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TRANSCRIPT
informed BUYerS GUide
ABOUT Jill
i grew up in Vancouver and attended Simon Fraser University where i obtained
a degree in Communications and Marketing in 1988.
i moved to Calgary in 1989, married and had 3 children – Jesse, luke and
isabella. With the exception of 2 years in Springbank Hill, we have lived in
Canyon Meadows for almost 20 years. My kids attended all 3 levels of school
in our neighbourhood prior to the boys heading off to University.
i have worked as a volunteer in all of the kid’s schools, for all of the sports they
were involved with and am looking forward to my new volunteer opportunity
with the Calgary chapters of the Chrone’s and Colitis association as well as the
Calgary Ostomy Society.
Prior to beginning my career in Real Estate, i worked for the City of Calgary
as Marketing Director for the Southland leisure Centre, and for the Calgary
South West United Soccer Club as Executive Director.
contentsabout Jill
KEY QuEStioNS
MoRtGaGE iNFo
CHooSiNG YouR REaltoR
buYERS CHECKliSt
FiNDiNG YouR DREaM HoME
tEaM SERViCE DiRECtoRY
CoNtaCt
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PAGE 6 & 7
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BACK
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Buying a home:Key Questions to asK yourself Before you speaK to a real estate professional and start your new home search:
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The best place to start when you begin your home hunt is with your Bank or Mortgage Broker. it’s imperative that
you know how much money you can spend before searching for the home of your dreams. Nothing is worse than
finding out you cannot afford a house that you love.
WHAT iS A MORTgAgE BROkER?
A Mortgage Broker is someone whose job is to find you the best Mortgage for you and your needs. There are many
Brokers in Calgary and area.
According to a 2011 survey by the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation, 81 per cent of recent buyers, at some
point, will rely on a mortgage professional (either a mortgage lender or mortgage broker) for advice and consultation.
When you decide to use a mortgage broker to help you with your financing, they will act as a liaison between you and
the lending institution. Mortgage brokers negotiate the best available terms and rates on your behalf, and will usually
work with dozens of different lenders in order to secure the financing options that you are looking for.
1. MORTgAgE BROkERS PROViDE THEiR SERViCES FOR FREE TO BORROWERS. Pro: Since mortgage brokers are only paid when a loan is approved and signed, their assistance
will cost you nothing.
Con: Brokers are paid a commission by the lending institution, and don’t work just for you.
2. MORTgAgE BROkERS HElP THOSE WiTH lESS-THAN-PERFECT FiNANCES SECURE A lOAN.
Pro: For those with blemishes on their credit report or a low household income, a broker might
be able to negotiate better rates than if you approached the lending institutions yourself.
Con: If your finances are less than perfect, you might not be financially ready to become a
homeowner, whether the bank will give you a mortgage or not.
3. MORTgAgE BROkERS Will SAVE yOU TiME.
Pro: Mortgage brokers will do all of the legwork for you in terms of paperwork and negotiating
with lenders. They will also be your point of contact for everything related to your financing.
Con: Even though you will most likely save time by using a broker to do all of your negotiating, some
brokers may compare the rates from only a handful of lenders. if you want to ensure that you’re
getting the best possible financing, you will have to do the research yourself. Because mortgage
rates are so easily accessible by anyone online, it is a lot easier than it used to be to compare and
negotiate with different lenders on your own.
When deciding which type of financing is right for you, here are a few details you need to make sure you share with your mortgage broker or the lending institution you decide to work with.
PREPAyMENT
How often will you be able to make additional payments on your mortgage without being assessed a
penalty, and how much will you be able to pay?
FREqUENCy OF PAyMENTS
Whether it’s weekly, biweekly, accelerated biweekly or monthly, make sure the lender offers the payment
frequency you feel most comfortable with.
PENAlTiES TO BREAkiNg THE MORTgAgE
Make sure that you are fully aware of what the penalty would be should you decide to opt out of your
mortgage term.
Buying a home:getting Pre-aPProved for your mortgage
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BUyiNg A HOME:CHOOSiNg THE RigHT REAlTOR
Choosing the Right Realtor© is a crucial part of your home search. you
need to ensure your Realtor is someone you feel comfortable with,
someone who you like, and someone who you trust. The process of
finding a home can be a long one – so you had better make sure you are
being guided by someone with the same vision and goals as you. your
Realtor also has to be a smart negotiator when helping you find a home.
They need to be an expert who can save you money!
Ask for references!
Not only is choosing the right Realtor important, making sure that Realtor
works for a full service, reputable company is critical as well. At Royal le
Page Benchmark we have a team of over 150 Realtors who share listings
and information every week – i can preview homes for you which have
not even hit the market – giving you the jump on other buyers who are
looking for similar properties. We also have a full time team of staff who
work for you – ensuring that everything goes smoothly.
SECTION 1: THE STRUCTURE Windows
Type of Home (Condominium, Town Home, Semi-Detached, Detached, Row House, Multi-Unit, Residential, etc.):
Window Coverings (Curtains, Sheers,Vertical Blinds, etc.):
Type of Construction (Wood, Brick Veneer, Block, etc.):Electrical Fixtures (Chandeliers,Sconces, Outdoor Lighting, etc.):
Approx. Square Footage: Number of Stories: Other
Number of Bedrooms: Number of Baths:
Garage: YES NO Parking: YES NO
MAJOR SYSTEMS SECTION 4: LOCATIONHeating Near Schools? YES NO Near Work? YES NO
Furnace Type: OIL GAS AGE: Radiators: YES NO Near Public Trans.? YES NO Near Shopping? YES NO
Cooling Near Parks? YES NO Near Expressway? YES NO
Window A/C: YES NO AGE: Central Air: YES NO AGE: Traffic Volume? LOW MED HIGH Near Airport/Train Tracks? YES NO
Plumbing SECTION 5: ESTIMATED COSTSPipes: COPPER GALVANIZED Sanitary System: SEWER SEPTIC Property Tax: Imminent Repairs:
Water Source: WELL MUNICIPAL Cent. Humidifier: YES NO AGE: Security System Install/Upgrade: Changing Locks:
Electrical Installing/Upgrading Fences: Parking Permit(s):
Wiring: KNOB/TUBE COPPER Misc:
SECTION 2: ADDITIONAL FEATURES SECTION 6: GENERAL CONDITION OF PROPERTYFireplace: YES NO Pool: YES NO Doors & Windows: POOR FAIR GOOD PERFECT
Misc: Floors: POOR FAIR GOOD PERFECT
SECTION 3: WHAT’S INCLUDED Exterior Walls: POOR FAIR GOOD PERFECT
Appliances Roof: POOR FAIR GOOD PERFECT
Dishwasher: YES NO Refrigerator: YES NO Lawn & Garden: POOR FAIR GOOD PERFECT
Stove: YES NO Washer/Dryer: YES NO Garage: POOR FAIR GOOD PERFECT
Additional Notes:
HOME BUyER’S CHECkliST
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Once yOu have fOund yOur dream hOme:making an educated Offer
your Realtor should help you make an educated offer on a home you wish to purchase. in order for this to happen,
your Realtor needs to do his or her homework on recent sales in the neighbourhood including list vs. sold prices and
dollar per square foot. There is value in your Realtor visiting other homes in the neighbourhood, and speaking with
other Realtors working in that neighbourhood. An educated offer can help you save money and help ensure you
don’t lose the house of your dreams by offending the sellers with an inadequate offer.
CONDiTiONS TO yOUR OFFER:
Conditions to your offer are almost always present. The most common conditions you may wish to attach to your
offer are finance, home inspection and verification of condo documents in the case of a condominium purchase.
Usually, a realtor will write in a one week or ten day window in which you will waive your conditions. in the case of a
finance condition – that means that although you have likely been pre-approved, you are confirming with your lender
that you can indeed qualify for this purchase.
in the case of a home inspection condition, you will hire a home inspector to do a thorough inspection of the home.
This critical step will help you avoid purchasing a home with a hidden problem that will cost you money down the
road. Finally, in the case of a condominium, you will want to pay for a condominium document study. Professionals
who provide this service study the minutes of the condo association, the financial statement and the state of the
reserve fund. This is a very valuable tool for a buyer.
ClOSiNg COSTS:
Buyers need to be aware that there are costs associated with buying a home that are not included in the purchase
price. These include the following:
• Lawyer - $800 - $1500.00
• Property Inspector - $400-$500
• Condo Document Inspection - $500
• Tax Adjustments – up to $3000 (Ensure you find out
how sellers have been paying their property taxes
• Bank Appraisal - $350
• Move in Costs (Utility Setup etc.)
OUR TEAM:Working hard for you to find your dream home, I have a team of professionals in place to ensure we get the best home for you at the best price! These professionals are folks i have used and am glad to have them on board!
MORTgAgE BROkERS
Trevor Yerema, PresidentVerico Advanced lending &Mortgage [email protected]
Sarah ClemensThe Mortgage [email protected]
HOME iNSPECTiON SERViCES
Allan AardahlHome inspections Albertawww.homeinspectionsalberta.ca403-888-5355
lAWyERS
Douglas DunscombeDouglas Dunscombe Law [email protected]
Sharon Kiviehan ValleyCraig law [email protected]
ADMiNiSTRATiON
Diana St. PierreRoyal lePage Benchmark403-253-1901
gRAPHiC DESigN
Devan [email protected]
HOME & AUTO iNSURANCE
Sara PaulAwin insurance403-255-5020
DESigN & RENOVATiONS
Jocelyn RossJR Home [email protected] 403.807.3777
gARDEN & yARD DESigN
Diana Lanelet it [email protected]
HOME STAgiNg
Lidia HardwickeStage to Sell587-439-1993
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Cell: 403.998.8894 | Office 403.253.1901 | Toll Free: [email protected] | www.jillstewart.ca
Royal lePage Benchmark#110 7220 Fisher St SE
Calgary, Alberta T2H 2H8