AMG
BUYERS GUIDE
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ABOUT THIS AGENT REAL ESTATE AGENT & TEAM LEADER YOUR INFO GOES HERE........
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BUYERS INFORMATION STEPS TO BUYING A HOME.... 3 THINGS TO KNOW WHEN BUYING YOUR NEXT HOME 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? If so, what amount have you been 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. 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 convenient, but necessary.
THE RIGHT AGENTS Teams always out-perform an individual. Because we are an experienced, well-oiled team, we ensure our client’s expectations are always met. Real estate is so much more than just a job, it is our passion, and our duty is to provide all our clients with the necessary services to help them reach their real estate goals. Having the RIGHT AGENTS helps. IT ALL STARTS HERE... Many agents offer great service, but not-so-great advice. Others offer great service, great advice, but lack communication. Though we are not perfect, we strive to offer our clients excellent service, excellent communication, trusted advice and a personal touch. We truly believe in people, their dreams, and care about all of our clients, who we now consider our extended real estate family. KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN LOOKING FOR AN AGENT... 1. EDUCATION - The most important factor in choosing a real estate professional is his or her education in the real estate industry. Our professionals have advanced training and education, allowing them to be among the top agents in the world earning prestigious designations in the various fields of real estate. 2. EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE- You want a full-time agent who is familiar with your area and with the type of property you intend to buy. Does he or she employ a diverse range of marketing and search strategies? How tech-savvy is your agent? How many similar properties has he or she been able to help people buy in the past? 3. AVAILABILITY AND COMMITMENT - Your agent should be capable of prompt and decisive action during the course of your home search. Does your agent make it a point to keep in touch with you constantly? Is your agent easy to contact in case of emergencies or even for the simplest questions? Is your agent available on the weekends or in the evenings when most buyers are out looking? 4. RAPPORT - Does your agent take the time to listen to your goals and clarify your needs? Can your agent understand your unique situation and be genuinely concerned about the outcome of the process? Your listing agent will be your guide and partner in this crucial decision, so it is important to find one with whom you can get along. “FOR MOST OF US, OUR HOME IS OUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT. WHEN IT’S TIME TO BUY WE MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE BEST DECISION IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR HOME. IN THIS BOOK YOU WILL FIND DETAILED INFORMATION ON HOW TO PREPARE YOURSELF TO BECOME AN EDUCATED BUYER.”
MORTGAGE INFORMATION READY TO BUY A HOME? 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. Find out how the Agent Marketing Group can help you find the mortgage that best suits you. 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.
ONLINE EXPOSURE LET’S GET 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 be as visible as possible on these platforms.
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YOU HAVE
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THEIR ATTENTION 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 all the homes for sale in your target search area.
51%
MOVING CHECKLIST IMPORTANT INFORMATION 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 GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS • CRA • Post Office • Schools • Provincial Licensing • Library • Veterans Administration INSURANCE COMPANIES • Accidental Insurance • Auto Insurance • Health Insurance • Benefits Provider • Home Insurance • Life Insurance PROFESSIONAL SERVICES • Broker • Accountant • Doctor • Dentist • Lawyer BUSINESS ACCOUNTS • Banking Institutions • Cell Phone Providers • Department Stores • Financial Companies • Credit Card Companies CLUBS & MISCELLANEOUS • Country Club • Health & Fitness Club • Recreation Club • Book Club • Other Club
BUYERS PREPARATION THINGS TO KNOW AS AN INFORMED BUYER 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. A Agent Marketing Group 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. 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.
THE OFFER MAKING AN OFFER 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 fulfillment of conditions or contingencies in the effective agreement. 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 sale 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.
HOME INSPECTIONS THE IMPORTANCE OF A HOME INSPECTION 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. • • 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. • Ensure that in the end, you receive a detailed report that summarizes the condition of your home.
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