{"id":676,"date":"2017-02-04T11:56:02","date_gmt":"2017-02-04T11:56:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com.previewc28.carrierzone.com\/wp\/?p=676"},"modified":"2017-07-18T06:22:03","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T06:22:03","slug":"10-things-you-should-consider-before-buying-a-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/?p=676","title":{"rendered":"10 Things You Should Consider before Buying a Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buying real estate property in Toronto, Ontario, for the first time is exciting, but there are several pitfalls that can snare even the savviest of first time homebuyers. Here are 10 things to know before you sign on the dotted line!\"\"<\/p>\n

Owning Isn\u2019t Always Smarter<\/h2>\n

Though conventional wisdom suggests that owning a home is always better than renting, that\u2019s not true in every situation. If you have a career that requires regular moves or if you foresee a relationship status change in the next year or so, there\u2019s no rush to purchase. If you\u2019re going to buy a home, plan to stay at least 3-5 years.<\/p>\n

Get an Inspection<\/h2>\n

When you fall in love with a home for sale, it\u2019s easy to overlook any flaws. This is why experts recommend having a third-party inspector conduct a thorough examination of the property before you buy. The inspection probably won\u2019t change your mind, but you should buy your first home with eyes wide open. Know what you\u2019re getting!<\/p>\n

Work with a Professional<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s always smart to have a real estate agent, but it\u2019s doubly important for first time buyers. Your agent will do more than just find a home for sale in Toronto, Ontario. He or she will also tell you whether the price is fair and give you comparable sales examples so you can see for yourself that you\u2019re getting a home at the appropriate price.<\/p>\n

Find the Right Agent<\/h2>\n

The agent you choose is going to be helping you make one of the most important purchases you\u2019ll make in your lifetime. Carefully choose an experienced and patient agent who will walk you through every part of the real estate purchasing process.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Be Afraid to Negotiate<\/h2>\n

Home sellers expect to negotiate. So if you want them to knock a few bucks off the price or to throw in the drapes, don\u2019t be afraid to ask.<\/p>\n

\"\"Size Matters<\/h2>\n

Remember a larger house means more maintenance. Similarly, a larger yard means more lawn maintenance.<\/p>\n

Think Affordable<\/h2>\n

Many lenders will offer homebuyers higher values in home loans than they can really afford. Your lender will tell you how much they\u2019re willing to loan you, but you have to decide how much you\u2019re willing to pay.<\/p>\n

Figure in Insurance, Taxes, and Maintenance<\/h2>\n

Speaking of affordability, owning a home costs more than just your loan payment. As a homeowner, you\u2019ll also need to pay to insure your house, pay property taxes related to it, and to maintain it. Consider those costs as you\u2019re determining what you can afford to spend on your first home.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Feel Pressured<\/h2>\n

There will come a point in\u00a0buying a home in Toronto, Ontario, where you may feel pressured. Whether it\u2019s an agent wanting you to hurry up and pick a home, or a seller making unrealistic demands, remember that you\u2019re making a very important decision, and it\u2019s OK to take your time.<\/p>\n

Be Patient<\/h2>\n

Buying a home is a process, and it can take time. In a seller\u2019s market, you may have to make offers on more than one home before a seller accepts your offer. In a buyer\u2019s market, there are many homes to choose from, and you should take a look at several before making an offer. Once a deal is in place, it typically takes a few weeks between making an offer and closing a deal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thinking of buying a home for sale in Toronto, Ontario? Here are 10 tips for first time homebuyers to consider, courtesy of the experts at The Merenda Real Estate Group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/merendarealestate.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}