Although there are many important decisions to make when buying a home and a key issue for most buyers is finding a location that is perfect for them. This can be an intimidating prospect, as wants, needs and finances may conflict with each other. As a Realtor specializing in Relocation, this is where I can help ease your anxiety.
You may already know how much you can spend, what you want your house to look like, how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need but finding these criteria in the right neighbourhood can be daunting. Before you get flustered, I recommend asking yourself these key questions:
1) Are you an Urban or Suburban Dweller? Suburban homes can often be more spacious and less expensive than their urban counterparts. They provide distance from the hustle and bustle of busy metropolitan centres. Spending long hours commuting however, is not everyone’s cup of tea. If you want to be close to the pulse of the city, where walking to shops, restaurants and public transportation are viable options, then urban living may be a better choice for you.
2) Old house or new house? Older homes in established neighbourhoods tend to exude charm. Sometimes, however, ‘charm’ refers to an older house and a property that may require more constant care and maintenance. Newer homes, often found in less established neighbourhoods, are usually more spacious and come equipped with ‘state of the art’ amenities. For the past decade or more, Toronto has seen the ‘refurbishing’ of some of its more established neighbourhoods, where older homes have been torn down to make way for larger, more amenity-friendly new ones. Another popular option is to buy an older house and totally renovate it so that the ‘old charm’ continues to exist alongside modern amenities. This option is often a great compromise and can be found today in many Toronto neighbourhoods.
3) What can you afford? It is very important (and will save you from hassle and stress later in your house buying endeavours) that you have your financial status pre-qualified before you even set out to discover your ‘dream home’. This will help you better secure your future home in a competitive market.
4) How long do you plan to stay in this home? Your needs and wants may change in a few years time. The perfect home of today may no longer meet your needs five years from now. Although you can’t always predict where life will take you, stopping to think about where you’d like to be may help you make a more informed house buying decision.
5) What is on your list of ‘must haves’ and what is your ‘wish list’? As a Buyer you probably have a pre-determined idea of what, at minimum, you must have in a home; items such as number of bedrooms and bathrooms, parking, etcetera. It is a good idea to write a ‘must have’ list and itemize what is most important to you. Once you have completed your ‘must haves’ list, make your ‘wish list’. This would be comprised of items that you feel not necessities but that you’d ‘love to have’ in your dream home (i.e. central air, fireplace, swimming pool etcetera). keep both lists in mind as you house hunt.
Along with Listing and Selling properties within Toronto, I regularly help people who are relocating from outside the GTA. Exposing my clients to a variety of Toronto neighbourhoods is the best method of helping them decide what feels right for them. Using their list of ‘must haves’ along with price range and reproducing them in several areas that meet their criteria (i.e. proximity to work, schools, parks, public transit, and any other essential considerations important to them) is usually the most helpful. I liken it to exposing clients to neighbourhoods in a smorgasbord type of fashion. After they have ‘tasted’ the various neighbourhoods, I begin to narrow and refocus the search into a manageable number of choices. It’s the duty of a diligent and caring Realtor to listen and expose the client to the more probable possibilities. People depend on their Realtor to help them validate their impressions of an area with its reality.
A home….a community…. a neighbourhood…it’s where lives are lived and where memories are made. Finding that picture-perfect house in that perfect neighbourhood can be a challenge, but once the task is completed there are few things more satisfying.
For more information please contact Heidi Nelson
Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
Business: 416.441.2888 ext. 400, Toll free: 1.888.452.5537, Cell: 416-720.0356
