Here are 6 steps to buying a house or a condominium in Winnipeg. Whether you are a first time buyer, upsizing or downsizing, following these steps will make purchasing a home a little easier.

1. Winnipegs Real Estate Blog - Bo Kauffmann, REALTOR®
Info and Tips for Buyers and Sellers of Winnipeg Real Estate - http://blog.winnipeghomefinder.com
6 important steps to buying a house or condo
by Bo Kauffmann - Wednesday, October 30, 2013
http://blog.winnipeghomefinder.com/6-important-steps-buying-house-condo/
6 steps to buying your new home
.
Buying a home for the first time can be quite stressful and challenging. First time home buyers
are surrounded by a large number of questions. If you are buying a home for the first time,
perhaps you are busy thinking whether to hire a real estate agent or do the house hunting on your
own. Budget and mortgage are other factors that may trouble you. You may be unaware of what
extra expenses you may need to bear while purchasing a home. This article offers some tips to
first time home buyers, to simplify their purchase.
Find a REALTOR®
A REALTOR® is far more aware of the real estate market of your nation, than you. A skilled real
estate agent can prove to be a great help during your house hunting. You can find realtors through
friends or online. When you meet realtors, enquire about the experience of each and success rate.
Make sure to hire one with whom you feel comfortable. Explain your realtor about the aspects
which hold priority for you, like schools, neighborhoods and community groups.
Apply for pre-approved mortgage.
This would help you to set the maximum amount for mortgage and the rates of interest. This
would in turn set your budget, prior to your starting it the house hunting. A mortgage application
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2. Winnipegs Real Estate Blog - Bo Kauffmann, REALTOR®
Info and Tips for Buyers and Sellers of Winnipeg Real Estate - http://blog.winnipeghomefinder.com
also allows the seller to know that you are really serious about the purchase of a home.
Prepare a budget that includes all extra expenses.
There are a number of extra costs involved in the purchase of a home, such as utility hookups,
new appliances and moving. The moving costs always vary, with the average being $1,000.
Utility costs for phone and electricity would range from $150 to $250. The survey costs, title
insurance and appraisal fees should also be added to your budget.
Prepare for bearing the closing costs.
A Real estate agent Burswood, advices buyers to keep aside almost 4% of the home price as the
closing costs. One of the major closing costs is the land transfer taxes.
Purchase a home that you can really afford.
You cannot enjoy your life, if the entire money you earn goes for the payment of your home. The
minimum amount of down payment is usually 5%. Paying more as the down payment leads to a
reduction in your costs. If the down payment is lesser, there is almost no equity left in your home.
If the down payment is lower than 20%, you may need mortgage loan insurance. This may result
in extra costs and higher rates of interest.
Inspect the home well.
It is wise to examine the house well, before considering it for purchase. Seek the help of a skilled
home inspector, who would help you to detect any major damages. This would also safeguard
you from paying additional costs on repair in future.
Conclusion:
These are the major steps a home buyer should take to make a successful purchase of home. A
buyer should make an offer of purchasing a house with the advice of a professional real estate
agent, preferably an Accredited Buyer Representative. Also, it is very important for a buyer,
especially a first time one, to keep emotions in check while negotiating with a home seller.
Sellers may try to make the buyer buy in impulse, which can prove to be a wrong decision.
Author’s Bio: Alisa Martin is a proficient guest blogger penning down articles on real estate.
Her articles are highly informative and useful for the readers.
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3. Buying a home may be the largest and most complex financial
transaction you ever undertake. If you’re ready to buy a home,
wouldn’t you prefer to work with the most qualified real estate
professional you can find?
An Accredited Buyer’s Representative stands out in the crowd.
If your REALTOR®
holds the ABR®
designation, you can trust that
they have the extra edge when it comes to KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE.
an Accredited Buyer’s
Representative?
Why Work with
The ABR®
designation is awarded by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the National Association of REALTORS®
.
To learn more about REBAC and access various homebuyer resources, please visit www.REBAC.net.
The ABR®
designation is only
awarded to licensed real estate
professionals who complete
specialized training that gives
them the edge in understanding a
buyer’s perspective and protecting
and promoting their buyer-clients’
interests. Before earning the ABR®
designation, buyer’s reps must also
demonstrate proven experience in
representing buyers. Further, they
are committed to maintaining their
professional edge by staying current
on the latest issues and trends in
buyer representation.
When you work with an ABR®
, you’ll
be served, not sold. Your interests
become their interests. They’ll
make your home buying experience
go as smoothly and successfully
as possible.
You can expect your ABR®
to:
• Understand your specific needs
and wants, and locate appropriate
properties
• Assist you in determining how
much you can afford (pre-qualify
your mortgage)
• Preview and/or accompany you
in viewing properties
• Advise you in formulating your offer
• Help you develop your negotiating
strategy
• Provide a list of qualified vendors
(inspectors, attorneys, lenders, etc.)
for other services you may need
• Keep track of every detail throughout
the transaction—to closing and
beyond
Not all buyer’s representatives
are equal. Only a buyer’s rep who
has earned the Accredited Buyer’s
Representative designation has made
the extra effort to raise the bar, with
additional training and experience.
If you work with an ABR®
, you can feel
confident that you’ll receive the highest
level of buyer-representation services.
The ABR®
designation is awarded
by the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent
Council (REBAC), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the National Association
of REALTORS®
(NAR).
Why?

4. Valuable Real Estate
Information Resources
Winnipeg Home Finder
If you’re looking to buy, or sell a property
in Winnipeg, check out this website.
It contains links to all
Re/Max Condo Listings, all
Re/Max House Listings and even
Re/Max Luxury Property Listings.
Winnipeg’s Real Estate Blog
Bo Kauffmann, REALTOR®
After retiring from the Winnipeg Police Service, Bo joined Remax Performance Realty
and quickly became on of Winnipeg’s top producing REALTORS®. You can find him on
Facebook, follow him on Twitter and Google+, and connect with him on LinkedIn.
Winnipeg’s Real Estate Blog and Winnipeg Home Finder are trademarks of Bo Kauffmann, REALTOR®

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