There are many advantages to purchasing a new home: buyers are able to build equity, to enjoy the pride of ownership, and to obtain accommodation that is often larger and/or more luxurious than what is available to rent. Property has also proven to be a relatively safe and profitable investment in the wake of the technology stock plummet of 2000 and the Enron and Worldcom scandals.

If you are planning to buy a home within the next few weeks or months, preparing now can help you save time and money. When competing in a seller's market, being prepared may also give you an advantage over other buyers. Consider the following tips prior to beginning your home search.

1. Know your bottom line before you begin looking at homes. This means more than just knowing what price you are willing to pay. Consider the distance you are willing to commute to work, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you require and what you need in terms of local community facilities. If you have children, the proximity to schools and parks will likely also be a consideration.
   By knowing your bottom line, you can avoid making snap decisions guided by emotional responses to attractive home features or the pressures of competing buyers
2. Know your bottom line before you begin looking at homes. This means more than just knowing what price you are willing to pay. Consider the distance you are willing to commute to work, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you require and what you need in terms of local community facilities. If you have children, the proximity to schools and parks will likely also be a consideration.
   By knowing your bottom line, you can avoid making snap decisions guided by emotional responses to attractive home features or the pressures of competing buyers.
3. Check your credit.
   Bad credit can happen to good people. Sometimes it’s due to an unpaid or lost bill and other times it can be inaccuracies in the report itself. Who wants to discover that they have a bad credit rating after finding the home of their dreams? Rather than waiting for a lender to inform you of your credit rating, it is wise to obtain a copy prior to beginning your home search. This will give you an opportunity to address any inaccuracies and perhaps settle any outstanding debts. The more ‘blemishes’ you have on your credit report, the more likely it is that your lender will charge you a higher interest rate as a hedge against a bad loan. You can obtain a copy of your credit report from accredited organizations such as Equifax.
4. Avoid making any major purchases prior to buying home. Lenders tend to become nervous when they see that a potential homeowner has stretched their disposable income to the breaking point by buying a car or a boat for example. Such purchases can make it more difficult to obtain a mortgage or may lower the mortgage amount.
5. Calculate the maximum monthly mortgage payment you can afford. Generally, the banks will allow people to take out a mortgage that is approximately equal to 30 percent of their gross monthly income. Depending on your personal circumstances, it may not be wise to take the largest mortgage possible. Consider your other long and short-term expenses such as tuition for yourself or your children, a new car, or vacations. Also be sure to factor in monthly retirement savings.
6. Anticipate higher interest rates.
   Recalculate the above maximum monthly mortgage payment based on interest rates that are two or three percent higher than current rates. Ask yourself if you could afford to pay a higher monthly payment without infringing on other commitments
7. Determine your cash flow at the time of purchase. There are various fees involved in closing a deal including the down payment, closing costs (federal and property taxes, appraisal fees, title insurance, survey fees, etc.) and home insurance. If you are moving from a rental suite, you should also be prepared for expenses that may have been incorporated into your rent such as heat, hot water, electricity and cable service.
8. Budget for any repairs and maintenance that may be required in your new home. Sometimes people purchase a 'fixer-upper' because the home has other redeeming features such as a large backyard or proximity to schools or parks. If your new home will require repairs or maintenance be sure to budget for these expenses. For example, a bedroom renovation can wait for a few months but most families cannot go a day without a functioning water heater!
9. Get your paperwork in order.
   Lenders will often need to see bank statements, pay stubs, and tax documents for the past two years. If you are self-employed, tax documents, bank statements and collateral such as a vehicle or other property are important criteria to securing a mortgage
10. Get pre-approved for a loan.
    Once you have calculated a budget you can live with, approach a lender to find out if you can get approved for a mortgage and how much you can spend on a home. Being pre-approved can put you in a stronger position when you make an offer and can save you valuable time in a seller’s market.
    Buying a home is not only a lifestyle change; it is an important investment. Making the most of your investment means planning ahead to find the
    right home, the best rates and the ideal time for you to enter the market.

"Home is an invention on which no one has yet improved."
- Ann Douglas

In the excitement of beginning a search for a home, many people jump right in without considering all of the elements that make a home truly right for them. It is a complicated and personal process. An unsuitable choice can be costly in many ways - you could lose money, waste time and effort relocating, or even put your family's health in danger. The following are some things to consider when identifying your ideal home and planning a successful purchase.

Choosing a Neighbourhood
Remember that you can renovate a house but neighbourhoods take years to change and there's no guarantee they'll change for the better! On the other hand, if you really love a certain part of town but it's out of your price range you may want to consider buying a less-than-perfect home then doing renovations. They can be quite expensive so try to make improvements that will be reflected in the value when you sell. These renovations have been found to have the greatest payback: kitchen 70%, bathroom 68%, interior painting 65%, exterior painting 62%.

Tips on choosing a suitable neighbourhood:

• When you find a locale you like, walk around it. See what it's like from street level.
• Are the people friendly?
• Are there stores and recreation facilities nearby?
• Contact the local school board if you have children. Do local schools provide good education opportunities? If applicable are there private/religious schools?

Figure out what you can afford:
Consider how much you currently need to live on and how much you actually have leftover every month. People have a tendency to create budgets that look nothing like reality - when we should have $400 left over, for some reason we only have half that.

Consider these basic costs of buying a new home:

• Most homes require a down payment of several thousand dollars.

• Monthly mortgage payments can be 1/3 of the average person's annual net income.
• You may want to pay for a home inspection. Consider more than just the structure. Ask the inspector to check for asbestos, radon, animal infestation and lead.
• Moving costs can be from a couple hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the distance of your move and the quantity of belongings.

Financing
The sort of home you can afford depends on several things:

• How much you have saved

• How much you earn

• Past earnings
• Your credit rating

The past has a way of haunting new homebuyers. If you are concerned about your credit rating you can usually get a free copy of your rating report from your local credit bureau. Normally all that's required is a couple pieces of photo identification. Remember, a few late payments or disputed bills can besmirch your record. Try to pay everything on time and don't have more than two credit cards. A bad rating can spell trouble getting a mortgage or you end up paying more for your mortgage as a form of insurance to the lender.

Pre-Qualification
This refers to documents from a bank or other lender indicating that you have the financing to back up your offer on a house. Pre-qualification is free and most lenders are happy to sit down with prospective buyers and figure how much they can afford. Having an accurate idea of price range will save time in the bidding process. If there are several people making offers on your dream home, being pre-qualified can make your offer more attractive since financing is not in question. It is important to note, however, that lending institutions will base their final decision about a mortgage on ability of the buyer to service the debt as well as the property. Most lenders state that the two components go hand in hand - the buyer with the ability to repay a mortgage and the property as security in the event of default on payment.

By taking all these points into consideration, you can worry less about the process of buying and get busy finding your ideal home!

If you are planning to purchase a home, you will be faced with many decisions. What comes first buying the next home or selling your present home? What is your price range? What will be the location, size and style of your next home?

Before getting the answers to these questions there is one major decision to be made: which Realtor shall you choose to help you get through the maze of forms and give you the direction needed to successfully complete your real estate transactions?

Buying a home is too important to leave up to a committee. Some buyers like to leave their name with three or four salespeople. Although it may seem to be to the buyer's advantage to have a number of people to work with, it is usually a very ineffective approach. The basic assumption is that a committee of agents can produce more results than working exclusively with one realtor. Like most committee assignments--everybody's responsibility is nobody's responsibility.

ONE REALTOR = COMMITMENT

You need the total commitment of one Realtor whom you feel comfortable with and who will get to know and understand you and have compassion and empathy for your particular situation. Buying and selling a home is a journey that must be carefully plotted and mapped from the start to completion. Tell this Realtor that you will work with them exclusively as long as you see the effort and work needed to get the job completed. In fact if you are a Buyer you should sign a Buyers Agency form with this agent to show your commitment, as well the agent should put in an escape clause for you the buyer if they do not perform or work actively for you. In this way you will have a dedicated Realtor who will make it his personal responsibility to handle all the details to get you to a successful completion of this real estate journey.

A REALTOR NEEDS CANDID FEEDBACK

A good agent will listen to your needs and search through properties that are available both their own office and the Multiple Listing Service, then sort out the inappropriate ones. They will likely show you a number of homes and get your feedback and then continue the process until you have found the right home. Be very candid with your feedback, point out your likes and dislikes of the properties. Your Realtor should have a copy of each of the listings you will be viewing with a space on each of the pages for your written notes. You will not remember the likes and dislikes you have of each home after you have finished your entire showing tour. Make your notes immediately after viewing each home. Also remember it is in your best interest to view only a maximum of 4 to 5 homes on any one showing tour. It is easy to become confused when viewing too many homes at one time.

A Realtor is paid on a straight commission basis. They do not receive a salary or have an expense account. They are paid only after they have sold something and it successfully closes. This is why working with more than one Realtor is not a good idea. None of the Realtors will know if it will be to their financial benefit to spend any of their time or effort trying to find you a property, when you could possibly buy through another Realtor. Believe it or not, you will be best served by dealing with one committed Realtor as opposed to shopping the field with a variety of Realtors and Brokerages. By giving your commitment to one Realtor, the Realtor will work with the enthusiasm and diligent efforts required to successfully complete your transaction.