AMG
BUYER’S BOOK
ABOUT THE TEAM
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Buying and Selling Real Estate is a big decision and it is very important to put your trust in people who have the experience, tenacity, and the same objective as you have; to help you find the perfect home for you and your family. Our team has come together from different sectors of life to create a comprehensive and educated group of talented individuals. Our team covers all bases when working hard for you and we are committed to providing for you the best Real Estate experience possible. Our commitment to enhanced customer service, through constant communication, detailed updates, network of related professionals and personalities, has made our team stand out from the rest. We have everything covered for you so this process can be as enjoyable and stress free as possible. Do you have a lawyer? What do you do on possession day? Do you know what a home inspection is for? These are common questions that many people fail to even consider. Don’t worry, we have all of this and more covered for you. Our team members work with many different people on a daily basis and above all we trust them to treat you like family while being as efficient as possible. In this book, you will find testimonies from past clients so you may read first hand what it was like working with us. From exceptional communication, to exceptional marketing, to exceptional service; our agents strive to be exceptional.
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ABOUT THIS AGENT Your profile goes here...(Below is just a filler) Brad Van De Walle found his calling in 2009 when he became a REALTORÂŽ. Since then, Brad has created a powerful, successful, reliable team of agents across Canada. His ability to connect with all types of people, his understanding of the real estate industry and a unique sales approach have made Brad one of the most innovative agents in the country. Brad believes personal development, camaraderie and self respect create individual and team success. Brad has now started the Agent Marketing Group, something he has dreamed about for some time. The Agent Marketing Group was formed with one goal in mind; to bring together exceptional agents, marketing and services to produce exceptional results.
Exceptional Agents.
Exceptional Results. 4
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ABOUT YOUR Ottawa is known as the one of the best places to live, not only in Canada, but in the world. Known for its political institutions and multicultural diversity, Ottawa offers residents the versatility desired for any lifestyle. Though nearly 1 million residents call Ottawa home, it has a quiet, not-so-crowded feel that truly provides the best mix of urban and suburban. It has a reputation for being a quiet, reserved, family oriented city, where people are laid back, more into sport than nightlife. ATTRACTIONS Though this city is booming and well known for their political influence, Ottawa offers so much more. It is actually a highly desired community with reasonable house prices, high earning jobs, and cultural diversity like no other. One of the most popular attractions is the world’s largest iceskating rink in winter – the Rideau Canal. Skate through the heart of Ottawa like a true Canadian. Covering almost 8 km along the Rideau Canal Skateway, the Canal allows skaters to change skates, snack and enjoy those cool winter days and nights, when hundreds of skaters appear on the canal when the historic waterway freezes over during the winter. Experience this Canadian tradition with a cup of hot chocolate, or a beavertail (invented in Ottawa) sold at one of the on-ice shops, in hand. FUN FACTS Ottawa has a population of more than 900,000 and has a population of 1.5 million in the National Capital Region. Ottawa Is not a crowded city and offers the second highest quality of life of any city in North America.
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OUR TRUE DEMOGRAPHICS ADVANTAGE & ECONOMICS DEMOGRAPHICS In 2011, the populations of the City of Ottawa and the OttawaGatineau census metropolitan area (CMA) were 883,391 and 1,236,324 respectively. Ottawa’s median age of 39.2 is both below the provincial and national averages as of 2011. Youths under 15 years of age comprised 16.8% of the total population as of 2011, while those of retirement age (65 years and older) comprised 13.2%. In 2011, females made up 51.5% of the amalgamated Ottawa population. ECONOMICS Ottawa’s primary employers are the Public Service of Canada and the high-tech industry. The city has a high standard of living and low unemployment. Mercer ranks Ottawa with the third highest quality of living of any large city in the Americas, and 16th highest in the world. It is also rated the second cleanest city in Canada, and third cleanest city in the world. In 2012, the city was ranked for the third consecutive year as the best community in Canada to live in by MoneySense. Ottawa had the fourth highest GDP growth rate among major Canadian cities in 2007 at 2.7%, which exceeded the Canadian average of 2.4%. It is estimated that the National Capital Region attracts around 7.3 million tourists annually who spend about 1.18 billion dollars. The region of Ottawa-Gatineau has the third highest income of all major Canadian cities. - Sourced by Wikipedia
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FOR BUYERS 7 STEPS TO A SMOOTH HOME PURCHASE STEP 1: FIND A REALTOR® Well look no further you just found one! By choosing our team as your REALTOR® you just found someone who is experienced, punctual, efficient and above all honest. We give you our email and direct phone number. You can call us 24/7 with any thoughts, questions or concerns. Ask about our one hour call back guarantee “Remember: REALTOR® fees are paid through the transaction. There are no cost to use our services & expertise!” STEP 2: GET YOUR CREDIT CHECKED Have you checked your credit lately? Before you apply for a home loan, it’s a smart idea to obtain a copy of your credit. There can be errors or things that need to be addressed. It’s easier to address these problems before you find a house, than after you have found a house and are trying to close your loan. STEP 3: GET APPROVED BEFORE YOU GO HOUSE HUNTING: Getting an approval is easy and very beneficial to you. Most lenders can hold your rate for 120 days. You may not be looking to buy right away so by doing this you are locking your rate in case rates go up. If rates go down you get the new rate so it’s a win-win situation! During the approval process the lender will verify your employment history and assets to ensure you’re a strong lending candidate. 8
STEP 4: LEARN ABOUT LOCATION Narrowing down your search location can be one of the hardest parts in finding a home. Often people find a home in a location that they never thought was a possibility. That’s why it’s important to discuss your housing needs with us. Then we can help guide you to an area. We have taken the liberty of enclosing an MLS® Map to help you narrow down your search. STEP 5: PROTECT YOURSELF: The Agent Marketing Group will provide you with a copy of the documents necessary to buy your new property. Read them ahead of time so that you’ll understand the questions that you will be asked, the things you need to know, and the decisions you will need to make. STEP 6: HAVE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS. Understanding and remembering the following two statements will help diffuse the negotiation stage, the inspection stage and the closing stage. When you go to purchase your home just remember the market value of the home is what the buyer and seller are willing to agree to. When we have come to an agreement on your property, getting an inspection is a must. It may cost a few hundred dollars but this could potentially save you thousands. During your inspection, the inspector will go over your property and discuss any deficiencies of the property with you. We will then go over the report and come up with a suitable solution if there’s a problem. STEP 7: HAVE FUN! This is a fun and exciting time in your life. We will make this process as easy and as fun as possible. 9
THE BUYING PROCESS TWELVE STEPS (1 - 6) 1. We will help you determine the price range of the home based on the mortgage payment amount you can comfortably afford. It is strongly recommended that you obtain a pre-approval for a mortgage. We will arrange this for you and work with our mortgage specialists to get you the best rates available for your situation. 2. We will review all the amenities and features you want in a home and help you find the perfect house. 3. We will help you identify the most desirable properties based on your price range and features, and will set up an automatic search to send you properties that fit your criteria. We also search For Sale By Owner properties and our list of foreclosures to help you find the right house. 4. We will help you estimate your closing costs. 5. We will discuss the process of negotiating, educate you on the contracts and explain the different condition options. 6. We are then ready to go out and look at homes. It is very important to give us feedback and your thoughts on the homes we look at. Remember its ok to say you dislike a home. Tell us why, so we can eliminate these features from your search the next time we go out. “Knowing what you don’t want is just as important as knowing what you do want.”
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OUR TRUE THE BUYINGADVANTAGE PROCESS TWELVE STEPS (7 - 12) 7. When you select a home that you want to purchase we will first do all the proper research and find comparables in the market. Once we know an initial purchase price we will write up the Real Estate Purchase Contract and proceed to send the offer to the other REALTOR® 8. In most cases we will be negotiating to get you the best price. This process can take many hours and it requires patience. We are working our hardest to get it done as soon as possible for you and for the best price. 9. When the purchase contract is accepted by both parties the property is now “conditionally sold”. Conditionally Sold means that there has been an offer on the property and it has been accepted depending on certain conditions. Some of the conditions could be: financing, home inspection and condo document review. At this time we will be waiting for the conditions to be approved and/or waived before becoming a firm sale. 10. We will then help guide you in choosing a lawyer who is also part of the Agent Marketing Group family. 11. Copies of the purchase contract go to all selling parties and buying parties. 12. When the contract becomes a binding agreement the lawyer goes to work to finalize the purchase of your new home!
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INTRO TO MORTGAGES WHAT IS A MORTGAGE? A mortgage is an interest in property provided by the borrower as security for a loan. There are normally two people involved in this process. Mortgager: The borrower that receives funds. Mortgagee: The lender that has an interest in the property until the loan is repaid. Different Sources of Mortgage Funding: • Life Insurance companies • Chartered Banks • Credit Unions • Sellers • Loan Companies • Mortgage Brokers • Finance Companies DIFFERENT TYPES OF MORTGAGES: Conventional Mortgages: Mortgages that don’t exceed 80% of the value of the home being purchased. High Ratio Mortgages: Mortgages that can exceed 80% of the value of the home being purchased. This mortgage must be insured through a bank or trust company.
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EXTERIOR
HOME INSPECTIONS WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR To cover every nook and cranny of the house and discover its true conditions you must hire a home inspector with experience and expertise. Don’t worry we have you covered, we have inspectors for hire. Here’s what our inspectors investigate in and around your new home: • • • •
Exterior Structural Roof Electrical
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Heating Plumbing Insulation Interior
The inspection is a process to learn about your new home and determine the situation the home is in. The type of questions the inspector will ask are: • Is the home structurally sound? • Is the electrical service adequate? It is prudent to be an informed purchaser as you make one of your largest buying decisions ever. Home inspections assist in giving you peace of mind that there are no surprises in store.
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THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
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AMG
AgentMarketingGroup 587.432.8253 info@agentmarketinggroup.com www.agentmarketinggroup.com