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Have Home Goals? 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Toronto Luxury Homebuyers

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Have Home Goals? 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Toronto Luxury Homebuyers

If Toronto luxury home buying is on your to-do list in the future, there are some tasks to tackle before you start shopping. Admittedly, many of these New Year’s Resolutions relate to finances (as they often do) and rightly so. A home is the biggest investment most of us will make in our lifetime. To help you prepare, here are five New Year’s Resolutions for Toronto Luxury Homebuyers that you’ll definitely want to keep this year.

START SAVING FOR YOUR DOWNPAYMENT

This is arguably the biggest, most difficult and most time-consuming part of the home buying process. Think about it – in November 2021, the average home price in Canada rose to $720,850. To avoid taking out a high-ratio mortgage, you’ll need at least 20 per cent as a down payment, or about $145,000. It’s important to start thinking about how you will come up with the money – whether it’s using your RRSPs through the first-time Home Buyers’ Plan, savings, or financial help from the Bank of Mom and Dad.

CHECK YOUR CREDIT RATING

This one’s important, because your potential mortgage lender will be doing the same. A credit score is a number between 300 and 900 that rates your credit-worthiness. According to credit-rating company Equifax, a score of 690 or higher is considered “good.” Lenders will use this score in tandem with other factors, such as your debt-to-income ratio, to determine mortgage eligibility.

CREDIT CLEAN-UP

Remember that phone bill you forgot to pay a couple of years ago? It can come back to haunt you. Even a one-day-late payment is still considered “late,” and can negatively affect your credit rating – and your potential to qualify for a favourable mortgage. If you’re not happy with your credit score, take some time to bring it up to par before you start the pre-qualification process.

GET PRE-APPROVED FOR A MORTGAGE

With interest rates rumoured to rise in 2022, take advantage of this low interest-rate environment while you still can. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage will lock in your rate for up to 120 days. A mortgage pre-approval is not an obligation to purchase in this time fame, nor are you committed to that particular lender. It’s just a written confirmation of the approved amount and the promised rate, so you can shop with confidence within a budget you know you can afford.

START SHOPPING

Online is a good place to start your search, but nothing beats first-hand experience. With budget in mind, bundle up and hit the streets to explore different neighbourhoods and the amenities you’ll have access to. Do you rely on public transit? Is an active night life important to you? Daycares and schools? Parks and recreation? Highway access? How close (or far!) do you want to be from family and your work place? Think about your day-to-day needs, and anticipate how they might change over time.

Last but not least… work with the right real estate agent (Casey Ragan) who has experience in the Toronto luxury market. He will make setting up viewings easy, and be ready and on your side to negotiate the best price when it comes time to finally make an offer.

 

 

If you want to buy or sell a luxury home in Toronto, contact Casey Ragan at 416-486-5588 or by email at [email protected]

Casey Ragan

“Toronto’s Luxury Real Estate Authority”

Toronto Luxury Homes

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