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Buying Your First Home in Canada Checklist - RBC
The thought of buying your first home can be daunting and scary! It doesn’t have to be, especially if you have an experienced local Realtor® that will walk you through every step along your real estate journey.
1. Start saving early! There are always more costs involved in closing on a home than most people would expect. Some of the most common closing costs include:
- ● A deposit is required to accompany your offer to purchase
- ● Your down payment; 5%-20%+ of your purchase price
- ● Inspection fees such as home inspection, water testing, furnace expectations, etc
- ● Land transfer taxes in Manitoba are approximately 2% of your purchase price
- ● Legal fees
- ● Moving expenses such as hiring movers, a U-Haul, boxes and packing tape
- ● Furniture, appliances, home decor and all the fun things that make your house feel like a home
2. Contact your lender and get Pre-Approved. For many first-time home buyers, this is where you may realize how much financing you will qualify for and what you can afford. This can be an eye-opening experience for some but do know that you can shop around for the best mortgage rates and lenders.
If you are unsure, ask your Crocus Real Estate agent and they can provide a list of local lenders that we have worked with and had great success with over the years.
3. Find a Realtor® that will work with you to find your first home. Let’s face it, there are lots of agents out there that will be willing to work with you but you need to find one that YOU feel comfortable working with. Your agent should be:
- ● Knowledgeable in the current market
- ● Be able to communicate well
- ● Be patient as you may need to see a lot of houses to determine what you are looking for
- ● Guide you through every step of your real estate journey
It’s a lot to know, and they must be able to teach you throughout the process and negotiate the best deal possible.
Did you also know that your Realtor® can show you any home for sale in Manitoba? It’s true, including homes found on www.realtor.ca (MLS Listings) and homes for sale by owner (FSBO).
4. Now the fun part begins…showing homes! Schedule some time to see some properties with your agent and let the process begin. Most people get a sense of what they are looking for pretty quickly. Not every home that you see online will look the same in person and is the reason you should, when at all possible, see a property in person.
If you are in the market to buy your first home here in the Pembina Valley and would like to hear more information from a lender’s perspective, our friends Holly and Brad from RBC will be hosting a FREE live webinar on this topic. For your personal invite, sign up here.
Event Info: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9 7 pm CST What you need to know to buy your first home
Discover whether you are ready for homeownership, including your ability to put a good down payment together and manage the ongoing costs of owning a home.