Buying A House – Ottawa Real Estate
Buying A House – Ottawa Real Estate Agent
Why choosing an Ottawa Real Estate Agent is so Important.
Buying a House is one of the biggest investments that you will make in your life , Ottawa real estate agent House Curious is here to help you find the perfect home. With buying a house there are a great deal of responsibilities that will need to be fulfilled regularly in order to have a positive experience. Buying a house is not the easiest thing to do and can be a difficult process. Buying a house in Ottawa is a great investment and requires a lot of energy and effort in order to get everything in place. Which is why you need knowledgable Ottawa real estate agent to ease the process. With your real estate agent expect to get the latest house listing, tips for upgrading, help with putting in offers and buying to flip your house.
With the help of a real estate agent discover which is the best location, size and closest to your required necessities for your desired taste. Sometimes you may not realize what exactly it is that you need. With an real estate agent you will get assistance on choosing the type of house that is right for you. Your Ottawa real estate agent will help you find the best investment and negotiate to get the best deal, making it a smooth transaction.
How to Prepare for a Home Inspection
How to Prepare for a Home Inspection
When a Seller gets a pre-listing home inspection OR a Home owner requires a periodic home inspection, they need to get their homes prepared for the home inspector so that the inspection is conducted in an optimal fashion.
The following recommendations from House Curious will help the seller/owner prepare for the home inspection in advance:
- Remove clutter so that the home inspector has visual access to as many areas as possible.
- Be on time to the inspection so that you can fully participate in all aspects of the investigation.
- Have the home exterior ready for inspection as the inspector may start examining the outer area of the home if you are not ready. This includes leaving fences unlocked and dogs tied up.
- The home inspector should be informed of the occupants of the home, especially any children or elderly people.
- To the extent possible, pets should be removed from the property to allow full access to all areas that are to be inspected.
- Closets need to be cleared if they provide access to the attic.
- Keep all utilities connected – The home inspector will have to check the stove, test the furnace and test the air conditioner. It is gооd to lеаvе thе utilities оn, so that the inspector can assess their functionality.
- Provide a work area around Furnace and Water Heaters for the inspector.
- Many home inspectors may not check the pilot lights if they are not lit. It is a good idea to keep them on before the inspection process starts.
- Ensure easy access to the garage and try to minimize overcrowding in this area.
- The garage and electrical boxes should be kept open or have keys attached for ease of use.
- Give ample time for the home inspector to conduct the inspection. Between 2-4 hours is typical.
- If you are aware of potential concerns, raise them immediately when the inspector arrives.
During the inspection, note аnу quеѕtіоnѕ thаt mау аrіѕе durіng the walk-through. Every home inspection will uncover a few flaws in your property. Discuss the problem areas, understand the urgency, and gain an estimate of the repair costs. You can then estimate the repair costs and handle each issue accordingly. It helps in the long run as repair costs spent annually drastically reduces with regular inspection.
A good preparation for the home inspection is beneficial to all involved. After all, a comprehensive report is facilitated by your active preparation…
Helpful Tips for Buying a House – Real Estate Agent Ottawa
Helpful Tips for Buying a House
Here Are Some Helpful Tips to Consider When Buying a House from Real Estate Agent Ottawa, House Curious
Buying a house is an exciting experience particularly for first time home buyers. The idea of finally having your own place and having the liberty of doing anything to it such as renovations makes buying a house a dream come true for most. However, being a homeowner is not that easy, you’ll have to consider your responsibility to maintain the house to keep its value for the coming years.
If you have decided that you are indeed ready to buy your own home and become a responsible homeowner, then read these tips for an enjoyable and stress-free house buying.
Finding a Suitable Location
One of the most important things to consider in buying a house is the location. Search for a house that is located strategically in a well-maintained community with nearby schools, hospitals, police stations, fire stations, public libraries, recreational facilities and whatever else suits your needs. Ideally, the community should be secure and with peaceful neighbours, this is why a real estate agent will be such a big help as she can assist you in choosing the perfect area for you.
House hunting is no walk in the park so be sure that you know your preferences. You can keep track of the houses that you are visiting by making notes of pros and cons for each location.
Determine Your Budget
Your financial capability is important when buying a house because it involves a large amount of money. Assess your credit score and be pre-approved before you begin your search.
Mortgage, which refers to a loan for the purpose of buying real estate such as a house is recommended for homebuyers. Therefore, it is important to review your credit standing and see if you are qualified to apply for such loan to help finance your dream house.
A good credit score provides plus points for a mortgage application. Search for a lender which will guide you in the pre-approval. Pre-approval for a loan will depend on your current financial status. Getting pre-approved is a positive step to acquiring a mortgage it also keeps you on track on your house price limit. A pre-approval record is a good way to convince a house seller that you are sincere in buying that house so you can have a better bargaining power.
Consider a Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent can help you find a home that fits your requirements so make sure that that person is reputable and that he or she meets your standards. Also, make sure that your potential agent understands every detail of your preferences. A real estate agent will also guide you in the negotiation process with a potential house seller.
Negotiate Then Buy
If you find a house that you like, make an offer to the house seller. Make sure that you are armed with information on the current market value of houses in the area and most importantly know the lowest possible price that the seller is willing to agree on.
Once you have agreed on a price, you will have to go through the process of actually buying the house. This involves getting the expertise of a home inspector, drawing the terms of agreement and having a lawyer review the contract. After all the paperwork is done a deposit on your part will be placed in escrow until the sale is final.
Contact Joanne at House Curious today to help you find your dream home!
Kanata North Featured Neighbourhood
Kanata North – MLS District 9008
Morgan’s Grant, Briarbrook, Brookside
Best known for being Canada’s largest Technology Park, Kanata North has a lot to offer its residents. It was first home to powerhouse company Mitel and began the development boom of the 90s. Soon joined by companies such as Newbridge, Ciena, and Blackberry, Silicon Valley North expanded exponentially and workers began making their homes close to work. Even now 50% of employees live within 5 km of their workplace. Now the tech hub hosts big names Nokia, Sanmina, and Deloitte among 100s of other companies ranging from 2-5000 employees.
From education to healthcare to recreation, Kanata North caters to individuals and families alike. With the bulk of the population in Morgan’s Grant/Briarbrook, the area has seen many developments and expects much more.
Balancing work and home life is easy when surrounded by parklands and trails such as Beaver Pond, and South March Highlands. Other recreation includes The Marshes, and Loch March golf courses; and the new addition of the Richcraft Centre on Innovation Drive. Here you can find fitness facilities, a soccer field, basketball court, swimming pools, and many swimming and recreation programs for all ages. Also on Innovation is the Park and Ride that just opened in January 2017. This is a new transportation hub that has helped alleviate the traffic in the Eagleson P&R and is a bit closer to home for many residents.
As well as recreation, Kanata North boasts many businesses and services that have grown with the community. There are doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, dentists, plastic surgery, and even acupuncture available. Six schools from various school boards cater to the residents with several more just a bit farther in Beaverbrook. Several churches can be found in Kanata North and the surrounding area as well as daycare and retirement facilities. Local amenities also include large grocery stores, an LCBO, and hardware store. The local hotel The Brookstreet Hotel opened in 2003 and is a luxury 4-diamond hotel featuring a restaurant, fitness and spa facilities, and abutting The Marshes golf course.
As yet there are no condos in Kanata North but with the Kanata North Urban Expansion (KNUE) plan there will likely be some in the near future. Currently, the housing consists of predominantly of 2 storey houses, with some 3 storey, detached, and row unit homes. In 2016 properties sold ranged in price from $237,000 – $689,000.
Contact House Curious to help you search for the perfect house for you in Kanata North.
Transforming Your Home For Resale – Real Estate Agent Ottawa
Transforming Your Home For Resale- Real Estate Agent Ottawa
One of my favourite parts of my work as a real estate agent Ottawa is seeing the transformation that buyers make in their new home. It’s so easy for buyers to make improvements without spending a lot of money. The best time to act is right at possession time when excitement and pride of ownership is at its peak. I love to make suggestions as I show homes on how easily rooms can be improved. Structural repairs and big renovation projects are more costly and need to be budgeted for but here my 4 top improvements that are affordable and make a big impact.
• Paint – need I say more? Choosing the right colours and giving the space a fresh look goes a long way. If you don’t know where to start I definitely recommend a consultation with an interior designer to help you choose a paint palette. The cost of the consultation will outweigh the cost of the wasted cans of paint for colours that don’t turn out right.
• Backsplash Backsplash Backsplash – This is often overlooked. I am amazed at how many properties I sell that do not have a tiled backsplash. If there is not a current backsplash in the kitchen, it is quite simple to add one and can become a DYI project with so many tutorials available on the internet and in store demos. Even if you have to hire a tiler, it is quite affordable for small projects. Removing and replacing an existing backsplash is a bit more complex and might require hiring a contractor but can make a huge difference in giving the kitchen an updated look. There is a large variety of affordable tiles at home improvement stores and they don’t need to be expensive to create the desired effect.
• Cabinet update – Giving your kitchen or baths cabinets a fresh new look by painting, spraying or staining them goes a long way. Even though you might be planning on replacing them in the future this could buy you time. There is a great product called Renuit that can transform your kitchen. It goes a long way and is quite inexpensive but time consuming and must be applied properly. I’ve seen some great youtube tutorials that would be worth watching before starting. If your budget permits it, Home Depot offers a great resurfacing product for cabinet door replacement. You can order doors to match the exact sizes of the existing ones. If you are changing colours it is a bit tricky because the side panels will also need to match. They offer a full installation option also.
• Finishing touches – Your furniture and décor can make a great impact. Choosing the right style and sizes of pieces is important. It is important to forget the final touches. Drapes and area rugs finish a room perfectly. I LOVE area rugs. Don’t be afraid to go big. Most rooms that I see have area rugs that are too small for the space. A nice pattern or colour on the rugs make the biggest impact. Drapes should be the right length. If you can’t find them long enough in your budget, consider adding a border. I often buy several inexpensive pairs and cut and sew them and add a strip through the middle. This creates a custom look at box store prices. Ideally you should have two full panels to each side of the window and curtain rods should extend past the window. This way you are not covering up the window when you want light in and it also makes the windows appear wider than they really are.
Contact House Curious for a Real Estate Agent Ottawa today to assist you in selling your house today!
