How do you find the home of your dreams within a price range you can afford?

Most buyers start by making a “wish list”. But, it’s easy to get frustrated when you have a long wish list and expect you’ll be able to find a home with every one of those features. You might, for example, have “mature backyard tree” as number 23 on your list, and become disappointed when an otherwise ideal property doesn’t have one.

But when you really think about it, your ideal...

Imagine you're looking for a new home. You have a list of all the features you want, just like you would have a grocery shopping list. However, when you explore the homes currently on the market, none meets all your criteria.

What do you do? You have a few good options.

First, you can take a second look at your list. Does your new home need every single feature on it? Are there one or two features you can do without? For example, can you settle for a smaller kitchen assuming the property has everything...

When you’re shopping for a new home, you probably want the property to be as “move in ready” as possible. That way, you can... well... just move in!

However, there are a lot of fantastic properties on the market that need some work. For example, you might see a home that has everything you need, but the kitchen is long overdue for a renovation. Or, you might view a property that requires a lot of repairs and painting — tasks that, at first glance, seem overwhelming.

You don...

There are three important things to understand about buying a Foreclosure property:

1. Your moving dates need to be completely flexible as we cannot determine when the court date will be set.
2. If you have an accepted offer on a foreclosure there is always the possibility that another higher offer is accepted in court.
3. The need to be comfortable with the risk as the foreclosure property is sold “as is where is” on the date of possession regardless of what condition it was in when you...

When considering which of two or more competing offers to accept for your home, there is no doubt price will play a huge role. After all, if Offer #1 is $10,000 higher than Offer #2, that’s an enticing difference that puts thousands of extra dollars in your pocket.

However, price isn’t the only thing you should think about when comparing multiple offers. There are other factors you need to consider too. For example, you’ll need to think about the impact of any conditions that are...

As you've probably noticed, credit card companies regularly offer bonuses to get you to apply for their cards. For example, one such card company offers opportunities to buy tickets to concerts and other events ahead of everyone else. It's their "front of the line" service.

When you’re searching for a new home, wouldn't it be great if you could get to the front of the line on desirable properties – before other buyers get the chance? Well, in a way, you can. The first thing you need to...

Finding a New Home when You're Busy, Busy, Busy!

Imagine you have a major project at work, you have to deal with home schooling and you still need to deal with groceries, laundry and dinner. Whoa! That's a busy life. Can you still find and buy a new home with such a tight schedule?

The good news is, you can. In fact, there's plenty you can do to save time. Consider these tips:

• Get specific about the home you want to buy. Think about property type (for example, "two story, detached"), number...

What kind of waterfront did you have in mind?

The type of waterfront to buy is the first decision you’ll have to make; enjoying a vacation once a year at the beach doesn’t mean you’ll enjoy dealing with wind and beach sand on your patio every day. Not all lakes, rivers are created the same, some are conducive to recreational activities, others are not. Know why you are buying waterfront; more importantly what kind of lifestyle are you hoping to achieve.

• Research the area, the...

There are many financial and personal benefits to home ownership.

1. Preparing to buy. 

Begin the process only when you are ready to buy and part of being ready to buy includes answering these questions. When do you need to be in the home? How would your plans change if the purchase occurred sooner or later that anticipated? Who else is involved in the decision to buy? Is everyone involved in the buying process committed to buying? How does your job factor into the decision? If you are renting,...

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) indicates COVID-19 has put the market on pause, as REALTORS® and the public adhere to health authority rules and government guidelines on the pandemic. The extent to which real estate is affected may depend on how prolonged the effects of the pandemic are & how quickly Canadians are able o return to work after the fact. For now the Government has officially classified the real estate industry as a non health essential service which means we’re...

Imagine finding the perfect home, only to discover there is serious interest from at least a dozen other buyers. It’s like scrambling for the last piece of cake at a buffet! Fortunately, there are things you can do to help get the home you want, even in a highly competitive market. Here are just a few ideas:

• Only view a few ideal properties at a time. If you see too many, and thus spread yourself too thin, you risk homes slipping through your fingers.

• Be very realistic about price....