Tools & Resources
Explore our Real Estate Tools page, featuring a Land Transfer Tax Calculator, Mortgage Calculators, and an Affordability Calculator for informed decisions. Find your ideal school zone with our School Zone Finder. For client inquiries, check out our FAQs. Your real estate journey simplified.
Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the realtor fees when working with a realtor?
As a buyer, you don’t have to worry about any fees, as the real estate fees are paid by the seller and they are typically split equally between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent. As a seller, the commission rate is agreed upon at the time of the listing agreement. We go the extra mile and include the costs of cleaning, decluttering, and staging the home within our fees.
The whole process of buying and selling seems overwhelming to me and I’m not sure where to start?
Feel free to browse through our stress free methods found on this site; however, give us a call or send us an email and we would love to sit down and chat. We guide the entire process and communicate with all third parties (ie. inspectors, lawyers, mortgage specialists, etc.) so that the only thing you have to do as a buyer is find the home you love, and as a seller accept the offer you like with the most favourable conditions!
With higher interest rates, is now a good time to buy?
Every circumstance is different and you have to do what makes sense for you and your family as a whole; however, with higher interest rates we have found that home prices have come down 10-15% in general, with very little or no competition on offers. Looking for a home now will allow you to attain a better price for that home, and you have the option to refinance later when rates come down. Our mortgage lenders are typically locking our clients in for a 1 year fixed or variable mortgage, since interest rates are anticipated to come down in the next year.
I’m a first time home buyer. Are there any supports available to me?
The Homeownership Down Payment Assistance program through the County of Lambton offers financial assistance to eligible households living in rental accommodations with one-time assistance in the form of a 20-year forgivable loan, secured by registration on title, for a 10% down payment to be used towards the purchase of a new or resale home with a maximum purchase price of $325,000. For more details click here.
Do I have to have a 20% down payment to buy a home?
Absolutely not. The minimum down payment that is required is 5% down. Anything less than 20% down requires a small extra payment of mortgage insurance; however, this is a fraction of the cost of renting and you’re able to start building equity in your home as soon as you take possession.