Shopping For a Home

Once you have armed yourself with your prequalification, it’s time to start looking at homes.

Searching For a Home Online

Up to 90% of people start their search for a home online, which is very natural as you can do it with the least amount of commitment, and it’s on your time. Looking online is a great way to start to get to know what’s available within your price range, and it’s good to look at sites that have IDX feeds (internet data exchange). These sites will give you access to all available listings on the market, and often will give you more information than is available on REALTOR.ca. For example, clicking on the “listings” page on our site will show you all the properties that are on the market in Nova Scotia.

Another great idea for learning more about what neighbourhoods you might want to live in, is simply to get in a car (or on foot!), and simply visit the neighbourhoods you are considering. If you are thinking about buying a home, remember, that you are actually buying a home, as well as a neighbourhood. Some considerations like what the schools are like, how long will it take me to get to work, are there things for my kids to do there, what is the blend of ages and so much more. Simply driving around a neighbourhood will start to give you a vibe for the area – and you can even get to know some of the neighbours!

Finally – start to poll your friends, family, co-workers etc. to find out if any of them live in areas that you are considering – you never know where you might gain little perspective. Probably most importantly, however, is to select the agent that you feel most comfortable with, as they can save you both time and money during your search – so you might as well start to assemble your team early.