BUYERS GUIDE
ABOUT (YOUR NAME) P R O V E N S U C C E S S . S E R V I C E T H AT S TA N D S O U T ! Your profile goes here...(This is just a filler).
Simone is a native of Calgary. She grew up in Winnipeg, and spent her summers on Winnipeg lakes at the family cottage. After graduating from Kelvin High School, Jane attended University of Winnipeg, where she competed a Bachelor’s of Communications in Business Administration and Marketing. After graduation, Jane went into the family business of real estate drafting and design, where she spent the better part of two years working in the both the Winnipeg and Calgary regions. Looking to start a career, Simone began working for a real estate marketing firm, where she worked for over three years as an account manager and head of design. Ready for a new challenge, Simone received her real estate salesperson license in the fall of 2015 and joined EXP-presentations.com soon after. Simone purchased her first home in Calgary, where she lives with her fiancé and their three children. They fill their free time boating in Kelowna and enjoying the Rocky Mountains, camping, spending time with friends and family, and vacationing in the Jamaica and Southern California.
Simone Smith info@youremail.com www.experiencepresentations.com
BUYER’S INFO 1. MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE It is very important to evaluate yourself and your situation to help ensure that buying a home is the right decision for you. We believe in full disclosure and the importance of planning. Some questions you should ask yourself: • • •
What reasons are prompting you to move and what is your preferred timeline? Have you been through the pre-approval process? What amount are you approved for? When we find the right home for you, are you prepared to make an offer?
2. YOUR LIFESTYLE Deciding on what type of home you want to live in is just as important as deciding on where you want to live. For some, location is everything. For others, home details are everything. It is important that you decide what is most important for you and what type of lifestyle you truly desire.
D THE SELLING EXPERIENCE
3. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Another important decision during the buying process is proximity to important things such as schools, work, grocery stores, and amenities such as shopping centres, restaurants, parks and recreation centres. These things define your lifestyle choice and are not only necessary, but convenient.
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MORTGAGE INFORMATION GETTING STARTED You’ve decided you want to buy a home. Now what? The first – and most important step to the home buying process is financing. You can’t do anything until you know how much you can afford. To get started, you need to understand what lenders are looking for from a borrower. There are three main factors that help determine if you qualify for home financing: income, assets, and credit history. DIFFERENT TYPES OF MORTGAGES: Getting a mortgage is one thing. Getting a mortgage that best suits your situation is another. Some mortgages have less strings attached but have more strict stipulations, while others may be harder to get, but have more flexibility. It is important to have all the information about mortgages available to you before you decide to move forward in the purchase of a home.
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M O R TG AG E INFO INCOME & ASSETS Most loan programs require the lender to verify all of your income sources. Typically you will need to provide pay stubs, your T-4 and copies of your tax returns. Lenders will also want to go through your assets and how much of a down payment you will have when determining your loan approval. CREDIT HISTORY All lenders review a borrower’s credit history to determine the type of credit used, the amount owed, and the borrower’s repayment history.
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MOVING CHECKLIST
MOVING CHECKLIST It is important that you use this checklist in order to be well-prepared when buying a home. The last thing you would want to happen is to move into a home without the necessities in life such as electricity, gas, water, or work/school related services such as internet/phone, etc. Be sure everything is in order to keep things running smoothly during the buying process. If you need assistance, we are always here to lend a helping hand. It`s what we do! UTILITY PROVIDERS • Electricity Providers • Telephone Providers • Water & Sewage • Cable & Internet Providers • Gas Providers
BUSINESS ACCOUNTS • Banking Institutions • Cell Phone Providers • Department Stores • Financial Companies • Credit Card Companies
GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS • CRA • Post Office • Schools • Provincial Licensing • Library • Veterans Administration
CLUBS & MISCELLANEOUS • Country Club • Health & Fitness Club • Recreation Club • Book Club • Other Club
INSURANCE COMPANIES • Accidental Insurance • Auto Insurance • Health Insurance • Benefits Provider • Home Insurance
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES • Broker • Accountant • Doctor • Dentist
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SEARCHING ONLINE
SEARCHING ONLINE Our team uses the Internet and all online tools to help find your next home. With more than 90% of buyers checking the web, getting online is the most effective and efficient way to search for homes. Our web presence and online network will help us find a home that best suits you! Below shows that 99% of people search for a home using three main search engines. We make sure to give you the widest possible access on these platforms.
81% 12% 6% BUYER SEARCH ONLINE! More than half of all homebuyers search online first when looking to purchase a home. It is vitally important that you are able to view the full range of potential homes to find the one that’s right for you.
|| TRUSTED ADVICE || TOURING HOMES IN PERSON AND ONLINE Some people look at several homes before finding just the right one. And others find “the one” immediately. Thanks to the Internet, you can streamline your search process significantly by checking out homes for sale online. You can visit open houses and preview everything that’s for sale in your market.
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BUYER’S PREPARATION You’re ready to buy - or maybe you’re just ready to start seriously thinking about buying. There’s a lot you can do to prepare. With so much information available at your fingertips, you may already be doing a lot of your own research. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you get started. DETERMINE YOUR PRICE RANGE The best place to start when buying a home is to find out how much house you can afford. An experienced agent can refer you to a mortgage broker who can assist you with determining how much of a down payment you can afford, comfortable monthly payment, and the type of loan that fits your needs best. Serious buyers who are highly motivated should go through the effort of getting pre-approved; not only will this allow you to focus your home search, but it will also position you as a serious buyer in the eyes of sellers when the time comes to make an offer.
D YOUR HOME & ALL ITS WORTH
MAKE A LIST AND PRIORITIZE Imagine your ideal home and location. Now make a list of everything you envisioned, take that list and break it down from high to low priority. High-priority items are the things you cannot live without in your new home. (Large Bedrooms, Large Closets, High-end appliances, proximity to amenities and schools, etc.). Lower-priority items are those that are an added bonus, but not necessary. (Jetted-tub, landscaped yard). TOUR HOMES IN PERSON AND ONLINE Some people look at several homes before finding just the right one. And others find “the one” immediately. Thanks to the internet, you can streamline your search process significantly by checking out homes for sale online. You can visit open houses and preview everything that’s for sale in your market on one of our websites.
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THE OFFER PROCESS NEGOTIATING THE RIGHT WAY We take the ethical responsibility of fairly negotiating contractual terms very seriously. It is our job to find a win-win agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved. You may even have to deal with multiple offers, so make sure that yours is strong if you really want the home. As your agents, we will guarantee a thorough and objective assessment of the home’s true value to help you make the right choice. THE INITIAL AGREEMENT AND DEPOSIT An effective agreement is a legal arrangement between a potential purchaser and the property’s seller. Laws vary but in order to be a legally binding agreement, the agreement may require consideration. This consideration (initial and additional deposit) is to be held in trust pending the fulfilment of conditions or contingencies in the effective agreement.
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KEEP WRITTEN RECORDS OF EVERYTHING For the sake of clarity, it will be extremely useful to transcribe all verbal agreements including counter-offers and addendums, and convert them to written agreements to be signed by both parties. We will assist you in drafting all the paperwork for your purchase and make sure that you have copies of everything. STICK TO THE SCHEDULE Now that you have made an offer, you and the seller will be given a timeline to mark every stage in the process of closing the real estate contract. Meeting the requirements on time ensures a smoother flow of negotiations and also ensures that each party involved is not in breach of their agreements. During the process we will keep you constantly updated so you will always be prepared for the next step.
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HOME PREPARATION
HOME INSPECTIONS THE PRICE IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT It is a good idea to make sure what you think you are buying is indeed the property you are buying. It is so important to feel comfortable with your purchase during the home buying experience. Feeling comfortable starts with financing, but then leads into feeling confident that your purchase is sound. Having a professional home inspector is the way to gain peace of mind. A proper inspection will cover all areas of the house both structurally and mechanically and give you an objective view of the property. A qualified home inspector will also provide you with a written report indicating areas of concern and the estimated cost of repairs. HERE ARE A FEW HOME INSPECTION TIPS: •
Ensure the home inspector checks for visible issues with plumbing, electrical systems, roof, insulation, walls, ceilings, floors and windows, and the condition of the foundation.
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Ensure your home inspector gives you a close and personal look at your new home. It takes about three hours to go through all the systems, and if there are any problems, you will see them with your own eyes. They will also give you maintenance tips and easy fix-ups, if necessary.
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Ensure that in the end, you receive a detailed report that summarizes the condition of your home.
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TESTIMONIALS We were originally referred to Simone as she was well-known in the community for being a successful real estate investor. What we learned from Simone far exceeded any expectations we had. She not only guided us through the entire legal process of real estate investing but he also helped us develop a complex strategic investment plan that we continue to follow to this day. We now have 6 rental properties and earn more cash flow passively then with both our full-time jobs combined. We are financially secure and cannot thank Simone enough for all he has done for us.
Jerry & Julie
Simone made house shopping/buying and selling so easy and stress free!! She was incredibly organized, honest and efficient with every step of the process. As a first time home buyer, it was very intimidating to me but I never once felt worried - she’s incredible!! Highly recommend her for any real estate needs!! Thanks for finding us our dream home!”
Lee-shawn I’ve been with Simone for a few years and will never deviate! She’s personal, professional, detail-oriented, effective and keeps your needs above hers. She and her team work tirelessly at doing their best and I highly recommend them and their services.”
Stacey & Junior My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Simone and her team on the purchase and sale of our first home, and the purchase of our new home. Simone always went out of her way to make sure that he understood our requirements, and was critical in walking us through both the purchasing and selling process. She has a great sense of humour and upbeat personality which makes the entire buying and selling process run smoothly. I would highly recommend Simone and Agent Marketing Group for your real estate needs
Ronald
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