Buying a House in Thunder Bay after an Open House

So, you are considering buying a house in Thunder Bay, and you went through an Open House this weekend, and you loved the house, and now you want to buy it- what do you do next?  For many home buyers who have not yet sat down with a Real Estate Agent to discuss the process of buying a home, this can be a confusing time.  Here are a few guidelines to get you off on the right foot and on the way to buying your dream home!

1. If you have a Real Estate Agent that you would like to work with, contact them and let them know that you have found a home through an Open House that you would like to submit an offer on.  They will likely want to go back through the home with you for a second, private viewing, and then they will sit down with you and discuss the process of buying a home.  They will help you determine the best terms for your offer, will prepare and coach you through the paperwork, and will deliver or present your offer.  They are your best advocate throughout this process, right from negotiating your offer until the day that you receive your keys, and for a long time after.
2. If you do not have a Real Estate Agent in mind, you can ask friends and family for suggestions as to who they have dealt with in the past and had favourable experiences with.  Real Estate is a referral based business, and good word spreads!
3. You can also choose to work with the Listing Agent to purchase your home.  They will be working for the Seller throughout your transaction, and will likely be providing you with Customer Service.  Services provided to a customer may include showing the property, drafting the offer, presenting the offer etc.  Under a Customer Service Agreement, the Listing Agent still has disclosure obligations to the customer, and must disclose all material facts related to the transaction.

These suggestions will get you off on the right foot to buying a house in Thunder Bay.  There are also a few suggestions that will be helpful in terms of ‘what not to do’.  Because the property is listed for sale with a Real Estate Brokerage, the Seller has opted to not deal with the public directly.  Please do not go directly to the Sellers home in an attempt to buy their home.  The Sellers will be in a legally binding contract, and must work through their Brokerage.  In addition, many Sellers will feel uncomfortable with unknown/ potential Buyers showing up at their home to speak with them directly.  Following steps 1-3 will be your best action plan to follow in order to move forward with buying a house in Thunder Bay.