Jane Friesen - Blog

How much can you Afford?

jane.friesen@century21.ca — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

How Much Can You Afford?

Why is it so important to know how much you can afford to spend on a

home?

Two reasons:

First, you don't want to buy a property and then find out, only after you’ve moved in, that you can't financially maintain it. That would mean having to resell it under stressful conditions.

Second, you don't want to settle for a property that's less than ideal, when you really could have afforded the "dream home" you've always wanted. So how do you figure out how much you can afford to pay for your next home?

The first step is to talk to a good REALTOR®. He or she will help you gain a clearer understanding of how much your current home will likely sell for in today's market. That amount, together with other financial resources you might have (such as savings), will determine your down payment.

The next thing you’ll need to figure out is your mortgage. Your REALTOR® can help you find a lender who will take a variety of factors into account – income, credit rating, debts, expected down payment, etc. – to calculate the maximum amount of mortgage for which you qualify.

Say, through the proceeds of the sale of your home combined with yoursavings, your expected down payment is $90,000. If the lender authorizes a mortgage of $270,000, then you can afford a $360,000 home. Of course, that doesn't mean you'll need to spend that much. In fact, a home that meets your needs in terms of property type, features, and neighbourhood, may in fact cost you less.

One thing is for sure. A good REALTOR® can work with whatever amount you can afford and show you homes on the market that most closely meet your needs.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Call Jane Friesen today. 780-933(JANE)5263

Happy Thanksgiving Grande Prairie

jane.friesen@century21.ca — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Thanksgiving will be celebrated on October 8 this year.

I found some interesting trivia to share.

History of Thanksgiving in Canada

The native peoples of the Americas held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to find a northern passage from Europe to Asia.

Many thanksgivings were held following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the "Blessings of an abundant harvest" for many years. However, Queen Victoria's golden and diamond jubilees and King Edward VII's coronation formed the theme in later years.

From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.

Symbols

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. This represents the "Horn of Plenty", which was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece. Turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving Day.

Buying and Selling a Home

jane.friesen@century21.ca — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Thinking of Buying or Selling a home? This workshop might be exactly what you need! In partnership with the Grande Prairie Council for Lifelong Learning and the Alberta Law Foundation, Century 21 Grande Prairie Realty Inc is partnering with Mortgage Intelligence and Kay McVey Smith & Carlstrom LLP to present a Home Buying and Selling workshop for local residents.

"Get the inside scoop on "must know" information for today's real estate market, mortgage lending, and the necessary legal procedures"!

Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Location: Lions Learning Centre at 9625 Prairie Road

Cost: $15:00

To register call 780-539-6077 or email lifelongadmin@gppsd.ab.ca

Are you contemplating purchasing a Home in the Grande Prairie Market?

jane.friesen@century21.ca — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Five Reasons Why You Need A Buyer’s Agent

To someone who is new to real estate, a Buyer’s Agent can be a fairly unknown concept. The idea of a real estate agent to assist the seller of a property is fairly common. However, there are agents in the industry with the sole purpose of helping individuals to purchase real estate as well. Puzzled? Below are 5 of the most important factors to help you in your decision to work with a Buyer’s Agent!

Guidance
People thinking of buying a property have little experience about the rules, regulations and legal aspects of purchasing a home. Working with a Buyer’s Agent means you will have a proficient, highly knowledgeable individual in the field of real estate capable of giving you advice on a broad spectrum of aspects in the field of real estate. Having a Buyer’s Agent for this purpose alone will help you make a more educated decision.

Negotiation Skills
An Accredited Buyer’s Agent has special training to write contracts and represent you during negotiations. Having a Buyer’s Agent working for you will provide recent comparable SOLDS to provide you with the most up to date statistics in the local market.

Works with your best interest in mind
Based on the aforementioned points, an Accredited Buyer’s Agent who is performing his/her job with your best interests in mind, will provide you with a full menu of properties based on your preferences for the lowest possible price.

Resourceful
Real estate Buyer’s Agents are resourceful. They are well connected with other individuals in the industry giving them accessibility to properties that are not publicly available. This could result in you finding the perfect property without any competition and thus for a potentially lower price.

Service Costs You Nothing
While this is the final point, to some it may be the most important. Buyer’s Agents are paid a part of the commission (usually 50%) that is negotiated with the seller and the seller’s agent.

These are 5 of the main reasons to hire a Buyer’s Agent.

Call me at 780-933-5263 or toll free at 1-877-742-1177 to discuss your plans for purchasing a new home. Jane Friesen