Latest Buyingmyfirsthome Podcast Episodes
What are closing costs when buying a house or a condo?
Homebuyer's School - March 05, 2020 17:26 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsAbout to finalize buying your home? What are the closing costs you need to be aware of? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss the additional costs you need to be aware of when buying a home, when they occur and where they come from. We also discuss if...
Pros and cons of buying a home before and after marriage
Homebuyer's School - February 06, 2020 23:44 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsShould you buy a home before or after you are married? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss the pros and cons of buying a home before and after getting married. You'll learn key family and economic conditions that will impact your decision to buy a h...
Don't make these biggest first time home buyer mistakes (so you get the BEST VALUE!)
Homebuyer's School - January 16, 2020 18:30 - 8 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsPlanning on buying your first home this year? What are the top mistakes other first time home buyers make and how do you avoid them? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss some common mistakes when buying your first home such as assuming every home on ...
Top 5 things you must consider when buying a home for the first time
Homebuyer's School - January 09, 2020 20:41 - 7 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsBefore buying a home, what do you need to consider and prepare for? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss what are the top five things you absolutely MUST consider before buying a home for the first time. Prefer to watch the video or read and t...
Should I wait to buy a house in 2020? What market factors SHOULD I consider?
Homebuyer's School - January 03, 2020 19:04 - 7 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsThinking about buying a home in 2020? What are some things you need to consider? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, Realtor with ReMax First, and discuss what are the key factors to look if you are planning to buy a home in 2020. We explore if you should time the market and what non-mo...
Does staging your home help it sell? (with DIY tips to help sell your home quicker!)
Homebuyer's School - December 27, 2019 23:56 - 8 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsReady to sell your home? Is staging your home required? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, realtor with Remax First, and discuss if staging actually helps sell your home faster. We explore how to make your home "less personal" for visitors and if it's better to have an empty home or a...
What are the hidden costs when buying and owning a house?
Homebuyer's School - December 19, 2019 17:36 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWondering what the true cost of homeownership is? In this episode, we talk with Brad McCallum, realtor with Remax First, and discuss all the costs when buying and owning a home that aren't readily apparent. We talk about home maintenance costs and how location not just affects your home's cost b...
What's the difference between closing costs and down payment?
Homebuyer's School - December 12, 2019 20:52 - 3 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWondering what the differences are between closing costs and a down payment? How do they affect you when buying a home? In this episode, we talk with Troy Champ, Mortgage Advisor with Mortgage Tree and discuss the differences between the two, how closing costs are applied when buying a home, wha...
What are the pros and cons of buying new vs. resale home?
Homebuyer's School - December 06, 2019 17:10 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsPlanning to buy a new home? Wondering if you should buy new or used? What are the pros and cons? In this episode, we talk with Cory McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, and discuss whether to buy a new or resale home and the benefits of each. We talk about pricing and additio...
How to design the perfect interior lighting plan for my home
Homebuyer's School - November 28, 2019 19:59 - 5 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWhat's the best way to light up your home's interior? How about for every room? In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Hotchkiss, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss how to choose lighting for your home, lighting maintenance, as well as the best lighting design for each roo...
How to tell the difference between ceramic and porcelain tile (and which is better!)
Homebuyer's School - November 21, 2019 18:28 - 4 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsDebating whether to put porcelain or ceramic tile in your home? What are the best uses for each? In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Hotchkiss, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss the difference between porcelain and ceramic and where the best places to put them in your ...
How to choose the best carpet for every room in your home (including bedrooms, living rooms and more...)
Homebuyer's School - November 14, 2019 22:25 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsThinking about changing carpet for your current home? How about for a new home? How do you choose the best one for each room? In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Hotchkiss, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss choosing the best carpet for your home including: quality and ...
How to choose the best tile for every room in your home
Homebuyer's School - November 07, 2019 17:16 - 5 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsLooking to use tile for your new home? Which ones are best suited for each room? why?In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Hotchkiss, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss how to choose the best tile for each room in your home including maintenance and colour. Prefer...
What are practical flooring alternatives to hardwood to use in your home?
Homebuyer's School - October 31, 2019 20:25 - 3 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsLooking for different flooring options other than hardwood for your home? What are the costs and maintenance? In this episode, we talk with Rebecca Hotchkiss, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss flooring alternatives and when you would need them. We also explore how to mai...
How to choose the best countertop for your bathroom (with modern ideas for design)
Homebuyer's School - October 24, 2019 17:17 - 5 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsRenovating or designing a bathroom? What countertops should you use? In this episode, we talk with Mackenzie Schurer, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss bathroom countertop ideas and how to choose the best one for your home. We explore cleaning and sealing, and modern des...
How to pick the best (and complimentary) interior paint colours for your home
Homebuyer's School - October 17, 2019 23:48 - 9 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsUpdating the interior paint colours of your home? Choosing colours for a brand new home? How do you choose the colour that will complement the rest of the home? In this episode, we talk with Mackenzie Schurer, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss how to make this decision b...
What are the best modern tile countertop ideas for your kitchen? (including cost and maintenance)
Homebuyer's School - October 10, 2019 17:00 - 9 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsPlanning on a renovating or installing new kitchen tile countertops? What are the best types of tile? How about the latest designs? In this episode, we talk with Mackenzie Schurer, Interior Designer with Brookfield Residential, and discuss new countertop tiles for your kitchen, benefits of each,...
How much mortgage can I afford? (including calculating income and debt)
Homebuyer's School - September 26, 2019 21:19 - 7 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWondering if you can actually afford to buy that home you've been eyeing? How much can you afford? How much will your lender provide? In this episode, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss how much mortgage you can afford and how the banks/lenders...
How to choose the right mortgage lender (and get the best rates!)
Homebuyer's School - September 19, 2019 19:57 - 9 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsPlanning to apply for a mortgage? Who do you talk to? How do you get the best rates? In this episode, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss choosing the right mortgage lender for you. We also explore how to do your research when looking for a lende...
What you need to do before applying for a mortgage (including how to improve your credit score)
Homebuyer's School - September 12, 2019 22:07 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsBefore applying for a mortgage, what do you need to prepare? How do you get your finances in order? In this episode, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss how to prepare for a mortgage including how to understand your budget, ways to improve your c...
Townhouse vs condo: What's the difference and which has better resale value?
Homebuyer's School - September 09, 2019 21:04 - 5 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsNot sure about the difference between a condo or townhouse? How do you find out which one is right for you? In this episode, we talk with Karen McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, we discuss the differences between the home types, property tax implications of each and which ...
Mortgage pre-approval vs approval: What's the difference? (and why they're both important)
Homebuyer's School - September 05, 2019 20:46 - 9 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWhat's the difference between a mortgage pre-approval and mortgage approval? What are criteria to get each? Who do you need to get approval from? In this episode, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss the differences between the two approvals and t...
How to buy a townhouse for the first time: A Step-By-Step Guide
Homebuyer's School - August 29, 2019 17:34 - 10 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsThinking about buying a townhouse? Where do you start? What questions should you ask? In this episode, we talk with Karen McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, and look at the steps involved in buying a townhome and how to prepare. If you are comparing between a townhouse and ...
Downsizing from house to a condo: What you ought to know and expect
Homebuyer's School - August 22, 2019 21:28 - 9 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsMoving into your first condo? Downsizing from your house to a condo? What should you know? In this episode, we talk with Karen McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, and discuss some tips on condo living for those moving in to their first home to those downsizing to a condo. We...
Fixed vs variable mortgage in 2019: Which is better for you? (and how to choose)
Homebuyer's School - August 19, 2019 21:43 - 8 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsPlanning to get or renew a mortgage? Wondering whether you should go with a variable or fixed rate in 2019? In this episode, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss fixed and variable mortgages as well as mortgage rate outlook for 2019. We provide ex...
Who's responsible for condo maintenance and repairs? (and who pays the fees?)
Homebuyer's School - August 15, 2019 21:08 - 7 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWhen buying a condo, who is responsible for maintaining it? What are the owner's responsibilities? Renters? In this episode, we talk with Karen McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential and discuss maintenance responsibilities, how maintenance fees are calculated and what's include...
How does a mortgage work? (what you MUST know to buy a home)
Homebuyer's School - August 12, 2019 18:21 - 9 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsIn this episode of Homebuyer's School, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss how a mortgage actually works and all the elements involved when borrowing to buy a home. We explore what a lien is, what happens if you can't pay off your mortgage and mo...
Are condos a good investment and worth buying? (what you NEED to know before buying)
Homebuyer's School - August 09, 2019 18:05 - 6 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsDeciding if you should buy a condo and if it's worth investing in? In this episode, we talk with Karen McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, and discuss if condos are a good investment. We explore how your research is different when buying a condo as an investment. Finally, we...
How does the mortgage approval process work in Canada? (and how to get approved fast!)
Homebuyer's School - August 01, 2019 19:08 - 10 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsThinking about or ready to get a mortgage approval? What are the steps involved? What do you need to prepare? In this episode, we talk with Mujtaba Syed, Mortgage Specialist with the Bank of Montreal, and discuss how the mortgage approval works and the steps involved throughout the home buying p...
What are the pros and cons of living in a condo? (so you know if it fits your lifestyle)
Homebuyer's School - July 29, 2019 18:25 - 8 minutes ★★★ - 25 ratingsWondering if condo living is right for you? In this episode, we talk with Karen McDonald, Community Manager with Brookfield Residential, and discuss the pros and cons of living in a condo. We explore how noise travels through a condo and how it impacts you. We also review what to look for when r...
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