The Major Elements Of An Offer

The purchase of a home isn't at all like buying a chocolate bar from a convenience store, or even like buying a large piece of furniture. There's legalities to consider, items to move, systems to check and so on. To make sure all of these things are taken care of, there's a process. You know, the home buying process and the home selling process we so often talk about. An important initial part of the process for both buying and selling is the Offer to Purchase, or Buyer's Offer if your prefer. So, regardless if you find yourself on the selling side of things, familiarizing yourself with the Offer to Purchase will be a beneficial step that'll help you and your Realtor negotiate and refine when the time comes to get back to the buyer. Here are the major…

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The Open House Pause

Last week, on the morning of November 19, 2020, the Saskatchewan Realtors Association (SRA) made the decision to temporarily put a stop to all open houses under its Realtors until the end of the year.

What Does This Mean?

This open house pause means that, at least until the end of the year, any home on the market can only be viewed by appointment. This decision has been made so that we, as Realtors, are doing our part to respect public health. Keeping our clients - both buyers and sellers - safe from the risk of community transmission during this time is important to us.

In addition to making an appointment with your Realtor to see a home, you will still have access to see all of the full listings online. Virtual tours are another…

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House Hunting During A Pandemic

Covid-19 has changed the way we live, work and play. It's changed the way we shop at businesses, and changed the way we conduct business ourselves. This change has negatively impacted the world's housing market. Buyers have become more unsure than ever about starting the process, and sellers are hesitant to even put their homes up for sale. With precautions and orders in place to slow the spread of the virus, being physically present for any part of the home buying or selling process is difficult, sometimes impossible, to do. Experts in Canada, as well as worldwide, are making ominous predictions about the housing market's future based on the results they are seeing right now.

But is that truly the case? Should we really be worried and…

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How To: Choose the Perfect Flooring

Selecting the perfect flooring can be challenging, since it's a significant part of the overall design. On top of that, there are innumerable options available. Choosing flooring is not just about a selection, it's also about combining materials to complement your style, and balancing your budget. The right flooring can make all the difference, enhancing the look of any space and adding value to your home. A sizable investment, flooring renovations are the third most costly renos within the home - kitchen and washroom are the first two.

Products are spectacularly well-made now, which means that in theory, flooring can last approximately 25 years. Your body will completely regenerate its cells, three to four times in this time; how will the 2045 you…

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Buyer Appraisal Tips: How to Get the Deal You Want

You’re in the thick of things now. You’ve gotten pre-approval from the bank, you’ve hunted down the house you want, you’ve signed the purchase agreement and now you’re dealing with a home appraisal before the bank officially approves your loan.

The Basics

Before we get to the negotiating tips, we need to understand how the appraisal process works. You wouldn’t start playing a game of football without knowing the rules, right? Understand first, play to your advantage after.

Your loan lender chooses an appraiser from your area to assess an opinion of value, or rather, how much the house is worth. This appraiser is a licensed and certified professional who is unbiased – they do not represent you or the seller. This is done so that the home…

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7 Feelings Home Buyers Have During the Process

There are many emotions home buyers have when buying a home. Here are some we've compiled that we know you can relate to!

1) Every emotion, hitting you all at once

Gotta get approved, gotta have an inspection, gotta know what you want, gotta look at homes, gotta do this, gotta do that...Thinking about the whole process during the beginning stages of home buying fills you with stress you didn't know was possible, and emotions you didn't know you were capable of feeling. And sometimes, those emotions hit you like falling boxes. First you're excited to look for what you want, then you're sad because the weight of what you can actually afford hits you. Anxiety hits you next, because your brain is pushing doubts about the long term to the forefront. And…

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All About the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) System

You've seen those six digit numbers associated with house listings. You know they're used for identification. You know there's a whole system dedicated to identifying almost every house for sale. But do you know why the system exists, or who it's for? Do you wonder why these numbers even matter, especially if a home is listed online? Well, you've come to the right place. We're going to tell you everything you need and want to know about the Multiple Listing System (MLS®) in Canada.

WHAT IS MLS®?

First off, MLS is an acronym. It stands for Multiple Listing Service. This service is actually an extensive database owned and operated by Realtors across the country. Imagine if the software you use for work everyday was available to the public…

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The Initial Costs of Home Ownership

Listed below is a basic overview of some of the costs that may or may not come up in your particular situation when you purchase a home here in Saskatchewan. These costs are approximations only and are subject to change. They serve to help you plan as a homeowner or potential homeowner. When you do decide to buy a home, you'll discuss your personal situation with your Century 21 Realtor and go over the exact costs.

A down payment is the lump sum of money that your lender expects you to put into your purchase at the start. Typically, between 5% and 20% of the purchase price. Traditionally, the rule was always 20%. This amount has changed over the years, since homes and the cost of living have drastically gone up in price. A majority of folks…

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7 Things to Notice at an Open House

Open houses may be staged to look like a home decor dream, but don't let that distract you from the real reason you're there; to potentially buy the home! Make sure you can see past that neatly arranged furniture to focus on whether or not that the house will be a good fit for your needs. To help out, here's our home buyer checklist of 7 things to take note of during an open house:

1. Windows

Check the windows to see if they face the right direction to let sunlight in and have a good view. Another thing to note with windows is their age. Older windows have a tendency to be drafty (from use over the years). If there's enough of an air leak, it could negatively impact your home's heating bill in winter and cooling bill in summer. 

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