New Year’s Resolutions for Waterloo Region Home Buyers and Home Sellers
Happy New Year!
Every New Year brings with it the chance for a fresh start and the opportunity to set the goals for the coming year. It’s that time of the year when you promise you’ll go to the gym more often, or you’ll eat healthier, spend less time at the office or maybe even buy or sell a home to really make a change in 2018.
If you are one of those considering buying a Waterloo Region home in 2018 or selling the one you already own, then now is the time to start planning and strategizing to do just that. Here then are some New Year’s resolutions you can make that will help you reach your real estate goals in 2018, whether that means buying, selling or both.
New Year’s Resolutions for Home Sellers
Clean and Organize – Getting your home ready for its big debut on the property market can be time-consuming and sometimes even frustrating, but why not get started now, when the New Year has you in that ‘take action’ mindset.
Take stock of what needs to be done (sort through the clutter, repaint that fading paintwork in the bathroom, remove some of the more distracting personal items etc.) and then make an action plan to get it all done. And don’t forget, you don’t need to go it alone. From help fixing a long-standing – and long-ignored – plumbing issue to help staging your place so that it is at its best for those first showings there are lots of great Waterloo Region professionals out there to help you.
Decide on Your Timeline – Do you intend to purchase a new Waterloo Region home at the same time as you sell the one you have? You do need to be rather intentional with your timing as paying two mortgages at the same time is not something that anyone wants to have to do.
Will it be possible to delay purchasing a new place until the current one is sold? How quickly will you need to be in your new location? These are things you should consider now to create at least a rough timeline to help ensure a smoother move.
Find Your Realtor – You are going to need a good Realtor on your side to get your home sold as quickly as possible and for the right price. And choosing the right one for you is important. These folks are going to be in your life for at least a few months and it’s crucial that you are comfortable with them. It’s OK to ask to interview Realtors, by the way, we are used to it and will be happy to oblige.
New Year’s Resolutions for Home Buyers
Review Your Finances – Do you have the cash available for a downpayment? Do you know how much you can realistically afford to spend on a home? These are calculations you need to do now, not forgetting all of the extras that come along with homeownership on a monthly basis in addition to your basic mortgage payment.
Check Your Credit – Have you checked your credit report recently? If not, now is the time to do so. Often when people do they find errors there that could significantly impact their ability to get the mortgage they want. Such errors are relatively easy to fix, but you have to know about them first, so get checking those reports right now (or soon anyway, you can finish your New Year’s champagne first.)
Get Preaprroval – Getting mortgage pre-approval is the single most important thing any home buyer can do before they head off to start looking at homes. Getting this is helpful for everyone. It lets you know exactly how much money you have to work with and lets sellers know you really are serious about buying a home, making them far more likely to seriously consider any offers you might make on their property.
If buying or selling a Waterloo Region home is a goal for you this year, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Whatever your plans are for 2018, we hope you have a very happy and prosperous New Year!