5 Essential Tips for New Home Buyers
- May 7, 2015
- By Cody Battershill
5 Essential & Easy-to-Follow Tips for New Calgary Home Buyers
Buying a new home is very exciting but can also be a daunting task. How do you know where to buy, what to buy, or that you are getting a good price with good resale potential with your new home?
Discover the answers to these questions by following these five simple new home buyers tips and be well on your way to a successful purchase!
#1 – Determine what you can afford
One of the most crucial steps in buying a new home is to figure out what your budget is and then get pre-approval for a mortgage. This way you can begin your home search without any questions as to what price point to begin browsing in and will also help narrow down the choices you have.
#2 – Use an experienced real estate agent
Save yourself a lot of work and hire a real estate agent to take care of all the new home purchasing details for you. By doing so you will also receive expert advice on floor plans, finishings and locations from your agent; he / she will also act as your third-party representative between you and the builder while keeping your best interests at heart.
Real estate agents typically have a network of other professionals they work with in the home buying and selling process meaning that you won’t have to find a real estate lawyer or mortgage specialist, that is unless you have contacts of your own that you specifically want to use instead.
#3 – Choose a type of new home that fits your lifestyle
Do you need a garage, and if so, would you prefer attached or detached? If a garage is not important, would a laned home with the option to build a garage later on suffice? Are a ton of customizable options a must? What about inside features such as bedroom and bathroom count, or a basement walkout for a potential secondary suite rental? Is a bonus room upstairs something that you and your family would love spending time together in? Do you need to have a personal workspace and / or office at home?
By answering these questions, you’ll be able to find that perfect new home that fits your lifestyle best and also keeps you within the boundary of your budget by eliminating features that aren’t “must-haves”.
#4 – Research different locations
One of the most important variables in any real estate purchase is location! Take your time when researching new home communities because you will never be completely satisfied with your new home purchase unless you also enjoy the neighbourhood.
Ask yourself more questions: is an in-community elementary or junior high school something you and the kids would enjoy? How convenient would it be and how long would it take for you to drive to work? Is public transportation an option to get there? Are you satisfied with the amount of amenities nearby? What about access to outdoor recreational areas and playgrounds?
Besides the community location itself, lot location is just as important.
More questions: would you prefer living on a quieter street in a low-traffic cul-de-sac? Is a west facing back-yard something that you can envision having summer barbecues in? Do you prefer backing out onto a park so that you aren’t directly facing the back of another home? Perhaps you would like a north / south facing home so that the amount of sun entering throughout the day is kept to a minimum?
You can never spend enough time on determining what community and lot location is best for you.
#5 – Maintain and enjoy your home!
Your new home is likely one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. Keeping up with seasonal maintenance will go a long way in keep your resale value as high as possible if and when the time comes. See our lists below for a more in-depth look into maintaining your new home:
Questions About New Calgary Homes?
As a top-producing REMAX real estate agent, I can help you find the type of new home that fits your wants, needs and lifestyle best. Contact me anytime at 403-370-4180 or message me below; I am looking forward to helping you accomplish your real estate plans! 
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