Kelowna Real Estate Online

BUYING A HOME

When you are ready to begin your search for a home the process often begins in front of your bank manager. A lender will let you know how much you can borrow, the monthly payments and current interest rates.

A professional real estate agent will show you what homes are available in your price range. When you are ready to make an offer a Realtor will make certain you are not paying too much. Other aspects besides price that need to be negotiated are possession dates, inclusions/exclusions (washer, dryer etc.), initial deposit and other conditions such as a home inspection and bank financing. We treat your money as though it were our money and negotiate the best terms possible for you.

Among other things we commit to the following..

Conduct an extensive search of current listings and inform you of new listings and price changes as they reach the market.
Learn to understand your needs and only show you properties relevant to your making the right decision on your purchase.
Ensure that you understand the process of buying clearly so that you are well prepared for any future negotiations.
Declare up front any personal interest we might have in a particular property.
Help you with the financing options and mortgage pre-approval if required.
Inform you fast of any changes in the market that might affect your decision to buy.
Forward all of your written offers to the relevant seller/listing agent. Help with negotiation and strategy.
Protect your interests in all negotiations and treat with confidentiality any personal information that you share with us.
Forward all relevant documents to legal professionals.
Be available to help you right up to the date of possession.

The aim of a real estate agent is not to sell you any property and earn a quick commission. Our aim is to help you make correct and informed decisions so that you find the right house for you.

The Search Process

After listening to your wants and needs your Realtor will prepare a list of homes for you that might interest you. Computer generated feature sheets will show you a photo of the home, price, features, room dimensions, lot size and a brief description of the home.

A tour of these homes is then arranged and depending on the number of homes available in your price range the home search process could take only a few days or it could take weeks.

The Selection Process

When you walk into the house that you know is the one, you will know it immediately. The home almost sings to you. A good Realtor will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis on the home to help determine a reasonable offer for the home. A Realtor will have access to information on sales prices of similar homes that have sold in that community.

Making An Offer

"How much do you think it will go for" is a common question from buyers and the fact is that no one really knows. If the property has been on the market for only a few days and there has been a lot of activity, chances are that there won't be much movement on the price. On the other hand, if a property has been on the market for months and is vacant, there just might be a fair amount of movement on price if all other terms are acceptable by the seller. Other terms include, possession date, completion date, inclusions, exclusions and initial deposit.

The Role Of The Professional

Home Inspector Home inspections are not required by law in British Columbia but a strong argument can be make that they ought to be. Dry rot, structural problems, roof leaks, termites and unrepaired water damage are not always noticeable. A trained home inspector will thoroughly inspect your new home to make certain you are aware of all it's problems and what you can expect during the next few years. Never let a Realtor talk you out of an inspection and always use an objective third party to perform the inspection. It will be the smartest $250 to $300 you will ever spend.

Appraiser Your lender will have the property appraised independently to make sure you haven't spent too much. If a property appraises well below the agreed to price you might want to re-think things.

Lawyer or Notary A lawyer or notary will ensure that the home registers in your name and there are no outstanding liens or pending lawsuits that effect the integrity of the title.

How Does Your Realtor Get Paid? Jo-Ann McLellan

The buyer does not pay for real estate fees. Generally it's the seller who pays both real estate agents after the transaction completes.

If you are considering purchasing a home in the Okanagan Valley, contact Jo-ann at 1-800-330-5883.



	BUYING A HOME When you are ready to begin your search for a home the process often begins in front of your bank manager. A lender will let you know how much you can borrow, the monthly payments and current interest rates. A professional real estate agent will show you what homes are available in your price range. When you are ready to make an offer a Realtor will make certain you are not paying too much. Other aspects besides price that need to be negotiated are possession dates, inclusions/exclusions (washer, dryer etc.), initial deposit and other conditions such as a home inspection and bank financing. We treat your money as though it were our money and negotiate the best terms possible for you. Among other things we commit to the following.. Conduct an extensive search of current listings and inform you of new listings and price changes as they reach the market. Learn to understand your needs and only show you properties relevant to your making the right decision on your purchase. Ensure that you understand the process of buying clearly so that you are well prepared for any future negotiations. Declare up front any personal interest we might have in a particular property. Help you with the financing options and mortgage pre-approval if required. Inform you fast of any changes in the market that might affect your decision to buy. Forward all of your written offers to the relevant seller/listing agent. Help with negotiation and strategy. Protect your interests in all negotiations and treat with confidentiality any personal information that you share with us. Forward all relevant documents to legal professionals. Be available to help you right up to the date of possession. The aim of a real estate agent is not to sell you any property and earn a quick commission. Our aim is to help you make correct and informed decisions so that you find the right house for you. The Search Process After listening to your wants and needs your Realtor will prepare a list of homes for you that might interest you. Computer generated feature sheets will show you a photo of the home, price, features, room dimensions, lot size and a brief description of the home. A tour of these homes is then arranged and depending on the number of homes available in your price range the home search process could take only a few days or it could take weeks. The Selection Process When you walk into the house that you know is the one, you will know it immediately. The home almost sings to you. A good Realtor will prepare a Comparative Market Analysis on the home to help determine a reasonable offer for the home. A Realtor will have access to information on sales prices of similar homes that have sold in that community. Making An Offer "How much do you think it will go for" is a common question from buyers and the fact is that no one really knows. If the property has been on the market for only a few days and there has been a lot of activity, chances are that there won't be much movement on the price. On the other hand, if a property has been on the market for months and is vacant, there just might be a fair amount of movement on price if all other terms are acceptable by the seller. Other terms include, possession date, completion date, inclusions, exclusions and initial deposit. The Role Of The Professional Home Inspector Home inspections are not required by law in British Columbia but a strong argument can be make that they ought to be. Dry rot, structural problems, roof leaks, termites and unrepaired water damage are not always noticeable. A trained home inspector will thoroughly inspect your new home to make certain you are aware of all it's problems and what you can expect during the next few years. Never let a Realtor talk you out of an inspection and always use an objective third party to perform the inspection. It will be the smartest $250 to $300 you will ever spend. Appraiser Your lender will have the property appraised independently to make sure you haven't spent too much. If a property appraises well below the agreed to price you might want to re-think things. Lawyer or Notary A lawyer or notary will ensure that the home registers in your name and there are no outstanding liens or pending lawsuits that effect the integrity of the title. How Does Your Realtor Get Paid? The buyer does not pay for real estate fees. Generally it's the seller who pays both real estate agents after the transaction completes. If you are considering purchasing a home in the Okanagan Valley, contact Jo-ann at 1-800-330-5883.