Frequently Asked Questions: Buyers

Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases a person does in their lifetime. Because it is such a large purchase, there are a lot of legalities involved and steps to complete from start to close. We have compiled a list of the most common questions we receive from our buyers here to help you have the information available to succeed!

Should I talk to my bank before looking at homes?

Talking to your bank or mortgage broker should always be the first step in the home-buying process. Getting pre-approved before home shopping will make the entire process run smoother: you will have a budget for what you can afford, you will be able to keep realistic expectations, you will seem serious to both sellers and real estate agents, your offer will more likely to be accepted, you will meet your conditions dates with ease and it helps you budget for your closing costs. We believe that it is almost impossible to seriously shop for a home without pre-approval. If you do, you may fall in love with a property you cannot afford, or have a hard time getting an offer accepted. If you do not already have a mortgage broker, we recommend working with our trusted partner, Neil Keeping at The Mortgage Group!

How much does it cost to work with a real estate agent?

Your real estate agent is paid for their services by splitting a percentage of the sold price of the home with the seller’s agent. Therefore, when you purchase your home, you do not owe your REALTOR® any money directly. In simple terms, when you are shopping for a home, the price you pay for your new home includes your REALTOR®’s fees, so you do not have to set aside extra money to pay your agent.

How many homes should I look at submitting an offer?

There is no set number of homes you should view before submitting an offer. Some fall in love with the first home they see, while others can take years to find the right one. According to realtor.com, the average buyer will view 10 properties before they submit an offer, but the site notes that this number varies greatly. Since COVID-19 began, there has been a large surge in virtual tours and searching for homes online. This allows buyers to see more homes than ever before. It’s always a great idea to inform your REALTOR® of your critical wants and needs in your future home, so they can use their professional resources to find homes that match your criteria. This will save you time in the long run and allow you to view a few great homes instead of tens of “okay” ones. 

How do I make an offer?

When you find the home of your dreams, it's time to make an offer. Your real estate agent will prepare the documents necessary to submit an offer. Your agent will require your legal name, the amount you wish to offer, what will be included in the purchase price, the date you would like to close the sale, the documents you need to review before finalizing the deal, and when you would like to leave the offer open until. You will also need to be prepared to make a deposit on the home. The deposit goes against your closing costs and downpayment. This deposit is cashed upon delivery to the listing brokerage, so, make sure you only offer a deposit you can afford. Your REALTOR® will work with you to ensure you have the best price, and conditions and review the necessary documents needed for a successful sale. If you are not satisfied with something that arises with the home, your REALTOR® can, later on, negotiate a price reduction, repairs to counter the issues or terminate the deal. 

How long does the seller have to respond to my offer?

You and your real estate agent will decide on an amount of time in which the offer is “live”. The seller’s agent may request that, for example, all offers be left open for 24 hours. It is usually best practice to follow what the seller’s agent requests. You are technically allowed to go against the seller’s request, but it may lower your chances of your offer being accepted. Your REALTOR® will advise you on the best “timeline” for the offer so that you have the best chance of success.

What if my offer is rejected?

It is never a good feeling to hear that your offer was rejected, however, in the current market we are experiencing in Halifax, this is often the case. In a competitive seller’s market, buyers typically have to go through the offer process a few times on a few different homes before getting one accepted. Your offer may have been rejected due to the sellers receiving a higher offer, the sellers believing your deposit was not enough, due to you stating too many conditions, etc. There is no penalty to you if your offer gets rejected, you just have to keep on with your home search. If the seller rejects your offer and has not accepted any other offer, your REALTOR® can then find out why your offer was rejected and can help you prepare a new one that corrects the issue. 

What happens after my offer has been accepted?

After your offer has been accepted, you need to meet the conditions that you specified in the agreement. You must provide your deposit, secure your financing with your bank, perform a home inspection if indicated (your REALTOR® will arrange this, however, it is at an extra cost to you), notify your lawyer, and book your pre-closing walkthrough. When you work with a real estate agent, they will be by your side through most of this and inform you of deadlines. They can forward documents to your banker and lawyer for you, and supervise the inspection too. There are a lot of moving parts to make it to the finish line, but having a REALTOR® on your side keeps things flowing and organized. It is in your and your REALTOR’s® best interest that you meet all of your conditions.

If you have any questions that didn’t make this list. Be sure to reach out! We would be happy to help you succeed in buying Halifax Real Estate!

Author: Jordan Gunn
Licensed Real Estate Assistant
The Andrew Perkins Real Estate Team
Keller Williams Select Realty

Frequently Asked Questions: Sellers Edition

Choosing to sell your home can be an exciting and overwhelming experience. If you do not have any previous experience, you may have a lot of questions. To learn about the selling process, you can visit our page detailing it here. Even with understanding the process, you may have more questions along the way: this is totally normal. There are a lot of moving parts in the process, so we have outlined some common questions we have had in the past!

What does an appraisal mean when selling a home?

An appraisal is conducted by a licensed professional who determines the value of your home by conducting a thirty to sixty-minute visit in your home in which they examine the condition, dimension and amenities of your property. Appraisers should be an unbiased third party that simply evaluates your home and determines what they believe it would sell for. This may be more or less than what a REALTOR® would determine, or an online evaluator. Essentially, the appraiser is evaluating your property, not the entire market. 

How much is my house worth?

Your REALTOR® may price you're home different than what it is appraised for, and also different than an online evaluator may say. This is because a REALTOR® takes into account three variables:

-the condition of your home

-how it compares to other homes in your area

-the current market

This means that the price of your home may fluctuate based on when it was evaluated. Only an experienced REALTOR® will be able to take all these factors into account to determine the correct price to list your home. Without all factors taken into account, your house may end up selling for less than what its potential is, or being priced too high to generate interest. 

What does conditional mean when selling a home?

A conditional sale when selling a home means that an offer has been accepted, but there are still conditions that need to be met for the sale too close. This may be a property inspection, review of condo documents, lawyer review, review of the property disclosure statement, securing financing and securing insurance. Once these conditions are met - must be done by a certain date on the agreement, then the sale is finalized. 

How much are closing costs when selling?

There are a few closing costs to consider when selling your home.

-Lawyer Fees and Disbursements

The average cost of legal representation in Halifax is approximately $800-$1000, not including disbursements, which could be anywhere from $200-$400 Disbursements include courier fees, photocopying, title search, registration costs. It is a good idea to shop around, as there is no set cost.   

-Real Estate Commission

The typical Real Estate Commission in Nova Scotia is 5%. This is split between both the buyer's agent's brokerage, 2.5%, and the listing agent's brokerage 2.5%. Please note. The commission is plus HST.

What is an estoppel certificate in the sale of my condo?

An estoppel certificate is a binding statement prepared by the corporation at the request of a unit owner or purchaser. It indicates the standing of common elements fees and reserve fund assessments against the unit, whether they are up to date, paid in advance, or in arrears. The Condominium Act and Regulations specify which items must be included. For example, the certificate will also contain such items as the names and addresses of the property manager and the officers of the corporation, the financial standing of the corporation, the reserve fund balance, whether any major capital expenditures or increases in fees are planned, and if there are any lawsuits pending against the corporation. A copy of the most recent declaration and bylaws are to be provided with this certificate. When selling your condo, you as the seller are responsible for the charge associated with producing an estoppel certificate. 

What happens to my mortgage when I sell my home?

When you sell a house with a mortgage, the first thing to do is find out roughly how much you still owe on the loan. Knowing how much you owe, it’s time to figure out how much you’ll be making from your home sale after all is said and done — and whether it will be enough to cover your outstanding mortgage balance, plus all the typical closing costs. If you are breaking your mortgage, you may incur a mortgage penalty as well. It is always a good idea to speak with your mortgage broker or banker before listing your home, in case there is a penalty to pay for not completing your mortgage. If you have a fixed term such as a five-year fixed rate term, your lender may charge you a penalty called an interest rate differential. If you are breaking a variable rate term, the penalty is typically three months’ interest.

When is the best time to sell?

The common consensus in the Halifax real estate market is that is it best to sell your home in the Spring. The weather is starting to get nice, folks are out and about, and moving is generally easier. However, there are pros and cons to selling at any time of the year. A downfall in the spring is that there is more competition, as most people choose to list during the warmer months. If your home is near a sought-after school, it may be best to list it in the summer, so parents can secure the home for their children. When you list on off-season (winter) there is much less competition. Also, job transfers typically happen at the start of the year, meaning there are folks still house hunting in the middle of winter.

Who pays the REALTOR® fees?

The seller is typically responsible for the commission fee that REALTORS® charge. The percentage of the sold price is typically 4-6%. Half of this is paid to the buyer’s agent brokerage and a half to your representation. This cost is built into the sale price before the house hits the market.

How long does it take to sell a house?

According to our MLS system, homes sold in on average 38 days this past year. Our Halifax Market has been extremely hot, so this is short in comparison to previous years. If we look at the past decade, homes sold in on average 78 days. Most REALTORS® will agree that if a home does not sell within 6 weeks, then a price change may need to be made.

What is a title search?

A title search is the search of public records to ensure that the seller does in fact own the property. A search of all of the title records applicable will occur to determine if the title is valid. This will confirm the property’s legal ownership, the history of the piece of land and if there are any claims against the property.

What is the difference between list price and sold price?

The list price is the price that you and your REALTOR® decide to place your home on the market for. This will be the price that is advertised and submitted on the MLS system. The sold price is the price that the buyer agrees to pay with an agreement of purchase and sale. You are entitled to accept any price, however, your REALTOR® can advise you on making the best decision for your situation. Buyers can offer above or below the listing price, and whichever price you accept ends up being the sold price.

Why should I hire you to sell my home?

Our team is experienced, professional and dedicated. We do everything in our power to ensure the success of a smooth, stress-free sale. We want our clients to enjoy the process from start to finish, and receive the maximum return. We offer a variety of complimentary services for each of our clients as well, which can be found by visiting our Why Sell With Us page. You can also browse our Testimonials to see what our previous sellers have to say!

Still have questions? Call or email us today, we’d be happy to help!

Andrew Perkins

902-488-0012

Andrew@andrewperkins.ca