From Renting in Toronto to Owning Their First Home in Courtice
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Every sale has a story – here’s one worth sharing.
They thought buying their first home might be a little scary. Just 12 days after their first conversation with our team, Brad and Jeanette had an accepted offer on a home they loved.
Some client stories stay with you, even many years after the SOLD sign goes up.
Brad and Jeanette’s is one of them.
Their first-home purchase took place back in 2007, but their experience is still relevant to first-time buyers today – particularly anyone who is worried about the buying process, wondering how many homes they may have to see, or concerned about being pressured into making a decision before they’re ready.
It All Started With a Referral
Before we met Brad and Jeanette, our team had helped their friends Shari and Jason purchase their first home in Courtice.
Their story with us actually began when they requested one of our free buyer reports, “13 Extra Costs to be Aware of Before Buying a Home.”
For first-time buyers in particular, it’s easy to focus primarily on the purchase price and down payment. But there can be other expenses to plan for before, during and after closing. The report was designed to help buyers understand some of those potential costs before they make a purchase.
After sending Shari and Jason the report, we followed up to see whether they were planning to buy and whether they had any questions.
Janette, one of the agents on my team, subsequently met with them, explained the buying process and answered their questions. Just over three weeks later, they had purchased their first home in Courtice.
And that’s where Brad and Jeanette enter the story.
Shari and Jason were happy enough with their experience that a short time later, they referred their friends to us.
For me, referrals like that have always meant a great deal. When someone is comfortable putting a friend or family member in our hands, it’s one of the strongest compliments we can receive.
From Renting in Toronto to Looking in Durham Region
At the time, Brad and Jeanette were renting in Toronto and wanted to purchase their first home.
They were hoping to find something in Durham Region, ideally close to their friends in Courtice. They had already taken an important first step by getting a mortgage pre-approval.
Janette spoke with Jeanette to learn more about what they were looking for, and we set them up on our custom Homehunter Service so they could see properties matching their criteria as they became available.
It didn’t take long for the search to begin.
Six Homes. Then Five More. Still Nothing.
Within three days of their initial conversation, Janette was out showing Brad and Jeanette homes.
They looked at six properties that first time out.
None of them felt right.
Two days later, they went out again and looked at five more.
Still nothing.
And that’s an important part of this story.
After seeing 11 homes in such a short period, it would have been easy for first-time buyers to start wondering whether they were being too particular or whether they should compromise and choose one of the homes they’d already seen.
But buying a home is too important a decision to settle simply because you’ve already looked at a lot of properties.
So they kept looking.
Then They Found the One
A few days later, Janette found another two homes for Brad and Jeanette to see.
This time, one was different.
It was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom freehold townhouse in Courtice – the community where they had hoped to buy.
The home was in move-in condition and offered several practical features for first-time homeowners, including an attached garage, a fully fenced backyard with a large deck and, importantly, freehold ownership with no condo fees.
Brad and Jeanette loved it.
Before making an offer, however, Jeanette wanted her dad to see the property as well. For a first-time buyer making such a major decision, having someone you trust take a look can provide some welcome reassurance.
Her dad gave it his seal of approval.
They were ready to make an offer.
An Accepted Offer Just 12 Days After We First Spoke
The home was listed at $189,900.
Janette prepared and submitted an offer for Brad and Jeanette, including conditions for financing and a home inspection.
After some back-and-forth negotiations with the seller, they reached an agreement at a final purchase price of $186,000.
Keep in mind, this was 2007, so the purchase price reflects the Courtice real estate market at that time, not today’s home values.
What's more interesting than the price is the timeline.
Only 12 days had passed between Janette’s initial conversation with Jeanette and Brad and Jeanette having an accepted offer on their first home.
During that time, they had seen 13 properties.
They didn’t have to choose one of the first six.
They didn’t have to settle after 11.
We kept looking and showing them more homes until they found one that felt right for them.
What Brad & Jeanette Had to Say
Afterward, Brad and Jeanette were kind enough to send us this note about their experience:
Dear Brian,
We would like to thank you and your team for helping us reach our goal of owning our first home.
We found Janette to be very helpful to us. She was great in the process of looking at homes as she made us feel very comfortable as we looked at various properties.
We thought this process might be a little scary and she made it very smooth. We will definitely refer friends and family looking for a new home to your team.
Again, thank you very much for all your help and we look forward to hearing from you and your team.
Yours truly,
Jeanette & Brad
What Hasn’t Changed Since 2007
A lot has changed in the Durham Region real estate market since Brad and Jeanette bought their first home.
Home prices are very different. Mortgage rates and lending rules have changed. Technology has changed how buyers search for properties.
But some things haven’t changed.
Buying your first home is still a major decision. It’s normal to have questions. It’s normal to feel a little nervous. And you shouldn’t feel pressured to buy a property simply because you’ve already spent days or weeks looking.
Sometimes the right home might be among the first few you see.
Sometimes it might be the 13th.
Our job is to help you understand the buying process, answer your questions, help you evaluate your options and give you the time you need to make an informed decision.
That’s the approach our team took with Brad and Jeanette in 2007, and it’s the same philosophy we bring to helping buyers today.
A Little More Peace of Mind for Today’s Buyers
Over the years, we’ve continued looking for ways to make the buying experience easier and give our clients greater peace of mind.
Today, buyers who qualify for our VIP Buyer Program can take advantage of special offers and guarantees designed to address some of the concerns people naturally have when purchasing a home.
VIP Buyer Cash Savings Guarantee
Naturally, buyers want to know they’re getting a good price on the home they purchase.
With our VIP Buyer Cash Savings Guarantee, if we don’t save you at least $10,000 off the asking price of the home you buy, we’ll pay you $1,000 on closing.*
18-Month Buyer Satisfaction Guarantee
Another concern some buyers have is, “What if I buy a home and later realize it wasn’t the right one for me?”
Our 18-Month Buyer Satisfaction Guarantee provides additional peace of mind. If you purchase a home through our team and aren’t satisfied with it, we’ll sell it for FREE within the first 18 months.*
These are just two of the special guarantees and offers available through our VIP Buyer Program.
Want to learn about all of my Buyer Guarantees & Offers? Call me at 905-683-7800 and I can explain how they work and which ones may apply to your situation.
Thinking About Buying a Home?
Whether you’re a first-time buyer like Brad and Jeanette were, moving up to a larger home or simply starting to explore your options, you don’t need to have everything figured out before you contact us.
We can talk about what you’re looking for, your budget, the buying process and what you may want to consider before beginning your home search.
If you’re thinking about buying a home anywhere in Durham Region or the GTA, give me a call at 905-683-7800. Let’s talk about your plans, what you’re looking for and how my team can help with your home search.
Thanks For Reading Today’s Blog!
Brian Kondo
Sales Representative / Team Leader
The Brian Kondo Real Estate Team
Re/Max Hallmark First Group Realty Ltd.
905-683-7800 office
905-426-7484 direct
brian@briankondo.com
www.BrianKondo.com
www.BrianKondoTeam.com
If you or anyone you know is considering making a move in the next little while, give me a call or pass on my number ... 905-683-7800 (Office) or 905-426-7484 (Direct).
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