Choosing the right neighbourhood for you and your family is just as—if not more—important than choosing the right home. Unless you plan on spending every waking minute confined within the four walls of your new house, knowing your neighbourhood and where you live is an essential part of your lifestyle. This is where your kids may go to school or where you’ll walk the dog. This is where you’ll start your morning commute and drink your afternoon tea. Whatever this new home is for you, the location is an integral part of that. So, how do you choose the right neighbourhood for you?

Schools

Regardless of whether you have kids or you don’t—or you’re expecting (congratulations!)—one of the most important things to consider in choosing the right…

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Real estate is one of those industries that seemingly comes with its own language; full of unfamiliar terms and definitions that can make the process of selling your home quite stressful. But there’s no need to sweat—you’re not alone! You’re just one of thousands of confused home sellers anxiously Googling “what does contingent mean in real estate” on a Saturday night. And unless you’re experienced in real estate, no one is expecting you to know! That’s why we REALTORS® are here to guide you and educate you through the process. And that includes teaching you the terms you may encounter in the journey to selling your home, like these:

Appraisal

An appraisal is the process of assessing your home’s fair market value based on its condition, features,…

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In today’s world, it seems like everything costs money. Whether it be a product, service, or activity you’re after, it feels impossible to leave the wallet at home and just take care of things on your own anymore. And because of this feeling, many people are now—rightfully so—more suspicious of hidden fees and charges, especially when it comes to services, like real estate! 

I think if you asked any REALTOR® today what question they are asked most often, each and every one of them would say, “How much does it cost to use a real estate agent?” or “How do you get paid?” And since we aren’t displaying any prices on a menu of services anywhere or asking for payment from the start, it’s easy to see how you might worry about surprise costs popping up…

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Hands down, one of the number one questions I get asked as a REALTOR® is, “When is the best time to sell my house?” The trouble with answering that question, though, is that the “best time” can vary quite significantly from family to family. However, if we are looking purely from a perspective of how the market is doing, here are some of the pros and cons to selling at different times of the year:

Selling Your Home in Winter

Winter is traditionally thought of as the worst time to sell your house, with less demand in the market. Typically, with more homes for sale than buyers looking, properties tend to sit on the market for longer, and those buyers that are in the market may be looking to take advantage of the slow season for a better price,…

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Often one of the greatest motivations for selling your house is buying a new one. And with the eager anticipation of a new home building up, it never surprises me when working with new sellers to hear the question, “Should I buy before selling my house or wait to buy until after it has sold?” The honest answer, though, is that there really isn’t a “right” answer! In fact, there are benefits and downsides to both approaches.

The Benefits of Buying Before Selling Your House

As I said before, it’s often the anticipation of starting fresh with a new house that will have sellers questioning whether to buy before selling their house. And as long as you can swing it financially, there can be many upsides to making the move in that order! 

One…

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Buying a house isn’t like buying a new TV. You can’t just walk in the store, drop some cash, and leave with your new purchase. A house is a piece of equity and one of the largest purchases you can make in a lifetime, so it’s understandable that there is a certain procedure in place to ensure the transaction goes as smoothly as possible. So, whether you’re buying for the first time or simply need a refresher on how it goes, here are the steps to buying a house.

Step 1: Determine if You’re Ready

Like I said before, a house is one of the biggest purchases you can make, so it’s important to remember that, while it may seem like a good idea in theory, it’s not a pool you can jump into without checking the water first. Before diving in, you should…

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Recently, you may have been about radon in homes on the news or you may have even received a pamphlet dropped in your mailbox. And while you may have some prior knowledge about what radon is, many Canadians are still in the dark about this potentially threatening gas! As a homeowner or someone considering buying a home, here’s what you need to know:

What is Radon?

When uranium—commonly found in soil and rock—breaks down, it releases a radioactive gas called “radon”. This gas will then come up through the ground and make its way into the air outside, where it can be easily diluted into the atmosphere. However, if it finds a way to come up through the ground and into your home, the enclosed space will trap the gas. This allows it to accumulate,…

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Easily one of the most common questions I get when working with new buyers is “What should I be looking for when buying a house?” And rightfully so; buying a home is one of the largest purchases you are going to make in your lifetime! You want to be sure you’re getting what you want and need! So what should you be looking for?

#1: Ownership History

The house you’re looking at may seem to check off every box on your list, but there may be something you can’t see that you’re missing. The easiest way to tell? Look at the ownership turnover! If the house has passed hands every couple of years for the last decade, that may be a pretty good indicator that there’s something pushing owners out. 

When looking at houses to buy in Saskatoon, my…

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If you are purchasing a home for the first time, the role of “First Time Home Buyer” can come with a lot of questions. Do I need a real estate agent? Where can I find a real estate lawyer? How much does it actually cost? And, of course, how do I get a mortgage? 

Understandably, with all of these questions—and more!—swimming around in your mind, it can be easy to begin feeling overwhelmed. Luckily, that’s where a REALTOR® can help! We work in the realm of Saskatoon real estate each and every day, making us more than familiar with every question you can think of. Plus, we come with some other handy and even helpful information that can help you along the way—including the First Time Home Buyer Incentive.

What is the First Time Home Buyer Incentive?

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 When a relationship is created between the purchaser and real estate agent, the agent must work in the buyer client’s best interests at all times.

Purchasers receive the same level of representation traditionally given only to the seller.  Here are just a few of the benefits received from having your own personal buyer’s agent when purchasing:

Confidentiality – There agent you hire to represent you will not disclose confidential information without your permission to do so.

Loyalty – The buyer’s agent must work in the buyer’s best interests at all times.  This means that the agent does for you what they would do for themselves in a transaction.

Full disclosure – The agent you hire to represent you will fully disclose any information gained form…

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