The Unique Real Estate Blog

The purchase of a first home is likely to be the biggest one-time purchase in your life. There is a huge shift from living with family or renting, to owning a home. It can be an overwhelming experience and at times you may feel that you are barely keeping in step with the process. We are now at a point in our lives where our children are buying their first homes and we see the worry and signs of stress that make this FIRST BIG PURCHASE such a momentous event for them. The learning gained from buying a home and selling a house six (6) times - four different cities and two different provinces - has given us experiences that we share here with our children. The tips we can give you when going through the mind-game process of buying a home are insightful and are especially for people just like our children - first time home buyers.

Are you tired of paying rent to a landlord every month, with nothing to show for it? Maybe it’s time to get into the real estate market and become a home owner. This is a big decision, and an exciting one, but not one to be taken lightly. When deciding if home ownership is the right step for you, ask yourself if you are ready for the responsibility - you will be the one required to keep up the payments, maintenance and repairs. That said, the freedom of owning your own home means that you can decorate or renovate it however you like.

Buying a house in Scotland is slightly different from buying a house in other parts of the UK. It’s not particularly complicated, and buying north of the border can often be quicker, but for those relocating from England and Wales there are a number of points you need to bear in mind.

Home foreclosures are at an all time high and people are losing their homes. Our country is in a huge real estate boom yet people are being kicked out of their home because they can’t afford the payments. Why? There are several reasons why foreclosures are high even in an excellent real estate market. If you are planning on selling your home, buying a new home or refinancing your home you need to pay close attention.

Home heating costs have doubled over the past ten years, now representing 60% of the energy spent in Canadian homes. No one can predict how high fuel costs will go, however we can be certain of one thing - the costs will go up. It’s anyone’s guess which fuel might be the better bargain in ten or twenty years, so it’s tough to shop for a heating system today without wondering if you’ve made the right decision. Although we can’t tell you which choice to make, we can show you how the different fuels compare today.

We all have heard of both good and bad opinions about homeowner associations (HOAs) from the people who have to deal with them as a resident right down to newspaper articles.

Buying a property

There are 3 stages to purchasing a property:

1. Signing of the contract including conditions, known as conditional contract.

2. The date the contract conditions are met, known as unconditional contract.

3. Settlement date (the day that the buyer gains possession)

Before you purchase.

A home is a major investment. Before you take the plunge, you will want to carefully evaluate the house and the purchase decision. Here are 10 things every homebuyer should consider before finalizing their investment.

Think about taking the plunge into second-homeownership? Whether you plan on buying as an investment, a getaway, or a place to eventually retire, take a moment to think about the seven most important steps toward finding and buying your dream second home.

One: Decide whether a second home makes financial sense

1) Its All About the Realtor

This is the first important step, getting a good realtor who is familiar with the area and its communities having a good information regarding schools, city county regulations, neighborhood trends, building and remodeling ,rental restrictions and property values. Every city has different laws , so its’ best to go for a well known realtor.