About to finalize buying your home? What are the closing costs you need to be aware of? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss the additional costs you need to be aware of when buying a home, when they occur and where they come from. We also discuss if you can buy a home without any closing costs.   Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/what-are-closing-costs-when-buying-a-home-or-a-condo   We discuss the following items:  What are the closing c ..read more

Should you buy a home before or after you are married? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss the pros and cons of buying a home before and after getting married. You'll learn key family and economic conditions that will impact your decision to buy a home.   Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/pros-and-cons-buying-a-home-before-and-after-marriage   We discuss the following items:  Pros and cons of buying a home before marriage Pros and cons of ..read more

Planning on buying your first home this year? What are the top mistakes other first time home buyers make and how do you avoid them? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss some common mistakes when buying your first home such as assuming every home on the market is a good buy or being not ready to actually make a purchase.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/avoid-biggest-first-time-home-buyer-mistakes   We discuss the following items:  ..read more

Before buying a home, what do you need to consider and prepare for? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss what are the top five things you absolutely MUST consider before buying a home for the first time.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/top-5-things-to-consider-when-buying-a-home-for-the-first-time   We discuss the following items:  What you must consider before before buying a home including: Understanding the value of a home Th ..read more

Thinking about buying a home in 2020? What are some things you need to consider? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss what are the key factors to look if you are planning to buy a home in 2020. We explore if you should time the market and what non-monetary reasons to consider.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/should-i-wait-to-buy-a-house-in-2020   We discuss the following items:  Should you buy a home in 2020? Should you try to ti ..read more

Ready to sell your home? Is staging your home required?  In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, realtor with Remax First, and discuss if staging actually helps sell your home faster. We explore how to make your home "less personal" for visitors and if it's better to have an empty home or a staged home. Finally, we provide some DIY staging tips if you don't want to pay for professional staging.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/does-staging-your-home-help-it-sell   We disc ..read more

Wondering what the true cost of homeownership is? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, realtor with Remax First, and discuss all the costs when buying and owning a home that aren't readily apparent. We talk about home maintenance costs and how location not just affects your home's cost but also lifestyle. We also explore the costs associated with new and resale homes.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/hidden-costs-when-buying-a-house   We discuss the following items:  ..read more

Wondering what the differences are between closing costs and a down payment? How do they affect you when buying a home? In this episode, we talk with Troy Champ, Mortgage Advisor with Mortgage Tree and discuss the differences between the two, how closing costs are applied when buying a home, what home builders may cover. Finally, we also look at differences between the two regarding new and resale homes.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: http://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/are-down-payments-and-closing-costs-the-same   ..read more

Planning to buy a new home? Wondering if you should buy new or used? What are the pros and cons? In this episode, we talk with Cory McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, and discuss whether to buy a new or resale home and the benefits of each. We talk about pricing and additional fees as well as the impact of location when making your decision.    Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/pros-and-cons-of-buying-new-vs.-resale-home   We discuss the following items:  Pr ..read more

What's the best way to light up your home's interior? How about for every room? In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Hotchkiss, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss how to choose lighting for your home, lighting maintenance, as well as the best lighting design for each room of your home. We also explore different lighting design ideas.  Prefer to watch the video or read and take notes? See the transcript: https://stories.brookfieldresidential.com/homebuyersschool/plan-interior-lighting-design-for-my-home    We discuss the following items:  How do you ..read more