Home Buying Blogs – Edmonton

Home buying advice for Edmonton, Alberta residents.

Found 39 blog entries about Home Buying Blogs – Edmonton.

4 Commute-Related Questions to Consider Before Making an Offer on a HouseHome buyers may look at many attributes in a home before putting in a bid. Common things they look at include upgrades in the kitchen or bathroom, number of bedrooms, presence of smart technology, useable yard space, and green features. One thing that's sometimes overlooked is commute time—but overlooking this is a big mistake.

Many new homeowners are shocked to learn how long it takes to commute because of high traffic volumes or lack of proximity to major roadways. Commute times matter. Here are four questions to consider before making a seller an offer.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

How Long Will the Commute Take?

Perhaps the

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What is the timeline of the Canadian mortgage process?For a first-time home buyer, the Canadian mortgage process can be daunting. You may have heard terms such a pre-qualify, pre-approve and condition of finance. You may wonder how these apply to you and your home purchase. However, if you break the mortgage process down into its steps, it becomes more understandable and less intimidating.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed mortgage or home loan professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Can I Afford a Mortgage?

The first step is to sit down and decide if you can afford a mortgage and, if so, for how much. As a rule of thumb, you can pay up to 32% of your income for housing costs and up to 40% for all your debts, including other loans. You also

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What is a Debt-to-Income Ratio and How Does it Affect Me?When it comes to buying a West Edmonton home, hopeful owners are often asked to step outside their comfort zone. Maybe they're forced to look in different neighborhoods than they would have originally considered or to settle for a home with a smaller kitchen than they wanted. Beyond these compromises though, there are also complications that will affect the buyer's finances. Learn more about the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio and how lenders use it to decide on potential candidates.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with an attorney, tax, or financial advisor before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

One Number of Many

Buyers are understandably confused when it comes to how lenders assess them. If everyone's focused on the

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What to Know When Choosing Your Home StyleMany people buying their first Northwest Edmonton home have a focus on affordability, easy maintenance and room for growth. Knowing what home styles meet these criteria can help you decide what kind of home to buy. If you're a first time home buyer, here's what you need to know.

4 Popular Styles

Of all the types of homes in Canada, four of them stand out as being especially well suited for first-time home buyers. These styles tend to be newer, which means they require less maintenance, and also tend to have plenty of room. Here's what you need to know.

Rancher

Ranch-style homes are spread out on one floor, so they're safe for households with small children just learning how to walk. Because they're all contained to one floor, many

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Should You Buy Raw Land?Buying land is different than buying a home. Buyers of land may not need to build on it or rent it out in order to make a profit. Ideally, they just need to hold onto it until they can sell it to a well-funded investor. But there's more to buying raw land than just sitting on the property. Here are a few tips before jumping into a new land venture.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Patience and Profits

When it comes to finding another buyer to take the land off one's hands, investors sometimes wait far longer than they anticipate. This is because neighborhoods can bend and change for any number of reasons. Let's say a major car processing

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What You Need to Know About Millennial Home Buying MythsAs home buyers, Millennials have earned a reputation for being different from the other generations. They approach home buying differently and seem to have slightly different priorities. These differences have lead to quite a few myths in the real estate industry. Understanding these myths can help you understand the future of real estate.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

Myth: Millennials Don't Want to Buy a Home

It's said that Millennials want to be renters forever, and it's true that a high percentage of Millennials are currently renting an apartment or a house. However, statistics show that while Millennials may be renters now, they

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How Credit Scores Can Influence Home BuyingRenters may think that they are finally in the position to buy their first home, looking forward to enjoying many benefits with their first home, including the ability to establish equity and make upgrades to a property to better meet specific needs. Families often appreciate the ability to have pets, entertain in their backyard and spend quality time as they see fit in and around their property.

However, the path to homeownership may not be easy. It is important to be financially ready to buy. Even with a sizable down payment, the majority of potential buyers will need to take out a home mortgage loan from a reputable lender. Credit scores and credit history are important factors influencing the approval process. A good credit score may also be

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Is the Construction Industry Going Green?For a while, it may have seemed as though the construction industry was one that didn't react to the new trends of the day. Modern or green technology may have been used by a few select companies, but most seemed to rely on the tried and true methods that had served them so well for so long.

Today, sustainable technology is starting to see more adoption across the industry (even if not every company is flocking to it with the same enthusiasm). The resounding call for smarter and more sustainable building methods has been heard by developers, builders, and manufacturers alike. It's time to see which trends are garnering the attention for a better chance at predicting the housing market of tomorrow.

All-Natural Materials

A volatile organic

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Some simple steps can help new homeowners avoid common mistakes when securing homeowner's insurance.Buying a new home is one of the most complicated purchases consumers may make in their entire lifetimes. It is complicated by the fact that it happens relatively rarely over the course of time, and homebuyers develop little skill in the aspects involved.

One of the most common decisions associated with purchasing a home is acquiring the appropriate amount and type of homeowners insurance. This, too, is often done infrequently as homeowners will often secure insurance at the time of purchasing their home, and unless they have a claim, will tend to forget about it. This is particularly true if the insurance premium is included along with the mortgage and/or bundled with property tax payments. Policies become “invisible” to consumers until they

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Plan for the Cash Needed to Close When Buying a New HomeFirst-time home buyers are sometimes surprised by the additional costs that are involved in purchasing real estate. The actual amount of upfront and settlement charges seems to mount steadily, and the total can add up to between two and four percent of the home's purchase price, in addition to required down payment. Some charges and fees are unavoidable, even if the buyer pays cash.

Even though some costs are standardized, others vary widely from one area to another. By having a sense of the funds needed, determining a budget and approaching a lender for a mortgage are simplified. Some fees must be paid in advance, while other charges can be rolled into the loan and repaid over the long term. Some charges are pro-rated between seller and buyer

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