Your future self will thank you

If I knew then what I know now

If I knew then what I know now, I would have done things a little differently. I remember being 24 and wanting to buy my first house. I didn’t, but I should have. I’ll admit I was scared at the time. I was afraid of many things like; my credit score, debt, the commitment, job security, repairs, payments and the unknown. I didn’t have a lot support from family and friends, and I lacked confidence. I felt like I wasn’t in a position to take the plunge. I also didn’t have a down

payment saved, and would have paid a higher than the traditional mortgage payment because at that time 100% financing still existed. The homes for sale in my price range were limited and I would have had to make a lot of sacrifices like location, size and amenities.

What I didn’t know was these feelings and limitations were quite common.

Looking back I realize I made a mistake, I should have bought that house. The house that would have only cost me $58,000 would have gained me a lot more, more than just money. That same house that sold a few years later for almost $50,000 more would have changed my future. I feel like the real estate industry somewhat failed me, at the time. I had an agent that was just a “key holder”. Someone who just opened locked doors. I feel that if I had a Realtor® that helped me understand the market better and improved my knowledge base of the home buying process, I would have gained enough confidence to make a better choice.

If I knew then what I know now, when we (my husband and I) bought our first house, we would have done it differently. We would have given a bigger downpayment, bought in a better neighbourhood, knew more about what we were buying (boundary lines and zoning), took a variable mortgage, sold it for a higher price. Again we felt that there lack of knowledge and guidance which left us short handed.

I believe my past experiences was the push that I needed to get into the Real Estate Industry. I wanted to be a part of the solution. I wanted people, like me to feel differently about their experiences. Even to this day, I see my past self in a lot of first time home buyers and sellers. That is why I feel it is important to be a resource for them. I feel very strongly that educated buyers and sellers are better buyers and sellers. I do my best to research, understand and relay important information. When people have the knowledge and understanding of what it is they are buying or selling, it makes for a better overall experience.

The biggest suggestion I can give to anyone expecting to deal in real estate is to interview your Realtors. Make sure that they talk to you about the important things you need to know and connect you with the right people to guide you along the decision making process.