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The status certificate is a document, that provides basic and essential information concerning the financial status of a unit and of the condo corporation. Its focus is to inform a prospective owner of the fees, of any large increase that is going to come into effect, of any special assessment that is being contemplated by the board, and any arrears or lien that a particular suite might have. In addition, it contains the condo declaration, by-laws, budget, reserve fund, insurance, management contract, rules, minutes of the last annual general meeting, and mention of any lawsuit involving the corporation. The condo board is responsible for managing the budget for the overall condo, which includes upkeep, repairs, and improvements to the common elements on the property. Common elements are typically anything outside of your unit such as elevators, lobby, amenity facilities, etc. For this reason, you’ll want to make sure that the condo board is fiscally responsible and can handle necessary repairs that come up now and in the future. The purpose of status certificates is to allow potential buyers of condo units to have as much information as possible about their unit as well as the physical and fiscal situation of a building. Certificates also allow prospective owners to find out what the rules are, including whether pets are allowed, fitness facilities, swimming pools, barbecues, smoking, etc. Reviewing a status certificate can be complex and contain key information within dozens of pages, we recommend having an experienced Real Estate lawyer review the status certificate for you. A lawyer will know the key information to look for, how to interpret the information and will typically summarize the key points and what you should be aware of. When shopping around for a condo, your real estate agent will be happy to help and connect you with a real estate lawyer to review the status certificate for your property and provide you with a comprehensive, yet understandable summary. (Source: condoinformation.ca; deeded.ca)
For many, a home purchase can be one of the biggest decisions of your life. It is also a process that can be met with both stress and uncertainty. This is perfectly normal! Having a strong understanding of the buying process is important in navigating this uncertainty and remaining positive throughout. If you're planning to buy a home in the near future, I advise you to follow these simple Steps. Save for a down payment. In Canada it is required to have 5% of the purchase price of a house under $500,000. For homes between $500,000 and $999,999, you need 5% for the first $500,000 of the purchase price and 10% for the amount above $500,000. For homes costing $1 million or more, the minimum down payment is 20%. It is important to know how much of a down payment you can afford before starting your home search, as this can determine what you are eligible to buy. Build your credit score. Do you know your credit score? you need to monitor your credit score to ensure you qualify for the best possible rate. Some easy tips to improve your credit score are; Don’t open/close accounts, pay your bills on time, keep debt to income ratio <36%, keep current credit card balances low. Determining where to buy. Determining where you want to buy is important in the home buying process. Some factors include, commute time, public transit, neighbourhood amenities, safety and school rankings tend to be top of mind for many hew homebuyers. Getting Pre Approved. A pre-approval is a commitment from a mortgage provider to lend you a certain size mortgage at a particular rate. When you get pre-approved for a mortgage, you’ll find out the maximum amount you can afford to spend on a home, the monthly mortgage payment associated with your maximum purchase price and what your mortgage rate will be for your first mortgage term. Shopping around for the best rate is important, but it can also be stressful. Working with a mortgage broker can take that stress off your plate. They will take the guess work out and find you the best rate, since brokers have access to many lenders, they may offer a wider range of mortgage products to choose from. Finding a good real estate agent. Connecting with a real estate agent that fits your needs and has a strong understanding of the market you're looking-in is crucial. This is especially important to first time home buyers. Start looking at properties. This is where the fun begins! Remember to keep your search within your budget and where you can see yourself living. Your real estate agent will set you up a search to receive new listings that fit your criteria. It’s also a good idea to start a list of must haves and would be nice to have. Making an offer. Once you’ve found the house that you want to make a home, it’s time to submit an offer. When it comes to deciding on offer details, including price and conditions, your real estate agent will help guide you through this process. Although this whole process can seem intimidating and stressful, making sure you are prepared and knowledgeable will help. Your real estate agent and mortgage broker are there to support you. Trust the process, it will work out in the end. (Source: wowa.ca)
While rising interest rates are something to be aware of, there are ways you can navigate this with your mortgage. Over the last decade, Canadians have seen some of the lowest interest rates in history. This has been a huge opportunity for first-time homebuyers since low rates make the cost of borrowing cheaper and buying a home easier (in some markets). There’s just one issue: with interest rates so low, they can only go up. When that happens, your monthly mortgage payments may increase. This has made buyers anxious, since rising interest rates may affect how much they can afford. In addition, homeowners who have variable rate mortgages may also worry about how a potential rate hike will affect their mortgage payments. While rising interest rates are something to be aware of, there are ways you can navigate this within your mortgage. First you need to understand how mortgage rates are set. Most homebuyers need a loan. This is known as a mortgage: it’s an agreement between you and the lender that sets out the terms, including the interest rate. When applying for a mortgage, the interest rate you’re offered depends on a few factors, such as: • the overnight rate set by the Bank of Canada (BoC), which is the rate at which banks borrow from and lend to each other in the overnight market. • your credit rating. • your decision between a variable or fixed rate mortgage • the term or length of the mortgage In most cases, the overnight rate set by the BoC has the biggest effect on variable rate mortgages. When the BoC increases the overnight rate, variable rate mortgages become more expensive. Conversely when the BoC decreases the rate, carrying a variable rate mortgage becomes less expensive. Your credit rating is another important consideration when banks determine what mortgage rate they can offer. If you have an excellent credit score, you’ll likely be approved for better rates than if you have a lower credit score. Your credit score is a number between 300 and 900. If your credit score falls between 700 and 900, it is typically considered good. Once your credit score drops below 700, you may find it difficult to get a good rate or even be approved for a loan. If you want to improve your credit score, you can; • pay off debt. • always make payments on time. • make more than the minimum payments on your credit cards. • keep your account balances below 35% of your available credit. (Source: mdm.ca)
