the help of friends and family to do the heavy lifting. Other people choose one of the moving services that provide a shipping pod, which is loaded with your household goods…

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The ABC's of Buying a Home: Part 2

There is a lot of information to digest when buying a home. All of the real estate jargon can get overwhelming. We discussed the vocabulary of buying a house back in January, so here are some more terms and definitions of real estate to help you better understand the process.

Annual Percentage Rate (APR): The rate of interest on your mortgage. It can be at a fixed or variable rate depending on the terms of your mortgage.

Blended Payment: A payment combining principal and interest with the long term effect being a decrease in interest but an increase in principal.

Closed Mortgage: A mortgage type which doesn't allow you to pay it off in full before the agreed upon length without imposing penalty fees.

Depreciation: In real estate…

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Four Things You Should Know Before You Buy a House

For many people, living the dream involves financial security and owning your own home. Owning a home is widely perceived as an investment that leads to long-term stability and security. Although this step is often recommended by financial experts, there are a few things to know before you find your dream home to avoid common mishaps and complications.

Know How Long You'll Live at the Residence

You may have the savings, salary, and credit to purchase a home, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a wise purchase if you aren't looking to stay at the property long-term. You should only begin shopping around for a home if you plan to own it for several years without moving again. If you have a job that may relocate you or obligations that…

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The ABC’s of Buying a Home

Buying a new home can be an overwhelming process if you're not familiar with it. During the process of choosing a home, applying for a mortgage and more, you may encounter terms and phrases that you are unfamiliar with. Having a better understanding of the ABCs of home buying will help you feel more confident about the process.

Amortization: A mortgage term that describes the period of time that is required to pay off the original loan balance. 

Appraisal: A statement that indicates the official value of a property.

Bridge Loan: A short-term interim loan that is made to a buyer to purchase a new home before they have sold their current home and can use the equity towards the new purchase.

Builder: A company or a private individual who is…

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7 Fees You May Not Know About When Buying a Condo

Buying a condo is a big step and as with any home purchase, there are a few hidden fees that may take some buyers by surprise. Here are some costs that you may encounter and should include in your home buying budget.

Down Payment

Getting a loan for a condo can be slightly different from getting one for a stand-alone home. While getting a mortgage without a down payment is sometimes possible, as a potential condo buyer you should expect that you will probably need a sizeable down payment of 10-20%. 

Condo Insurance

Even if the condo homeowner's association has insurance, owners of individual units will need to have private homeowner's insurance as well. Ask to see what is covered by the HOA to calculate approximately how much insurance you…

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Real Estate Professionals: Who Should Be On Your Team?

Whether you're buying or selling a home, the process can sometimes feel overwhelming. But with the right real estate professionals on your team, you’ll not only save time, but it is ultimately the best way to either sell your home for top dollar or get a great deal on your dream home.

Choosing the Right Realtor®

Choosing the right Realtor® is one of the most important factors when it comes to a buying or selling a home. When you have the right Realtor® on your side it's much easier to save time when looking for properties that fit your criteria, before you even head out to start looking. Who wants to waste time looking at a home that doesn't work for your family? And if you're selling your home, the right Realtor® will work together with you in…

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The Benefits of Condo Living

Whether you are thinking about a long-term home or something that will simply keep you for a few years, you'll find that a condo might be exactly what you are looking for. Like a house, it builds equity, but generally they're less expensive than a home and they come with several interesting benefits. Like any housing situation, it has its benefits and its disadvantages, but while a condo might not be perfect for everyone, there is a chance that it is perfect for you. Take a moment to learn the basics of owning a condo and find out if this is the housing solution you have been looking for. 

So What Is a Condo?

The first thing you need to understand is that a condo is not necessarily a specific type of building. Instead, it refers to a condition…

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