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Home Tips

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Handy Tips for House-Hunters

When looking for a house, consider these tips:

Make a list. Write down everything that you would like and would not like in a home. Prioritize this list into things your home must have, what you may like it to have, what you could live without and what you absolutely cannot live with. By writing these things down you will help ensure that any prospective home will meet your needs.

Do some research: There are a number of factors to consider. What can you afford? What are the current pricing trends in the area you are looking? What is the interest rate environment? Understanding current trends in the housing market will give you an idea of what to expect as you begin the house-hunting process. The Internet can give you easy access to this type of information. Check out the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. at http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Location. For many people, one of the most influential factors in buying a home is its location. How close is it to work? To a grocery store? To a school? Location can impact your budget through a longer drive to work or with daycare. Make sure the location makes sense for you and your family. And, if you decide to sell the home, a bad location could also have a negative impact.

Look into pre-approval. With a pre-approved mortgage you can have a clear understanding of exactly what you can afford before you begin to look for a home. It will also help you avoid the disappointment of finding a perfect home and not being able to come up with the financing.

Look for a home online. After you have made your wish list, why not use the Internet to begin your search for a home? By visiting the Canadian Real Estate Association's Web site at http://www.mls.ca , or HomesResource.com at: http://www.homesresource.com you can view houses in the areas you are interested in, and access contact information of real estate professionals in those areas.

Keep a record of the houses you look at. During the house-hunting process, it is likely you will view a number of houses. After you look at a dozen houses, you may forget many of the details. So, keep track of what you like about each house, and what concerns you. It is also a good idea to take photos of the house — then you can visually compare each house you visit.