Survival Guide for First Time Home Buyers
Buying your first home is one of the biggest purchases you will ever make in your life, so doing it right is the only way to go. For most first time buyers, this process can be overwhelming and sometimes scary. There are so many things to consider and various parties involved. Not to mention that having a comfortable financial resource is one of the key factors in a successful purchase.
It took me almost a year of searching for the right property until I made a decision that I felt confident and happy about. However the journey to that final decision was a rocky one. I was not 100% prepared and I made mistakes along the way, thankfully by the time it was all said and done it all worked out and was happy with the final outcome.
Here are a few things to consider to survive the overwhelming process of purchasing your first home…
Save, Save, Save - ‘To reduce the feeling of anxiety and secure yourself a successful purchase, make sure that you save enough money for the following:’
Pay Off Debt – It’s always good to free yourself from any financial obligations that you currently have before purchasing a home. Paying a mortgage on a property is not like paying rent. You have to consider many factors and future expense that may arise from the property that you recently purchased.
Down Payment – Typically needed to receive a mortgage from a financial institution. In Manitoba its 5% of the purchase price. Today you can receive a mortgage with no money down, however I don’t recommend this route.
Closing Cost – Needed to close the deal. These fees usually goes towards the Lawyers that handles all the paper work and the transfer of Titles.
Property Assessment – To get approval on the mortgage, an assessment is required by the mortgage provider. The price can range any where from $200 - $500.
Home Inspection – To avoid any future problems with the property, it’s best to get a home inspected prior to purchasing it. The price to get a home inspected can be anywhere from $500 - $1000.
Making an Offer – Have funds available for a deposit when making an offer on a property. You can make a deposit as little as $500, but the more flexibility you have on your deposit, the bigger the negotiating power you have. Most sellers feels comfortable and will likely chose your offer versus others if your deposit is fairly large, even if your offer is less than others.
Shop, Research and Negotiate - ‘The more knowledge you have the better you will feel. Also keep in mind that everything is negotiable.’
Mortgage Rates – You don’t necessarily have to receive your mortgage from your bank. You may find better rates from other financial institution. Shop around.
The Right Property For You – Make sure it’s the right property for you. It’s always good to have a few houses you are interested in lined up and viewed for comparison. It’s also a good idea to view the property more than once before making any final decision. Spend half a day inside if needed. Get the feel for it, visualize yourself living it. Make sure it’s right for you.
Do Your Research - When shopping for the right house, get all the facts and information you can get. Normally your Realtor will get you all the information you need and want about the property you are interested in. They can also get you information on the current homes around the neighborhood and what selling price they went for, this will give you a good idea on whether you are getting a good deal or not.
Negotiate Everything - When negotiating on a property, try and get as much as you can for as little cost as possible. Keep in mind that appliances and furniture can be negotiated. Also any future work that you think is necessary such as remodeling the bathroom, or replacing the floors is also negotiable. Be flexible on your possession date, the more flexible you have on the possession date, the more negotiating power you have.
And my number one rule when buying a property is, when in doubt don’t buy. You have to feel 110% confident in your decisions. Take your time.
You may feel a lot of anxiety during this process, which is normal. I also recommend that you research online for more resources on first time home buyers. I watched a lot of HGTV shows during the year I was searching for a home, you can learn a lot from those shows, especially if you are also planning on doing your own renovations. 
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Because
As long as I live
And as long as I give
My love will be long
And my heart will be strong
Like a chapter in a book
Like the circle of a look
Just like the memory of a brook
Just like the song that it took
I am connected to a river
You are warmth to a sliver
Gold as the crown of a king
Silver as the eyes of a queen
You are connected to me
Just like a school of fish in a sea
A perfect shimmer of light
A great swimming of life
As long as I flow
And as long as I go
My rock will touch rain
Because my heart is again
Star Crossed Lovers On The News
Who’s your favorite couple? Cheech and Chong? Monroe and DiMaggio? Leonardo and Mystery? Beyonce and Jay-Z? Jack and Jill? Peanut Butter and Jam? Spider-Man and The Internet? Wait, let me guess… Romeo and Juliet. So you’re the romantic type. You like the idea of a man and woman or a boy and girl together like a number from those words. Well, check this out… Romeo and Juliet, right? They are star-crossed lovers, that means they were meant to be, right? True dat… but this kat Shakespeare wanted to give us poetry. Poetry straight from the tree; that’s what star-crossed lovers is about. Check this out… Verona, where is this place and where did it come from? It must have taken a million years filled with Shakespeares from all walks of life to create such a violet place. (Violet is one of my favorite colors, by the way.) Two households, both alike in dignity? That’s messed; that’s like violet and purple or something. This was before the metaphor of different races and rainbows. I mean they even had an ancient grudge. That means they have ghosts as peacemakers. We have fatal loins, the lovers’ originators who are basically perfect soul mate machines; these guys were probably best friends and girlfriends who invented the idea of swapping. (Shall I have salt or pepper? Maybe one day we’ll have salt and pepper? That means war.) So we got these two houses and the biggest party of the year. And we have friends who sneak each other in. And lightning strikes on a dime. We get accidents and misses and some holy guy talking to plants. It’s all too much paperwork for any prince let alone a writer. Now then take into account the whole entire timeline and sequence of events that must have happened in order for the strife, what we have here is the story of a miracle. Now it just doesn’t matter if the households kept fighting afterwards; what matters is what the f happened? I mean shouldn’t they feel a little dizzy? the world has been spinning for as long as all their swords put together and longer… So now you are reading this and I wrote it… We’re not exactly Romeo and Juliet but we all dream under the same stars. And so when your love life returns like a dragon, remember it took a lot of work from up above so, take it easy. Cause not all the tragedies in the world could make them stops hating. Just imagine all the love, in all the colors, in the whole timeline, on a sequence of events with all the lighting Babe Ruth could strike? That’s a lot of love. That’s alot of star crossed loving, more than poetry is what that is.
Man Makes a Stinky Deposit at a Peg City Bank
This is a video taken from the security camera at the Winnipeg Square Mall. A man makes a deposit near a local bank. Watch how everyone just walks by minding their own business, while the man does his business. Hilarious!
Filipinos denied entry at a PegCity night club – Is it Racism?
This article was written by Lindor Reynolds, from the Winnipeg FreePress.
Tue Mar 6 2007
A young Asian woman is crying foul after 10 members of her extended family were denied entry to a local club Friday night.
The reason? They couldn’t produce two pieces of photo identification. “I got in. My husband got in and two of my cousins,” says Caroline Velasco, 26. “They just wanted to see our driver’s licences. We showed them. “Half an hour later, everyone else came and suddenly they demanded two pieces of ID. I don’t know if it’s racism or stereotyping. I just think if it was 10 Caucasians, there wouldn’t be a problem.”
The family was gathering to celebrate a birthday.
Jamey Paul, general manager of ‘Coyote’s Nite Club’, hotly denies race had anything to do with the situation. “We’ve got a sign at the front door,” he says. “Everyone is supposed to show two forms of photo ID. Unfortunately there’s so many young people who try to get into a bar even though they’re underage.
“You can fake a driver’s licence. It’s a lot harder to fake two pieces.”
Accepted forms of identification include a passport, certificate of Indian status, Canadian citizenship card, firearms licence or a Manitoba Liquor Control Commission ID card.
MLCC rules state that it’s a bar’s responsibility to ensure bar patrons are of legal drinking age. The minimum standard is one piece of government-issued photo ID.
But Winston Yee, manager of inspection services, says bars are free to set house rules to determine how much identification patrons will be expected to produce.
“If a licensee is not comfortable with the minimum standard, they can ask for more. It is private property although we do license them.”
But Paul was at a loss to explain why Velasco and three other members of her Filipino family were not asked to show anything more than just a driver’s licence.
“We’re supposed to get two pieces,” he says. “I guess sometimes it’s discretion, it’s a judgment call.”
Paul says his club is “the United Nations,” employing people of a variety of races.
“I’ve got an Asian guy on the front door. I’ve got a black guy. There’s no way people are being turned away because of their race.”
Besides, Paul says, it’s the right of a club manager to set any rule he wants.
“If I want to ask for 10 pieces of ID I can,” he says. “I can turn someone away for wearing white sneakers if I want.”
Velasco, a soft-spoken architectural intern, says her group chose to leave Coyote’s when they realized the rest of their family wasn’t going to be admitted. The bar staff returned their five dollar cover fee.
“There was no point in staying,” she says. “This was supposed to be a party.”
Velasco went home after leaving Coyote’s. Her cousins, she says, went to another nearby club and were admitted with only one form of ID.
“I can’t help but think it’s racial profiling,” she says. “People of Asian descent get into a fight at a bar. The next time they don’t want to let in people of Asian descent. They figure there’s going to be trouble.
“I really believe that if my cousins had arrived two at a time instead of in one big group they would have been allowed in.”
Did Caroline Velasco’s family suffer from profiling? We’ll never know. The management of Coyote’s vehemently denies that’s what happened. She’s not convinced.
Velasco’s family did the right thing. They were upset, they left and they spent their money at a different bar. They didn’t raise a fuss or get ugly with the bar staff.
End of problem. Or is it? Do you believe bars profile patrons? Do you think the ID rules are enforced selectively?
Source: www.winnipegfreepress.com
Invasion of the Snow Sculptures
Winnipeg is known for its cold weather. Seven out of the twelve months, the city is mostly covered in snow which gives local artist the opportunity to create some amazing snow sculptures. Their sculptures are often found around the city during the Festival de Voyageur, which is always held every year in February. Here are some of the pictures I took at the festival.
