First Time Home Buyer’s Checklist

Your first home purchase is exciting, but it can also be stressful. Here are some tips to limit the trauma and help you find the home of your dreams the first time around.

The most important step in selecting a home is knowing how much you can spend. If you already use an electronic budgeting system, you’re ahead of the game. If not, track your expenses for the past several months to a year. Try to quantify the “gray areas” of cash withdrawals that disappear on small purchases. Now add up your current rent and other related expenses. If you’ve been saving money toward your down payment, note that, as well. Finally, ask yourself where you can tighten your belt with your existing discretionary purchases. This is the maximum amount you could pay per month. Now ask yourself if this is reasonable, given your current savings and possible expenses. Only you know the answer to that. When you’ve arrived at a comfortable number, write it down, and save your calculations. You’ll take this to the bank when you apply for loan preapproval. For now, you have an estimated payment you can use while shopping online.
Continue reading

Posted in For Buyers | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Three Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home

Buyers only get one first look at a property, and they don’t want to use their imagination. They assume the house they see is as good as it’s going to get. If you want your home to sell, step out of your comfort zone and think like a buyer. Here are three ways to help you turn your house into the home of someone else’s dreams. We’ve broken down each category into low-cost, “Basic” tips and tricks, and an “All-Out” blow-the-budget transformation. How far you take it is up to you.
Continue reading

Posted in For Sellers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Executives’ Monthly

February 2012

What a start to the New Year!! January set unprecedented numbers in its average price category. We here at The eXecutives are off to a busy start as well as the entire brokerage here at Realty Executives Saskatoon. This is going to be a great year, and the January numbers have confirmed a quick start!

The average price for the month of January was up 6% from last year and 1.7% from December 2011; coming in at $318,163.00. The List-to-Sell ratio was 46%, so for the most part, every 1 out of 2 houses listed last month was sold.

The Sellers in this quick-start year have noticed it as well, as there were 131 more properties for sale than last month. The New Year always tends to bring higher prices for building materials (especially concrete). In talking with my own builder as well as a few others that I know, the price of the same home that they built two months ago, will be at the very minimum, $5K higher than the previous build. The advantage to them is that our ever-busy market will support it!

This city we live in is an exciting place to be at the moment. It is growing by leaps and bounds. In turn, our infrastructure is changing to accommodate the growth. We should finally have a “Circle” Drive by the end of the year. And, to further oblige the influx of people (and the new neighbourhoods that are expanding on a daily basis), we may see a quick start to the proposed North Bridge by as early as next year.

What a place to be! What a city to live in! I believe we are firmly on the way to becoming the central hub of this great country!

‘Til next month,

the eXecutives

Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Lifestyle and Community, News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment