Name: Kelsey Smith Real Estate
Telephone: 1-306-552-7047
Rating: 5

Buying a home is exciting! But it can also be stressful, confusing, and complicated. Homeownership is a big commitment and buying a home will determine many aspects of your lifestyle and the decisions you make for years to come. This investment is a financial commitment to make regular payments for the duration of your mortgage term and a commitment to put the time and effort needed to care for and maintain a home. If you are ready to take the leap and purchase your first home, or if you are looking to upsize, downsize, or invest, there are some important factors to consider.

Download Buyer's Handbook Meet With Us!

Are You Ready?

If you are considering homeownership, preparation is key to making the process as easy as possible and achieving the best outcome; purchasing a home that makes sense for you. As you consider the realities of buying a home ask yourself these questions:

1. Can I afford it?

The most obvious expenses are the down payment and the mortgage payments for a home. But you also need to factor in closing costs (lawyers, home inspectors, title insurance, appraisal fees, and more). These closing costs can be up to 4% of the purchase price of your home. You should also consider ongoing costs such as property taxes, upkeep and maintenance, home insurance, and condo or HOA fees. A detailed look at the true cost of homeownership will help you determine if or how much you can afford to spend.

2. What kind of home makes sense for my lifestyle?

If you are looking to start a family in the next few years or you have a pet who needs outdoor space, maybe a single-family home is the right choice for you. If you lead a busy, active life and want a maintenance-free residence, condo living could be the perfect option. If you have worked hard to achieve certain financial goals and you are ready to indulge in the home of your dreams, the purchase of a luxury or estate home might be the best next step.

3. How long do I want to own my home?

Life can throw us curveballs, but as you consider purchasing a home, ask yourself how long you plan to stay in the home you choose. If you are looking for your forever home your choices may be different than if you are purchasing a starter home with the goal of moving up the real estate ladder within a few years. Could your job take you to another city in the near future? Are you planning to retire and travel in the next 2-5 years? Is your ultimate goal to move out of the city and try acreage living? Knowing the length of time you plan to own your home will help you make the best purchase decision and protect your investment as life goes on.

The Kelsey Smith Home Buying Process

We have streamlined the home buying process to make it as easy and stress-free as possible. You can count on transparency, availability, attention to detail, and strong negotiating at offer time. This is what you can expect with the Kelsey Smith home buying process.

Consultation for Home Buyers

Are you buying a house in Regina or the surrounding area? You may want to jump right in and schedule viewings. However, prior to starting the physical home search, I ask that buyers meet with me for a “Buyer Consult” session. During this meeting, I explain what to expect at every step when buying a home. We discuss the criteria of your dream home, what defects are important to look for when viewing homes, and everything else from the home inspection, and negotiations to how to choose your real estate lawyer.

Mortgage Pre-Approval

Home buyers should be pre-approved for a mortgage so that they know exactly how much house they can afford. If you don't have a pre-approval, you could be disappointed to find out you cannot afford the house you find or you could lose the deal while waiting for approval. Even if you’re certain you qualify, getting a pre-approval from a Regina mortgage broker can streamline the process and ensure your finances are set to go when you are ready to make an offer. It also makes the final mortgage approval process much faster and less stressful for you!

View Listings

Once we’ve had our “Buyer Consult” and you’ve received your pre-approval, we can start looking at homes seriously. I encourage buyers to use any of the available platforms when looking for Regina MLS listings. KelseySmith.ca has up-to-date listing information and the ability to customize your search criteria for an elevated search experience. As your Regina Realtor®, I will also search for and send you listings that meet your requirements. Once we have a handful of possibilities picked out, I will schedule the viewings on your behalf and we will go house hunting together.

Making An Offer

When you’re ready to make an offer, I will explain to you the terms, conditions, and legalities of the contract. Most importantly, I perform a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) on the property to ensure you pay no more than fair market value and ideally a little less than that! I will help you formulate a strong offer that has the highest likelihood of being accepted by the sellers. Remember that using a buyer's agent is a free service to you as a home buyer. The commissions for a buyer’s agent are paid for by the seller.

Download Free Copy Of Buyers Or Sellers Handbook

Get the inside scoop on how to get top dollar when selling your home, or the secrets behind how to buy the right home for the right price. Fill the form to get a free copy, today!

Why Homeownership Makes Sense

Buying a home is a real commitment. But there are huge benefits to homeownership:

Every mortgage payment you make helps you build equity- your investment is building your own wealth, not making your landlord richer
Your home becomes a reflection of you- make your home an expression of your own personal design esthetic and the way you want to live
Your own home means your rules- no landlord can tell you what you can and cannot do
Your own home lets you create the life you dream of for yourself- build a family, get a pet, establish the perfect home base for your adventures
Homeownership is security and stability- fluctuating rental rates, availability, and the instability of renting are no longer your concern

Choose Your Partner Wisely

If you have reviewed your financial snapshot, considered where and how you want to live, and decided that the time has come to buy your first home, a new home, your dream home or your last home, the smartest thing to do is to partner with a licensed Realtor® to help you navigate the complexities of searching for and buying the best home for you. The ideal Realtor® will support your journey to home ownership by:

Connecting you with lenders who can provide the right financing options for you
Guiding you to explore available homes and easing the property search process
Writing a compelling and airtight offer when you find the right home
Negotiating confidently and skillfully with your best interests in mind
Leveraging their network of the best support service providers such as inspectors, lawyers, and contractors
Closing the purchase with meticulous paperwork and ensuring your home is as expected on possession day

Why Kelsey's Clients Love Working With Her

Regina’s Choice: A Skilled Buyer’s Agent

Kelsey Smith is a knowledgeable buyer’s agent and skilled in the process of buying homes in Regina, the nuances of excellent negotiating, and the complexities of a successful offer to purchase. Every client journey begins with a Buyer’s Consult to ensure that all aspects of home buying are understood and so Kelsey can dig deep to understand your goals for homeownership. She strives to educate every client, establish confidence and clarity with her insight into the Regina real estate landscape, and is committed to transparency every step of the way. Choose Kelsey Smith and choose an elevated home buying experience. To connect call 1-306-552-7047 or fill out the online contact form and take the first steps to finding the perfect home for you.

Buying And Selling Regina’s Best Homes

Kelsey Smith is Regina’s choice for buying and selling homes. Buying or selling can be complex and stressful. Selecting the right Realtor® can ease the process. Kelsey Smith brings market insight, extensive experience, a streamlined strategy, top-level marketing know-how, and expert negotiating skills as your real estate partner to ensure the best outcomes for your sale or purchase.

Buyers FAQs

How much does it cost to use a Realtor® to help me buy my home?

Using a Regina Realtor® when you are buying a home is a free service. The agent is paid from a portion the sale proceeds the seller receives when you put a new mortgage on their property. The commission is pre-set by the seller and the seller’s agent before the property is listed on MLS® Regina and has no effect on the sale price.

What is the minimum amount needed for a down payment?

5% of the purchase price is the minimum amount needed to buy a home in Regina. So if you are buying a $300,000 home, you will need at least $15,000.

What if an issue turns up in my home inspection?

Remember that homes come with necessary maintenance and no property is perfect. Chances are you will have to clean the gutters or do some other repair-type maintenance to the property upon move-in. However, if something is wrong with any of the major structural systems like the sewer lines, furnace, air exchanger, shingles or chimney; you may have a right to negotiate or walk away from the purchase if you feel it’s too much to take on.

Should I be concerned about buying a property that is not on MLS Regina?

No, but you should know that you aren’t saving any money by buying privately. Regardless of if you are buying on MLS Regina or buying privately, you should still seriously consider having a home inspection and a Professional Home Appraisal done. When buying privately, you should know that you run the risk of making an oversight that could have been avoided if you had your own advocate & real estate professional providing guidance.

Which is a better property; a house or a condo?

There are huge benefits to owning both kinds of these properties. Condos in Regina serve great purposes for all kinds of people. They are low maintenance, super convenient and you can buy them brand new! Single-family homes offer other awesome benefits like having your own lot, being able to have 16 dogs (if you want) and not being within ears distance of a neighbour.

What is the minimum amount needed for a down payment?

5% of the purchase price is the minimum amount needed to buy a home in Regina. So if you are buying a $300,000 home, you will need at least $15,000.

Do I need a Realtor® to buy a home?

Using a Regina Realtor® when buying a home will relieve so much of the uncertainty buyers can have while going through the process. We represent people who are buying homes every day. We are versed in contractual law; negotiations and we know what defects to look for when viewing homes for sale in Regina. Realtors® are meant to be an asset to you while buying a home.

What is the first thing I should do when preparing to buy a home?

There are so many ways you can prepare to buy a home in Regina. My advice would be to set up a buyer consult with myself or your Regina mortgage broker. The real estate agent will be the person you spend the most time with and they communicate the most with all the other service providers you will work with such as a home inspector, lawyer and mortgage broker. The mortgage broker will be the first person to tell you what you can afford.

How will I know if I'm paying fair market value for the property?

As your Regina real estate agent, before you make an offer on any property, I will perform a comparative market analysis to determine what the fair market value of the home is. By making dollar adjustments based on certain value factors against the property you like and others that have sold or are currently available on MLS Regina, I will be able to help you determine what dollar amount you should offer for the home and what price you should avoid paying.

How much does using a Realtor® to buy a home cost?

Using a Regina real estate agent when you are buying a home is a free service, the agent is paid from a portion of the sale proceeds the seller receives when you put a new mortgage on their property. The commission is pre-set by the seller and the seller’s agent before the property is listed on MLS Regina and has no effect on the sale price.

How many homes should I look at?

The average person looks at less than 20 Regina homes for sale. If you are specific about your new home’s criteria, you should be able to look at 20 MLS Regina listings or less.

A Partner For All Of Your Real Estate Goals

Providing my clients with an exceptional home buying or selling experience is my top priority. First-time home buyers, empty nesters, sellers, and investors can expect current data and insight to make the most informed decisions regarding their real estate transactions. I promise to share my knowledge, my experience, and my time as we work together to achieve your Regina real estate goals. Connect with me for a free consultation at 1-306-552-7047 and let’s partner to make it happen.

Kelsey Smith Is Regina’s Choice

Choosing the right Realtor® is key to ensure a positive and successful real estate transaction. Kelsey Smith promises to deliver the education and time necessary to buy or sell your Regina home. Call 1-306-552-7047 and rest easy knowing you have made the right choice.

Buyers