Why should I buy, instead of rent?
Your home is an investment. When you rent, you write your monthly cheque and that money is gone forever. When you own your home the value of your home may increase over the years acting as a sound investment. Finally, you'll enjoy having something that's all yours - a home with your own personal style.

Should I use an Estate Agent?
Using an estate agent is a very good idea. All the details involved in home buying, particularly the financial ones, can be mind-boggling. A good estate agency professional can guide you through the entire process and make the experience much easier. An estate agent will be well-acquainted with all the important things you'll want to know about a neighborhood you may be considering...the quality of schools, the number of children in the area, the safety of the neighborhood, traffic volume, and more. He or she will help you figure the price range you can afford and provide viewings for homes you'll want to see. With immediate access to homes as soon as they're put on the market, the estate agent can save you hours of wasted driving-around time. When it's time to make an offer on a home, the estate agent can handle this for you.

How much money will I have to come up with to buy a home?
This depends on a number of factors, including the cost of the house and the type of mortgage you get. Once you have decided to purchase your new home you first have to determine how much you can afford to spend. We would reccomend that you contact our Mortgage advisor who will guide you through the process and determine your comfortable spending limit.

• Is the asking price in line with prices of similar properties in the area?
• Is the home in good condition or will you have to spend a substantial amount of money making it the way you want it? You might want to get a professional home inspection before you make your offer.
• How much mortgage will be required? Make sure you really can afford whatever offer you make.
• How much do you really want the property? The closer you are to the asking price, the more likely your offer will be accepted. In some cases, you may even want to offer more than the asking price, if you know you are competing with others for the house.