Commitment Building a Winning Relationship
I believe in working with you throughout the entire process, knowing that even if searching for the right home takes months, I will be as committed as the day we agreed to work together.
My Commitment to You
To execute my responsibilities in accordance with your instructions, including complete disclosure, loyalty, confidentiality and accountability in line with the Real Estate Board of Vancouver’s code of Ethics.
- To Understand Your Requirements. Location, property type, and budget
- To Research the Market. Matching the right properties to your requirements
- To View the selected properties. Organizing access to suit your availability
- To Give Unbiased Assessments on the Value. By providing you comparative statistics on similar properties sold
- To Act as Your Consultant. Providing the right legal documentation and terminology when preparing your Offer of Purchase
- To Negotiate on Your Behalf. Ensuring the best possible price and terms are in line with the current market connections.
- To Recommend Professional Service Providers. From financial options to home-related services
- To Closing. Working beside you throughout the entire process, keeping you informed and knowledgeable about your commitments to time lines
In short, I will provide you with comprehensive, high-quality buyer’s service. After all, the seller has their own representative working for their best interests- shouldn’t you have an expert on your side?
Your Commitment to Matt Gul
When working with clients to help them find a new home, I expend a great deal of time, effort, and expense - I only receive payment once you have found and purchased your dream home.
In return, I only ask that you will commit to allowing me:
- To Make Your Offer To Purchase Through Me. In my service area, or through a referral
- To Advise of Any Circumstance Changes. So I know when to adjust my search
- To Show You All Properties of Interest. Even if they don’t seem to fit your requirements
- To Be Your Known REALTOR® Of Choice. No matter the circumstances
- To Negotiate My Required Fee. If the seller of the property does not offer a sufficient cooperating fee or is a “For Sale by Owner” property
- To Advise if My Service Level Falls Below Your Expectations. So I may rectify the situation.
Important Considerations
Before we start, I ask my clients to review these considerations - as they make a significant difference in the success of this process:
ARE YOU READY?
Do you expect to stay in your new home for some time? Moving can be expensive and you will want to build some equity before relocating.
PERFECT CONDITIONS - THEY DON’T EXIST
When is the best time to buy? When you have found the right home.
DON’T WAIT TO SHOP FOR THE BEST LOAN
Start up front. Getting pre-qualified before you start searching will help immensely and prevent disappointment.
ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH
Don’t get emotionally attached - know what you can afford, shop around for the best mortgages, find the right REALTOR® and know what is happening in the market.
PRIORITIZING AND COMPROMISING ARE NECESSARY ELEMENTS
Compile a list of “must haves” and a list of “would-likes”. You will never find the perfect home otherwise.
ONLY WORK WITH ONE AGENT
find the right REALTOR® who will work with you to realize your dreams.
WRITING AN UNREALISTIC OFFER
Offer instead what the property is worth for you, otherwise, you may be helping someone else’s offer look good!
AFRAID TO WRITE AN OFFER?
Don’t be afraid, as your trusted REALTOR® I am here to guide and counsel you.
OUTSIDE OPINIONS
Trust your immediate family, your personal instinct and do what feels right - too much stress may indicate that it’s time to walk away.
BUYERS REMORSE
Don’t be worried - most buyers experience this. It’s normal and will pass if the situation is right.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO BACK OUT OF THE DEAL
You have not gone too far until all the subjects have been removed.
Without question, owning a home comes with responsibilities and risks that you don't have to worry about when you rent such as a mortgage, taxes, homeowner's insurance, maintenance, and repairs.
However, financial advisors - not to mention homeowners themselves - say there are far more advantages to owning:
PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP
It is the number one reason for home ownership in Canada.
STABILITY AND SECURITY
Created when you are the owner and in charge of the decisions - not your landlord.
APPRECIATION
Historically in Canada, the value of homes has increased considerably.
NET WORTH
An increase in appreciation equals an increase in your net worth.
TAX BENEFITS
Unlike stocks and bonds, not only do you get to live in your investments, your principal residence is exempt from Capital Gains Tax.
MORTGAGE EQUITY
Part of your monthly payment is applied to the principal balance of the loan, which builds your equity - usable funds
QUALITY OF LIFE
Owning a home is not just a good investment in financial terms, it is also an investment in a higher quality of life providing immediate shelter but a nest egg for the future.
- Define Your Goals
- Select a REALTOR®
- Get Pre-Approval for a Mortgage
- Research your property options
- Look for a Property
- Prepare and Negotiate an Offer
- Remove Subjects/ Conditions of Purchase
- Prepare for Closing
- Move into your New Home
We clearly need to determine why you are buying and what kind of home fits your needs
.
The reasons for buying a home have changed significantly over the last 25 years - no longer is it a permanent place for you and/or your family. Owning a property is now viewed with a keen eye on its investment potential, whether it is for the principal home, a second home or an actual investment.
Buying and financing a home are closely related, so it is very important to review your current financial situation and to understand how much you can actually afford.
During the determination of these answers, you will find that you are in a better position to understand both your housing and mortgage options, as well as create the appropriate action plan and time line for moving forward.
1. Return on Investment
No one can predict the future, but over the last 25 years, the average price of a home in Vancouver has risen substantially.
2. Equity
Redirecting rent money into paying down a mortgage, turns that money into equity, which can be used to finance other opportunities.
3. Land Value
Land is an ever-decreasing commodity, thus making it more valuable.
4. Stability
Purchasing a home is typically a stable investment, as compared to many other investment opportunities
5. Affordable Borrowing
Current low-interest rates make mortgages affordable.
6. Demographics and Immigration
Are two factors currently supporting growth.
7. Rental Income
If you need to leave your home it can be rented to offset the mortgage - keep it as an investment property.
8. Location
Is key to investment properties, and investing your time
to understand location could pay large dividends.
As a buyer, you have a choice in representation and it’s important to work with a REALTOR who will work with you throughout the entire process, no matter how long it takes to find your new home.When choosing a REALTOR consider their:- Knowledge
- Experience
- Expertise
Check their track record of working with buyers with regards to the following:- Finding a home
- Negotiating the price
- Helping with financial solutions
- Understanding the local market
- Understanding property types
- Understanding property values
- Knowledge of the transaction process
Ask for references!
5 Characteristics that Make a Good Location
- A Safe Neighbourhood. A home located in a community with little crime, where neighbours interact and its safe to walk freely.
- Good Schools. Being in a good school district is important, even if you don’t have school-age children, as young families will always buy these homes.
- Convenience. The more ease of access to the main feature of the community, the more valuable the home. For homeowners in cities and towns it is access to shopping and public transit, for beach communities it’s the beach, for many it’s access to major road systems.
- Water Access and Views. No matter which town or city, someone will always pay for a great view or to be on or near the water. Put a home right on a waterway or on a hill with panoramic views or offer the upper floors in a high-rise, and you have a great location.
- Quite Locale. Being located near noise — whether a busy street during rush hour, close to a fire station, hospital, an airport or a local school — is in general a negative. The intermittent noise factors can be missed when looking at a home and not checking out your location fully!
3. Get Pre-Approval for a Mortgage
It is always in your best interest to be pre-qualified for a loan before starting your search. No matter prior experience circumstances or reasons for buying, the current rates, approval and unexpected challenges should be addressed before you have a serious intention of buying.
The pre-approval process involves meeting with a lender and authorizing them to examine your current financial situation and credit history, which results in the amount and rate that you will be able to borrow
4. Research your property optionsThere are three key components that determine the start of all searches:
- Location — where do you want to live?
- Type — what type of home?
- Price — what can you afford?
Only you can determine the importance of each and once you start your search you will be able to determine if your expectations are realistic. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATIONWhy does location matter so much? For starters, you can’t move a home — at least not easily or inexpensively. When you buy a home in a good location. It’s usually a solid long-term investment.And perhaps more than ever, location is the key factor driving price increases. In a strong housing market, homes in particularly desirable areas are more likely to see above-average price increases. In weak housing markets, these homes tend to retain their value better.Understanding Property TypesHOUSEA free-standing detached home that sits on its own lot, thereby offering a greater degree of privacy. Typically the home and the land are owned completely by the homeowner and therefore entirely their responsibility to manage and maintain.ROW HOUSE or TOWNHOMEOne of several types of single-family homes joined by common walls. It offers less privacy than a single-family detached home but still provides a separate outdoor space. These homes can cost less to buy and maintain, as typically they are subject to strata management associations that are responsible for maintenance and management.SEMI-DETACHED or DUPLEXA single-family home that is joined to another by a common wall. It can offer many of the advantages of a single-family detached home and is usually less expensive to buy and maintain.CONDOMINIUMRefers to a form of legal ownership as opposed to a style of construction. Condominiums can be high-rise residential buildings, townhouse complexes, individual houses and low-rise residential buildings. Ownership is subject to strata management association rules; however, the maintenance and management of the build are taken care of and in many cases, there is an increased level of security.Understanding the Market Values of PropertiesWhen you have chosen your location and property type, it is important to determine the value of homes presently on the market. The current selling price of a home does not mean that a property is ‘worth’ that amount — market conditions and what a buyer is willing to pay for a property affect the tire value of the home at any moment in time.The value of a home is based on the following criteria:- Location of the property
- Condition of the property
- Buyer demand
- Current prices of similar properties
- Recent sales of competitive properties
- Availability of financing
- Inventory Level
But ultimately, the value of any property is dependent on what is important to you and whether this is the home that you wish to buy.LOOK FOR A PROPERTY
Now that you have been pre-approved, understand the costs of the mortgage, location, property types, and values have been analyzed, it is time to start visiting properties that match your requirements.THE INTERNET95% of all buyers use the Internet to search for homes and on average take 12 weeks to refine their criteria before they contact their REALTOR to view homes.YOUR AGENTAs your buyer’s agent, I can assist in narrowing your search by reviewing your ‘must-haves’ and ‘would-likes’ as well as making recommendations based on my experience and local knowledge of working within this community. As a REALTOR I also have access to:- Previewing new properties at REALTOR Opens
- Using real estate technology that automatically sends new home matches immediately — never miss a hot new listing.
- Working with my network to find new properties that are not even listed.
- Every home in your preferred community including “for sale by owner”, discounted brokerages, expired listings or homes not actually on the market, but that are known to suit your requirements.
- Emailing your specific home requirements to top producing agents in the area so they know that you are a qualified purchaser.
PRINT MEDIANewspapers and real estate magazines still provide a platform that features homes — not every home is listed on the Internet, so searches can miss that hidden gem because it doesn’t meet your exact criteria.PROPERTY VISITSVisit open houses and new home developments. You will learn a lot by getting out and seeing what is on the market.Building a House Hunting ChecklistIn the hunt for a perfect home, it’s easy to forget important priorities when you see a stunning feature or are overwhelmed by all the choices and homes you have visited. Use this checklist to help you stay organized and focus on the important criteria during your search.Make a list of your priorities:- What do you want from a home?
- What does your family want from a home?
- Choose your top five ‘must-haves’
- Choose your top five ‘would-likes’
Make a comparison chart:- Size
- Positioning of the living spaces
- General size of rooms
- Kitchen style and appliances
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Ensuites
- Garage space
- Landscaping
- Condition of roof, common spaces
- Storage space
- Natural light
Do you feel an emotional connection to the home?Take a tour of the home and a second walk-through without emotion. Become the inspector and look beyond the surface:- Will your furniture fit? Downsizing can accrue additional costs if you have to replace furniture.
- Floor plans are a great way to see the flow, how changes can be made, etc. Not available? Then measure and draw your own.
- Check out the true storage space — open all cupboards, doors, attics, basements and storage cabinets.
- Lift up rugs and investigate for damage on the floor, under furniture or in the back of cupboards. Look at every detail from ceiling to floor including window trims, under sinks, bathroom tiles, etc.
- Look outside — understand the landscaping and the layout of other homes around the home, traffic parking, noise, etc.
- Check out the property at different times of the day.
- Take a moment and envision how you would use the space — does it fit your everyday needs?
- Who are your neighbours?
How long has the house been on the market?- Is it priced to sell
- What is the resell potential
- Compare its price to others that have sold in the surrounding area
PREPARE AND NEGOTIATE AN OFFER
When you have found the right home, it is time to prepare and draft an offer of purchase. It is important that this offer both protects and represents your interests while remaining legally binding on final acceptance.There are many components of an offer that you should be aware of and understand — as your REALTOR, I will answer your questions and explain the entire process so that you are comfortable with the steps involved.An offer can be drafted with or without conditions; an offer without conditions is known as a firm or subject-free offer and one with conditions is known as a conditional offer and in effect, protects one party with the placement of certain conditions on the purchase.*The seller may accept your initial offer, reject your offer or present a counter-offer. The counter-offer may differ from your original offer in respect to price, conditions, the closing date or any other items. Offers can be countered back and forth between the parties until one of you accepts or rejects, ending the negotiations.*Understanding contractual Terminology
REMOVE SUBJECTS/ CONDITIONS OF PURCHASE
Acceptance of the sales contract can be made contingent on (dependent on or subject to) certain circumstances. It is important to stipulate that the property passes any inspections you want to be performed and that financing is approved.
As your Buyer’s Agent, I will advise you on what contingencies you should write into your offer, based on the type of property and your particular situation. Once you are satisfied and wish to commit to purchasing the home, a subject removal document will be prepared for you to sign.
PREPARE FOR CLOSING
To help alleviate the stress of buying, it is important to understand the closing process step by step:
Step 1 — Retain the services of a lawyer or notary as soon as you have an accepted Contract of Purchase and Sale and have removed all subjects.
Step 2 — Your lawyer or notary will need to gather information from you including how you wish to hold title to the property, especially if you are buying with your spouse, a partner, family member or a colleague. It is important to understand the different types of title and how they affect you.
Step 3 — Your lawyer or notary conducts a title search and obtains tax information and any additional information necessary to prepare the Statement of Adjustments. If you are registering a mortgage, your lawyer or notary will need to obtain an insurance binder with ‘’loss payable’’ to your lender
Step 4 — Your lawyer or notary prepares closing documents including title transfer, mortgage, property transfer tax forms and Statement of Adjustments. Your lawyer or notary will forward the seller’s losing documents to the seller’s lawyer or notary for execution.
Step 5 — 1 to 3 days before closing it is typical to meet with your lawyer or notary to sign documents and deliver the balance of funds — by certified check, bank draft or inter-bank transfer. If your funds are invested, ensure that they will be available for deposit in advance of closing.
Step 6 — Your lawyer or notary will register the transfer and mortgage documents, arrange for the seller’s lawyer or notary to pick up funds and notify you that the purchase has completed.
Step 7 — Normally you receive the house keys directly from your REALTOR on the Possession Date as set out in the Contract of Purchase and Sale
Step 8 — Move in and enjoy your new home
MOVE INTO YOUR NEW HOME
Moving into a new home is an exciting time but it can also be stressful. Whether you are doing it yourself, asking friends for a little help or hiring professionals, this moving guide will provide you some great insight:AS SOON AS POSSIBLE- Start early. Investigate and research moving companies and/or truck rental companies.
- Hire a moving company if you are doing it yourself, and reserve a moving truck. Be sure to get written confirmation of all your costs and details of your move for your records.
- Expenses can be saved if you move anytime before the beginning or end of the month.
TWO MONTHS BEFORE MOVING DAY- Go through your current home and determine what you can throw out or donate.
- Make a list of items in your home that need extra attention while moving or special packing instructions.
- If you have children and you are moving to a new school district, start arranging the school and daycare transferring process.
- Order any boxes and moving supplies
ONE MONTH BEFORE MOVING DAY- Time to start packing! Begin with the items in your home you do not use regularly.
- Clearly label on the outside to which room each box is going and a quick checklist of the items inside this makes unpacking so much easier.
- As you pack, make note of items of significant value for insurance purposes.
- As you pack, make note of items of significant value for insurance purposes.
- At your local postal office, fill out a change of address form with your new address.
- Inform the following companies and institutions about your new address: banks, cable, Internet and phone, insurance companies, utility companies, credit card companies, doctors, dentists and any subscriptions you may have.
TWO WEEKS BEFORE MOVING DAY- Confirm your reservations with your movers or truck rental company.
- Cancel or transfer your newspaper delivery service if needed.
ONE WEEK BEFORE MOVING DAY- Most of your packing should be done one week prior to moving day.
- Set aside the items of importance you wish to transport to your new home yourself.
A FEW DAYS BEFORE MOVING DAY- Confirm arrival time of your moving truck. If moving yourself, confirm your reservations with the truck rental company. Prepare detailed directions for your movers including a cell phone number you can be reached at on moving day.
- Pack a travel bag with items your family may need on moving day such as toothbrushes, change of clothing, medications hair bushes, soap, etc.
- If you are moving yourself, start dismantling beds and other large furniture.
MOVING DAY- Make a note of all utility meter readings at both the new and old home.
- Be present when the truck is being loaded and unloaded just in case your movers have any questions.
- Before the movers leave, check your belongings for any damaged items.
8 COMMON MISTAKES FOR HOME BUYERSTake some time to educate yourself about the common mistakes home buyers make and your own home-buying experience will more likely be successful and exciting:- Going over budget. Just because you qualify doesn’t mean you can afford the monthly payments plus all your other ongoing costs.
- Location is important. Loving the house will not be enough
- Not pre-qualifying for a mortgage.
- Not shopping for the most suitable mortgage to match your requirements.
- Not understanding all the terms and conditions, interest rates, length of contracts, mortgage types and rates, etc. before selecting your mortgage.
- Buying a new home before you sold your old home.
- Not understanding the true costs associated with buying a home.
- Not using professionals to assist in all aspects of your house purchase from using a REALTOR, mortgage advisor, home inspector, lawyer or notary through to your moving company.
COST GUIDEWhat to Expect When Completing a PurchasePROPERTY TRANSFER TAX- Resale Housing: When a residence is purchased a Property Transfer Tax (PTT) is applied. The tax is calculated at 1% on the first $200,000, 2% up to $2 million, thereafter a 3% tax is applied. To clarify, only properties priced over $2 million are taxed at 3%, this is only applied on the amount above $2 million, not the full price. The First-Time Home Buyers’ Program offers an exemption to the PTT — ask your REALTOR for more details.
- Properties Over Two Million Dollars: There is now a 3% tax on amounts over $2,000,000. The 3% tax is only paid on the amount over $2,000,000, not the full price.
- New Construction: All buyers (whether first-time buyers or not) no longer pay PTT on purchases of NEW homes up to $750,000 in value; note the buyer must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident; there is a partial exemption for homes between $750,000 and $800,000
- Property Transfer Tax for Non-Residents. An additional property transfer tax applies to residential property purchased in the Greater Vancouver Regional District by a foreign entity. An additional 15% of the fair market value of the foreign entity’s proportionate share of a residential property is due upon closing.
If you obtain a high-ratio mortgage (a mortgage where you pay less than a 20% down payment) you will have to buy mortgage loan insurance from CMHC or a private company. The CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance premium is calculated as a percentage of the loan and is based on the size of your down payment. The higher the percentage of the total house price/value that you borrow, the higher percentage you will pay in insurance premiums. The insurance premium usually gets added to your mortgage.
APPRAISAL AND SURVEY
Before your lender approves your mortgage, you may be required to have an appraisal done. Sometimes your lender covers the cost, otherwise, it will be your responsibility. The fee ranges from $150 to $350.
HOME INSPECTION FEE
Most REALTORS recommend that you get a home inspection by a certified home inspector. It will cost you from $350 to $650 for a smaller house, large houses may cost more. Your REALTOR should be able to recommend a good inspector.
LEGAL FEES
Lawyer/notary fees for closing the sale depend on the complexity of the deal but they should range from $600 - $1,500. Disbursements to Land Titles Office — the fees are approximately $300. Your lawyer/notary will arrange the payment.
We are helping the buyers not only real estate Vancouver BC, we are helping them real estate Vancouver Canada. You can access everything Vancouver real estate for sale on Matt Gul real estate web page. Checking the Vancouver BC houses for sale very easy. Not only for properties you can reach top realtors in Canada. You can ask such a simple question like what is the difference West Vancouver BC and Vancouver West? You would like check Canada Mansions for sale very simple you can do that. Any Vancouver property for sale you just need to type the address my web page search engine can find it for you. Also, you can search by areas real estate North Vancouver or West Vancouver properties. Matt Gul specialized luxury homes for sale BC, also he has great inventory exclusive listing luxury Vancouver condos, sometimes not all the listings in MLS they are selling exclusively Vancouver luxury condos. To understand, homes luxury ocean front, need years of knowledge, because each West Vancouver waterfront house are different than the others. Maybe they look all same but they are total different, it is important to know high tide and low tide effects, is the current can bring the debris in front of your house and it can turn to log collector as you seen some of the West Vancouver beach. Nobody wants all the debris come and stuck in front of the West Vancouver waterfront home. West Vancouver waterfront real estate is underpriced if you compare the other popular cities. Also, when you compare price bench mark with West Vancouver Houses it is still reasonable, and it a great investment to buy waterfront house in West Vancouver than the buy Waterfront house in Vancouver. Matt Gul believes that nowadays many of the transactions belongs to local people because they are selling houses in Vancouver top amount and looking for better deals homes for sale in Vancouver Canada. Matt said generally speaking especially in high end market most of the houses in Vancouver for sale are placement listings. It means they are artificially price Vancouver House listings and Intension not to be sale. Many of the West Vancouver property own by international investment companies, and they are the end users because of that houses for sale in Vancouver Canada inventory getting less and less every year. If you compare homes for sale in Vancouver BC stats with previous years almost same amount numbers Vancouver properties for sale but our population is growing and it is getting more difficult to find property Vancouver for sale, Matt Gul mentioned Luxury real estate properties in Vancouver has a huge demand. Even not only in Vancouver, Canada luxury real estate is attracting international buyers.
Matt Gul Canada Luxury real estate referral network help to buyers reach to luxury real estate Canada. As a Potantial buyer if you have questions under below, please call the Matt Gul
How to prepare my house for sell?
How to choose best realtor in your area?
How to choose best realtor in my area?
How to choose realtor?
How to reach realtors?
How to rent my home?
How to find realtor?
How to find list of sale properties?
How to find list of sale houses?
How to find list of sale condos?
How to decide which realtor is good for me and my property?
How to trust realtors?
How to negotiate with realtors?
How to negotiate with realtors about commissions?
How to sell my house easy and fast?
How to deal buyer agent?
How to prepare my house for open house?
How to apply for mortgages?
How to search sale houses?
How to find investment properties?
How to owner protected by realtors?
Matt Gul Answer all those questions for you, please call Matt Gul 778 888 8888 ask anything about the real estate.
Do you know compared to other International cities, West Vancouver is still one of the least expensive locations to buy a single-family water front home . “Waterfront living is popular the world over, as people are naturally captivated by breathtaking ocean views and access to water, as well the sounds, scents and sense of grandeur that these properties provide. West Vancouver has all this and more – with water views in the foreground, most homes also look across to the towering skyscrapers in Vancouver’s chic, cosmopolitan downtown as well as the magnificence of Vancouver Islands and the Gulf Islands. Twenty years ago, waterfront home prices were around 60% higher than the average price of non-waterfront properties, now this difference has grown to over 110%! West Vancouver’s detached home market is presently benchmarked at $2.386 million and its water properties at $5.8 million. However, despite the 50% rise in West Vancouver’s home values over the last 5 years, and claims that the City of Vancouver is now one of the most expensive cities in North America, when compared to other international cities, West Vancouver is still one of the least expensive locations to buy a single-family waterfront home. In Los Angeles’s Laguna Beach the average waterfront home value is almost $10 million, in Malibu the average is $8 million, Sydney Australia $20 million, Hong Kong a staggering $30 million and in cities such as Shanghai, New York, London and Paris they are almost impossible to find.”
Fortune World Magazine 2015 February Issue
As my personal preference, I love the ocean and winter sports, I know how exclusive and enjoyable West Vancouver living can be. Enclosed you can see my recent activity in West Vancouver. I need different variety of listings for my international buyers whom chose West Vancouver as their new home.
