Real Estate Blog - buying a home

Selling Your Home? Here’s What You Need to Know About Open Houses

Are you thinking of selling your home? If so, you may be wondering if an open house is the right choice for you. Many sellers (and real estate professionals) insist that hosting open houses is important to the sale of your home. An open house is a way to get potential buyers interested in your home, but there are also some disadvantages to consider.

Pro: No pressure on buyers

Open houses can be a great way to let potential buyers view your home without feeling pressured. Buyers can take their time looking at the property, and they don't have to worry about being interrupted by the Realtor or seller. This can be especially helpful for buyers who like to take their time analyzing a home without pressure or a time restriction. 

Pro: Great for…

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Moving to a New Home with Pets: Tips and Tricks

You've found your dream home! If you're like most people, your pets are an important part of your family. And when you move to a new home, you want to make sure that they are as comfortable and safe as possible. We'll discuss everything from preparing for the move to setting up your new home. So whether you're moving across town or across the country, read on for advice that will help make the transition smoother for both you and your furry friends!

Have your pet's records in a safe place.

One of the first things you'll need to do is get your pet's records in order. Make sure you have copies of their vaccinations, as well as any other pertinent medical information and store it in a safe place that it won't easily get lost in the move. You'll…

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Separating Wants from Needs When Buying a Home

Buying a home can be challenging. After all, there are many steps, tasks, and requirements, and you may be anxious about making an expensive mistake.

To clarify the process, so you can get the most out of your purchase, here is a rundown of what to consider before you buy, and what you can expect from the homebuying process itself. Plus, tips to make life easier after buying your home.

Why to Make a List of Wants & Needs Before Buying a House

• Creating a list of wants and needs will save you plenty of time in the long run when you won’t have to bother looking at houses that don’t “fit.”

• It allows you to think about the investment with your head, not your heart.

• Gets all the buyers involved on the same page, eliminating…

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Title Insurance 101: What It Is & Do You Need It?

So after days, weeks, or maybe even months of searching, you’ve finally found your dream home. Congratulations! You’re about to own a home—perhaps even your first home—and while that’s an exciting new venture to look forward to, there’s a lot to take care of before possession day. There seems to be an endless list of things to remember, from meetings with your real estate lawyer to securing your mortgage. And to top it all off, you’ve just now come across “title insurance” but have no idea what it is or whether you need it.

What is Title Insurance

First and foremost, to understand title insurance, you will need to understand what a title is. Essentially, a title is just the legal term for the right to own the property. So when you buy a home,…

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Home Inspection 101

So you started your home search, found your dream home, and are writing up an offer with your REALTOR®—congratulations! Buying a home is an exciting time, and when it feels like you’ve found the perfect one, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking of it as your own even before the offer has been sent in. You start imagining your new future and all the adventures your family will have there, and before you know it, you’ve already started calling it “yours!”

A word of caution, though… As exhilarating as it is to feel like you have finally pinned down your new home, there are still some steps to take care of before making it official. One of the most crucial being the home inspection. Sure, your possible new house looks perfect behind those…

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What You Need to Know About the New Rules for Safe Open Houses in Saskatchewan

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Saskatchewan, one of the first steps taken in the real estate industry was to eliminate open houses throughout the province. After all, the whole idea was to bring groups of potential buyers together into one space! And with the world moving to contactless options wherever possible, we knew that we had to do our part to re-evaluate what our open houses look like in order to keep both our home buyers and sellers as safe as possible.

Open Houses in Saskatchewan During COVID-19

The Saskatchewan REALTORS® Association (SRA) announced this week that the ban on open houses in the province was being lifted. This doesn’t mean that it’s back to business as usual, though. Just as we have changed the way we work to offer safe…

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Homebuyer’s Guide to Choosing the Right Neighbourhood

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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The First Time Home Buyer Incentive: What It Is & How To Get It

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…

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Do I really need a Home Inspection?

There are many necessary costs to purchasing a home, and a home inspection is one you definitely shouldn’t skip.  

• It Provides an “Out” - A quality home inspection will reveal critical information about a house.  THis allows you to be aware of what costs, repairs and maintenance the home may require immediately. If you aren’t comfortable with the findings, it usually presents on las opportunity to back out of the offer to purchase.

• Safety - A home inspection can detect safety issues like radon, carbon monoxide, and mould.  

• Reveal Illegal Additions or Installations - A home inspection can reveal whether rooms, altered garages or basements were completed without proper permit, or did not follow code. This can affect insurances,…

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