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Should you Buy a Resale or a New-Build?


If you're thinking about buying a new home, you may be considering purchasing in a new development.


How does that compare to purchasing a resale property?


Buying a newly-built home has some advantages. Depending on the development, you may have leeway in the style of the home and the lot you choose. Also, when the home is built, you'll be moving into a place where everything is brand new!


On the downside, however, you may be forced to make a decision based purely on marketing brochures and floor plans. Unless there's a model home just like the one you want, you'll be buying sight unseen. Also, there may be unpredictable construction delays — an unpleasant experience if you've already sold your current property.


Of course, buying a resale home may also have a downside. For example, the house might need work, such as a new roof. What you see is pretty much what you get. And, that’s true for the floor plan too. You can't ask for the living room to be five feet wider, unless you decide to renovate.


On the other hand, a big advantage of a resale home is moving into a neighbourhood that is already there for you to see and explore. Unlike in a new development, you can get a very clear idea of what it’s going to be like to live there.


Plus, you get to see the house too!


Regardless of which way you go, I can help you make the best decision and find the home that's perfect for you. Call today.

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Stay or Move? 5 Questions that Help you Decide


It can be tough to make the decision to sell. In fact, for many homeowners, it's overwhelming. If you're considering making a move and struggling with the decision, here are five helpful questions to ask yourselves:


1. "What are our practical reasons for selling?"

This question refers to what you'll get by moving to a new home. The reasons could include a bigger backyard, shorter commute to work, an extra bedroom, a more desirable neighbourhood, etc.


2. "What are our emotional reasons for selling?"
This question refers to how you'll feel about living in a new home. For example, you might feel safer, less cramped, less worried (because the local schools are better), or happier (because the shorter commute means more time with your family.)


3. "What type of new home can we afford?"
This question involves finding out how much you'll likely get when you sell your existing home and how much of a mortgage you qualify to receive. With that information, you'll have a price range within which you can comfortably shop plus a clear idea of what your mortgage payments will be.


4. "In what ways will our lifestyle be better in a new home?"
This ties in closely with emotional reasons for selling. It relates to what your life will be like in a new home. Try to paint a picture in your mind. For example, you might want to be able to spend Saturday afternoons relaxing in your bigger backyard or Sunday nights entertaining friends and family in your larger living room.


5. "What else do we need to know before we decide to sell and move?"
Sometimes people are hesitant about selling simply because they have unanswered questions.So, if there's any part of the selling and buying process that’s not clear, be sure to ask me.


Did thinking about these questions help make the decision easier? If you need more help or want to talk about your decision, call today!

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Victoria Real Estate Market Stalemate Continues


A total of 696 properties sold in the Victoria Real Estate Board region this April, 10 per cent fewer than the 774 properties sold in April 2018 but an 8.8 per cent increase from March 2019. Sales of condominiums were down 9.8 per cent from April 2018 with 203 units sold but were up from March 2019 by 3.6 per cent. Sales of single family homes were down 12 per cent from April 2018 with 369 sold.


"Spring has been a non-traditional real estate market thus far,” says Victoria Real Estate Board President Cheryl Woolley. “Consumer purchasing power continues to be negatively impacted by the B20 mortgage stress test, causing many buyers to step back while they save more money for a down payment.”


There were 2,751 active listings for sale on the Victoria Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service® at the end of April 2019, an increase of 13 per cent compared to the month of March and a 37.4 per cent increase from the 2,002 active listings for sale at the end of April 2018.


The Multiple Listing Service® Home Price Index benchmark value for a single family home in the Victoria Core in April 2018 was $874,800. The benchmark value for the same home in April 2019 decreased by 3.4 per cent to $845,100, higher than March’s value of $843,600. The MLS® HPI benchmark value for a condominium in the Victoria Core area in April 2018 was $506,900, while the benchmark value for the same condominium in April 2019 increased by 1 per cent to $511,700, higher than March's value of $506,500.


“Prices have remained reasonably flat across the region and are expected to stay that way,” adds President Woolley. “Presently, REALTORS® are busy showing homes and bringing new listings to the market, but with few new options to view, we are still seeing multiple offer situations when that right property does become available. Given the current dynamic and evolving market conditions, it’s a good time to chat with your Realtor about a personal plan for buying or selling a property.”

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Imagine driving through a desirable neighbourhood and, just as you turn a corner, you see the absolutely perfect home. Guess what? It's for sale! But, there’s a problem. Your current property isn't on the market. In fact, until this moment, you hadn’t seriously considered moving.


So what do you do?


Your first step is to find out more about the listing. Get a description of the property. Find out the listing price. Check out the size, layout, number of bedrooms and other features. If it all looks good, schedule a viewing.


Chances are, you can do all that in less than a day.


If you go to see the property and still love it, your next step is to determine if it fits within your budget. To do that, you'll need to quickly find out the Current Market Value of your home — what it will likely sell for — so you can determine how much money you'll have available after your outstanding mortgage and any other costs are deducted. It’s a smart idea to speak to your lender about getting a pre-approved mortgage at this point too.


Next, you'll need to make an offer on the new home. Depending on the competitiveness of the neighbourhood, and the likelihood of multiple offers, you might need to list your home first. That, along with a pre-approved mortgage, will make your offer more credible.


You might end up buying the new home before your current property sells. Although that might cause some jitters, this scenario happens all the time in real estate. If you do the right things, and prepare your home properly, there's a good probability it will sell in time and that everything else regarding the two transactions will go smoothly.


But, you do need to move quickly and make some fast decisions if you want to get that perfect home.


I can help. Call me.

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MLS® property information is provided under copyright© by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board and Victoria Real Estate Board. The information is from sources deemed reliable, but should not be relied upon without independent verification.