One of the most overwhelming things about buying a home is not knowing what you don't know, which is why you work with a Realtor®!

As your Grande Prairie Realtor® I have helped facilitate 600+ real estate transactions which means I have experience in all areas of real estate and can help walk you through the entire home buying experience! Let's say that you like to do research and would like to know beforehand what you might not know...if so here's some things:

1. Any Realtor® can do a showing for you at any house that is listed, NOT only the Realtor® who's name is on the sign

2. You might not want the Realtor® representing you to also be the selling Realtor® as it could be a conflict of interest and they cannot advise both sides.

3. When working with a Realtor® they will have you sign a buyer's agreement. There are two types: exclusive and non-exclusive. An exclusive agreement means that you are tied to that Realtor® and cannot use another one unless they terminate the agreement with you, whereas a non-exclusive lets you switch at any time. (I only use non-exclusive).

4. Getting a pre-approval before you begin house shopping can save you heartbreak and time down the road (even if you already own). Working with an experienced Mortgage Broker can make the whole process a lot easier! 

5. When you find a house you want to buy an offer is made. This document outlines conditions that the buyer has such as sale of home, financing approval, and a property inspection being completed, along with seller conditions such as them finding a new property. It also includes price and possession date and any extras that may be included in the sale. It depends on the market, but oftentimes an offer is just a starting point for negotiations, however if the offer is too low it can end negotiations immediately. 

6. If any condition is not waived and the deal crashes, the deposit will be returned to the buyer.

7. The sale is not final until all conditions are waived. Once all conditions are waived neither party can back out. If they do back out they could get sued by the other party. 

8. As the new buyer, at your lawyer signing appointment you will bring a cheque for the down payment, lawyer fees, and any property taxes remaining for the year. Seller's either pay taxes monthly or yearly but depending on the time of year the buyer may get a credit (if sale is before June and the Seller pays yearly), or a debit (if it's after June and the seller has paid taxes for the year).

9. All utilities need to be changed to your name beginning on possession day. All utility companies can set this up in advance. 

10. The mortgage payments will not begin until after possession. 

BONUS TIP: The seller does not have to accept but in your offer you can request to include additional items in the sale such as kitchen table, a lawn tractor, or chairs.