DEAR DAVID: How many homes should I be viewing before putting in a purchase offer? — NERVOUS BUYER
DEAR NERVOUS: There is no magic number; you look until you find the one that feels like home. While some of my clients find the perfect place right away, others take time viewing numerous homes to feel comfortable with the buying process. I always sit down with my clients and talk through their “wish list” before we get started. This really helps me narrow the search to homes that are a good fit, so we’re looking at “the best of the best” of what’s available. House hunting is a lot like dating: when you find the right one, you’ll just know!
DEAR DAVID: Can you help to arrange my financing? – SEARCHING FOR APPROVAL
DEAR APPROVAL: Yes. I have worked with a number of trusted professionals for many years and can comfortably refer them to you based on your current lender and your financial needs. Many of these experts are mobile mortgage specialists, so they’ll come to you in order to make the approval process as convenient as possible. In a market as brisk as ours, it is critical to get a full pre-approval done before you start house-hunting. This ensures that when we find your dream home, you can buy with confidence rather than having it slip away because the proper steps weren’t taken ahead of time.
DEAR DAVID: Who pays the Realtor fees in a real estate transaction?
– CHEQUE-MATE
DEAR CHEQUE-MATE: This is an important question for homebuyers! While there are always exceptions, in the majority of transactions it is the seller who pays the Realtor fees when a property changes hands. If you ever come across a property that employs a different fee structure, your Realtor will let you know.
DEAR DAVID: What is a CMA? – BY THE LETTER
DEAR LETTER: CMA stands for “Comparative Market Analysis”, which is a service that I provide free of charge for my clients. The CMA report is a snapshot of your home in comparison to similar properties in the area and is used to help establish what your home might sell for in today’s market. Keep in mind that in a real estate market as healthy as ours, this analysis may change, sometimes on a weekly basis!
