Looking To Buy a Home in Winnipeg, or surrounding areas in Manitoba?

There is a lot more to buying a home than first meets the eye, but if you take it step by step the real estate buying process can be enjoyable and exciting.

If you are a first time home buyer, the real estate process may seem overwhelming. With so many houses for sale and the current real estate market conditions in Winnipeg, it is difficult to know where the best real estate deals are. Our First Time Buyer’s Guide will steer you through the real estate buying process. It covers topics such as:

Benefits of home ownership
Are you ready to buy a house?
How much can you reasonably afford?
Budgeting for a down payment, mortgage payments, property tax and heating costs
Some costs associated with buying real estate
Questions you should you ask when assessing home features
Location, location, location. Here are some factors to consider when looking at homes for sale
Noise and privacy issues you need to consider
Benefits of purchasing a new home vs. a resale home
Money-saving tips for when shopping for your dream home

Should you buy a condo? As single-family home prices have risen across Winnipeg, many consumers have been looking to condominiums as an alternative. First time buyers like the lower prices, which make entry into the real estate ownership market easier. Seniors like the low maintenance aspect and the ability to be in a community catering to their lifestyle. Others like the security advantages that the building provides, especially for those who travel frequently.

Whether you are a first time home buyer, a senior or somewhere in between, check out our Condo Buyers Guide before looking at homes for sale. This guide outlines the advantages and disadvantages of condo ownership, and explains what you need to know and questions you should ask your real estate agent before buying a condominium.

Calculate your mortgage payments.
Discover what you can afford.
Determine if you should rent or buy a home.

When looking for homes for sale, and definitely before writing an offer, you should be fully aware of all the expenses involved with buying a home. Some expenses are one-time costs and others are continuous costs. Check out our quick reference list before putting pen to paper. For example, some typical home ownership expenses are:

GST and PST
Land transfer tax
Property taxes and adjustments
Strata fees (if buying a condo or town home)
Property insurance
Home inspection fee
Legal fees for registering the property

There are six common mistakes home buyers make, especially when buying their first home or condo. These common home buying mistakes are:

Not getting pre-qualified for a mortgage.
Not shopping around for the best mortgage terms.
Not getting a home/ condo professionally inspected.
Not using a professional agent.
First buying a new home and then trying to sell your old home.
Not knowing the full cost of buying a home.

Contact your real estate agent for more details about these common real estate buying mistakes and how to avoid them.

RE/MAX professionals lead the industry in terms of experience, education and real estate sales. In Western Canada, our real estate agents average about 16 years of experience, and across the network, hold a higher number of professional designations than associates of any single competitor in the real estate industry. There are endless benefits to working with a RE/MAX professionals real estate agent in Winnipeg.

Start your search for homes for sale in Winnipeg, Manitoba and surrounding areas with RE/MAX professionals.

Happy house hunting!