The following is a list of Real Estate related questions that Brown Bros. Real Estate professionals answer every day from people just like you.
 

 What is considered to be a good location in Victoria?
The answer depends on the lifestyle of the buyer and what they rank as being important. Examples include a new home versus an older home in an established neighbourhood; close to city centre or more of a country atmosphere. Broadly speaking, all areas of Victoria are good.

Do I have to disclose everything about my house when I sell?
It is wise if you do, as it will avoid any legal problems after the sale takes place.

What is conventional financing?
Conventional financing is when the property is financed at 75% or less of the mortgage lending value. That would mean that there would be a 25% down payment on the property. Other types of financing are available if you do not have a 25% down payment. Check with your Realtor or banker for details.

What's a pre-approved mortgage? Is it better to look at financing before or after an offer to purchase?
A pre-approved mortgage is just like applying for a mortgage when you buy a home, but it is done ahead of time. Your financial institution will take all the information it requires from you to determine how much you can comfortably afford to pay each month and what price range of home you can look at purchasing. Talk to your banker about a pre-approved mortgage or check out several financial institutions if you want to 'shop around' to see what other banks offer. With a pre-approved mortgage you can shop with confidence, knowing that the biggest hurdle in home buying has been seen to ahead of time. Generally speaking, pre-approval terms and conditions are guaranteed by the financial institution for up to 60 days, giving you the protection of 'locking in' a certain mortgage rate should rates climb higher while you look for a home to purchase. If interest rates go down, the banks will generally give you the lower rate — make sure to ask your banker.

It is always better to look at your financial picture before rather than after you have made an offer to purchase. There is no use in looking at homes that you cannot comfortably afford, and naturally the seller of the property is interested in opening their home to only genuine qualified buyers.
 

What is a good building inspection company and how much do they cost?
There are several good companies that Brown Bros. can recommend for you to choose. The prices vary depending on the details required in the report, but generally run from $200 to $500.
 

Why is it important to stay with one realtor when I'm looking for a house to buy? Isn't it better to have more people looking for me or to deal with the listing salesperson of the property I'm interested in?

It's important to stay with one realtor when you are considering buying or selling for the following reasons:

With one Realtor working for you, you will develop a trust and working relationship that will benefit both you and your Realtor.  You cannot expect a listing Realtor to ensure that you will pay the lowest price for the property when his job is to get the highest price for his client, the seller.
 
Your Realtor will become familiar with your likes and dislikes and be able to ensure that your interests are protected in any negotiations during the sale of your property or purchase of a new property.
 
As a loyal, life-time client your Realtor can provide you with reliable information about the real estate market at any time, whether you are ready to buy or sell at that particular time or not. 

If you have a real estate question that was not answered by this list of questions or require further information regarding the Victoria real estate market, please feel free to contact us by email or by telephone at (250) 385-8780 or by fax at (250) 385-8788. 

Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm., but we have a 24-hour answering service that will page our realtors for you after office hours, on weekends and on holidays.