2011 is already an exciting market for home buyers and sellers in Vancouver. The HPI listed Vancouver apartments as dropping in price while detached home prices are climbing. Here are some things to look for in a home when you’re buying in Vancouver this year.
1. Location. I know it’s simple and maybe overused but if you want to buy a home you should look at where you want to live. Do you need to be close to the airport or a skytrain station? Are you looking for some peace and quiet overlooking the ocean or do you want to hear the crowd at Roger’s Arena? Location can even be as simple as do you want to live in a house or an attached condo or apartment?
2. Amenities. If you’ve got young kids you’ll want to be close to a school that you like. Parks and natural trails may also be something you’ll look for when making your decision. Think about what you like to do: Movies? Shopping? Sports? Restaurants? These are some of the things you may want to investigate when choosing a home. I know I personally enjoy being able to walk to the grocery store.
3. Price. Make sure you’ve got your ducks in a row on this one. The price point you give a realtor is a critical piece of information as it allows them to include all the listings they can within you budget. If you want to be close to BC Place but only want to spend $200,000 you might have to set your sights outside the downtown core.
4. Purpose. What is this new home going to be used for? Do you expect to sublet to renters or divide the home for a number of tenants? Will this be your principle address or just a home away from home? Purchasing a Whistler condo is a great way to invest in property that you get to use for fun, and maybe rent for some extra money on the side.
Specifically for this year sellers are going to be expecting more money from their homes but new home construction is set to outpace previous years. It may be worth your while to investigate newly constructed homes as well as older homes. If you’re going to pay top dollar you may as well get what you’re looking for and a new home can be designed to your specifications.
So whatever your housing needs or plans remember to keep these tips in mind when looking through real estate listings. You might find them to be just the right guidelines to help you narrow down your listing search from a bunch of houses, to just yours.
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