The Most Important 4 Things Every Renter Should Know Before Buying A Home in Lethbridge Alberta Canada - by Lethbridge Real Estate Expert Courtney Atkinson

Home

0 votes

May 13, 2009, by Courtney Atkinson in Home Buying Process

I. Don’t Get “Pre-Qualified!

Do you want to get the best house you can for the least amount of money when buying a home in Lethbridge Alberta Canada? Next, be sure you are in the optimal position from which to negotiate. Price is only one bargaining chip in the negotiations, and not necessarily the most important one. Buyer strength and time to possession are usually critical to sellers.

In the past it was our policy to suggest to potential buyers that they try to get qualified for a mortgage before they apply for it. This means that you spend a few minutes on the phone with a lender who asks you a few questions. Based on the answers, the lender pronounces you “pre-qualified” and issues a certificate that you can show to a seller. This information has not been double checked and, as a result, unknown problems often surface! Some of the problems I’ve seen include recorded judgments, child support payments due, glitches on the credit report due to any number of reasons both accurately and inaccurately, down payments that have not been in the clients’ bank account long enough, etc.

When you're "pre-approved," your offer is seen as coming from a stronger starting position. This happens AFTER all information has been checked and verified. You are actually APPROVED for the loan and the only loose end is the appraisal on the property. This process takes anywhere from a few minutes to a few days depending on your situation. Something we strongly suggest for all of our clients to have.

It is an advantage to be a renter when competing with Lethbridge home buyers who already own their home because their financing can be dependent on selling their current home. 2. Play the Game of Nines

Before house hunting in the Lethbridge Alberta Canada real estate market, make a list of nine things you want in the new place. Think of nine things you don't want in a house, then write them down. I call this the “NINE OF THIS AND NONE OF THAT” list. We can then use this list as a scorecard to rate each property that you see. This helps avoid confusion and keeps things in perspective when you’re comparing dozens of homes.

When house hunting in the Lethbridge Alberta Canada real estate market, keep in mind the difference between “SKIN AND BONES”. Such as the location, view, size of lot, noise in the area, school district, and floor plan,the BONES are things that cannot be changed. The SKIN represents easily changed surface finishes like carpet, wallpaper, color, and window coverings. Buy the house with good BONES, because the SKIN can always be changed to match your tastes. Think of the house you are viewing as empty, without furniture. Consider each house on its underlying merits, not the seller’s decorating skills.

Third: Don’t Be Pushed Into Any House

Your agent should show you everything available that meets your requirements. You should not make a decision on a house until you have seen enough to pick the best one. Work WITH your Lethbridge real estate agent to create the short-list of properties to see.

4. Stop Calling Ads!

Lethbridge real estate agents make the phone ring by creating ads Many of the homes have some drawback that’s not mentioned in the ad, such as traffic noise, power lines, or litigation in the community. What’s not mentioned in the ad is usually more important than what is. Remember that the person writing the ad is representing the seller. The most important thing you can do is have someone on your side looking out for your best interests.

Your own Lethbridge real estate agent will critique the property with an eye towards how well it meets your needs and will point out any drawbacks you should know about it. So whether you decide to work with us or not, pick an agent you feel comfortable with and enlist the services of that agent as a buyer’s broker. Then you become a client with all the rights, benefits, and privileges created by this agency relationship, and you’re no longer just a shopper.

Did you know that many homes are sold WITHOUT A SIGN ever going up or an AD EVER BEING PUT IN THE PAPER? These “great deals” go to those people who are committed to working with one Lethbridge real estate agent. When an agent hears of a great buy, who do you think he’s going to call? That's right, the clients that have committed to working with him or her, and the client that he or she has the legal obligation to represent.

Find your self a Lethbridge real estate agent that you trust and work with only them. You will be much happier with the home buying process if you do this.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Lethbridge Alberta Canada property For complete information about the Lethbridge Alberta Canada real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please visit the most complete website online dedicated to everything Lethbridge Alberta Canada real estate. I would be happy to answer any questions about your mortgage when you contact me. Call me on my cell at 1.403.795.7777 I can be reached by email at info@courtneyatkinson.ca

For complete details on everything related to Lethbridge real estate, visit our website at http://www.courtneyatkinson.ca

FOR OUR FREE LETHBRIDGE HOME BUYER REPORT SERIES JUST FILL OUT THE SIMPLE FORM BELOW.

CLIENTS TELL US IT IS THE MOST VALUABLE REPORT SERIES THEY'VE EVER SEEN ! ! !