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. ;-).
Quit Smoking: Day Thirty – ‘Officially a Non-Smoker’
Wow, thirty days and counting.  I can’t believe I made it this far. I remember those times in my early adult years when I tried to quit numerous times but failed every single time. Whenever I hang out with old friends, they are surprised and can’t believe that I actually quit. They knew how bad of a smoker I was, to be honest sometimes I can’t believe that I’m a non-smoker now.
The thought smoking rarely crosses my mind, I can go through my day with out the thought of it and more importantly I feel really good about my health.
It’s amazing what the mind can do. It’s true what they say; it’s as simple as mind over matter. Although the patch helped ease the physical cravings, it was my mental strength that got me this far. I knew others who went on a patch but were never mentally prepared, and as a result they failed and got back into the habit.
I am preparing myself to continue down this path - The path of a Non-Smoker. I can’t even imagine being a smoker again. I’m sure I will always have cravings here or there, but I know that if ever I become a smoker again, I would truly be disappointed at myself. This was a goal of mine, and I am proud that I accomplished it.
Quit Smoking: Day Fifteen – ‘I Caved’
Successfully completing day ten was a great victory, and as the days progressed, I began to notice changes within myself and my habits. It’s true what they say; food was beginning to taste a lot better again. The smell of polluted city air was actually refreshing, and whenever I would climb a flight of stairs, I felt that I still had enough air in my lungs to climb up ten more flights.  It was a great feeling.Â
Unfortunately, I am not pleased to report that on the evening of Day Thirteen, while having drinks on the patio with my friends, I had a drag or two off my friend’s cigarette. Although it was disappointing, many positive things resulted from it.Â
I realize how bad the taste of cigarettes were, I only had two drags out of the four drinks I had that evening, and when I got up the next morning, my throat was sore and I got sick, which resulted in me not hitting the gym for a few days. It was a clear reminder and good lesson why it was a good decision that I quit.Â
So I guess the moral of the story is, if you are trying to quit and find yourself wanting to have a cigarette, it’s ok to have that one or two drags, but only after 10 days of non smoking. Trust me, you’ll feel and realize that it was a good decision to quit.
I Am Finally A Canadian!
“On this, the occasion of your becoming a Canadian citizen, I offer my congratulations and those of the Prime Minister and Government of Canada.
You are now entitled to all the rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship and are subject to all the obligations and responsibilities of your citizenship.As a Canadian, you must uphold the principles of democracy, freedom and compassion which are the foundation of a strong and united Canada.Welcome to the Canadian familyâ€Those are the words on a letter I received, from the Minster of Citizenship, when I became a Canadian citizen on August 14th, 2007.Â
Yes, after eighteen years of living in Canada with a permanent resident status, I finally have the full rights of any Canadian. Many have asked why it took this long for me to get my citizenship. Some have found my choice to prolong this status as insane. But, like I always say to them, it’s my personal choice.
Being a Permanent Resident of Canada wasn’t that bad. I was able to live my life like any other Canadian. I have the right to receive an education, get a driver’s license, take advantage of the health benefits; get a job and my favorite right as a PR pay my taxes. The only difference was that I could not vote and I could not freely leave or enter the country as pleased – This became a hassle, when it required me to travel frequently with my job. In order to overcome this challenge, I had to apply for a Nations Visa, which was a pain because a Philippine passport could not get you very far, so I had to apply for a U.S.A Visa, U.K. Visa, Ireland Visa and virtually every other country other than the Philippines.
Although, the process to get a Nations Visa was time consuming and sometimes a financial burden, I really liked how I am reminded of where I come from and where I’ve been, whenever I would like at my Philippine passport. This is one of the reasons why I chose to not become a Canadian for a long time. I kept telling myself, that even with my success in life, I never ever want to forget where I come from.Â
However, I knew that it was only a matter of time before I proceeded in getting my citizenship. It was the logical thing to do. Besides, I wanted to make sure that I get to see my CPP (Canadian Pension Plan) contributions from all these years.
But to be honest, being a Canadian does come with its own rights and responsibility, and although I know that I will never ever forget where I come from, I also know that my success could not have been accomplished, without the opportunity that Canada has presented to me. So with that, I thank Canada and proud to be a Canadian.
Quit Smoking: Day Five - ‘So Far, So Good’
I’m happy to report that it’s been going well for me. As mentioned I went on a patch to help ease the cravings, although it felt weird at first and had a few uneasy nights with those crazy dreams, I’m glad that I did not become dependent on it. Yes today is a milestone day. As I rushed to get out of the house early this morning, I realize that I failed to put on the path. I was half way to work already when I realize this, so turning the car around would have been a pain considering the heavy traffic.
I took this opportunity to challenge myself. To see if I can go through the whole day without a cigarette and a patch on.
Success, I tell you. I’m thinking this is easier than I thought it would be. I hardly think about smoking, and when I do I think about how proud I am that I was able to go this long without one. I feel great!
I’ve also notice that I’ve increased my Cardio work out at the gym. Normally I would only last 5 minutes on the treadmill, and that’s jogging. Now I’m pushing it to 12 minutes, still jogging but a little faster.
I’m sure that there will be days that are tempting. I still have a few friends that smoke. The weather is still great outside so, having drinks on the patio with friends that smoke will not be easy. But, I’m preparing myself mentally for it. We will see.
Quit Smoking: Day One
As I venture into my life changing events, I have also decided to tackle on one of the biggest challenges in my life. To quit smoking!
I have been smoking for almost 10 years now, and like many teens today, I was sucked into the ‘every one is doing it’ phase at the age of 16. Sure I started smoking just for the sake of smoking, to fit in, to do what I assumed all the ‘cool’ people did in high school. It only became apparent to me that I became addicted to it, when I started my first full time job, which were only a few months after I lit my first cigarette. It wasn’t long until I was smoking half a pack a day.
Now that I think about it, it was probably inevitable that I would smoke. Growing up, my family (mom, grandpa, aunts and uncle, and a few cousins) all smoked. So I knew that it would just be a matter of time before I did as well. So when did I decide to give this all up. Well a lot of things factored in.
Changes:
As some of you know I recently purchased property, so that alone was a big change for me (will post more about that experience later on). During this time I knew it was a great opportunity to make adjustments in my life and changes that will reflect to be positive. Not to mention that I will now be paying a mortgage rather than rent so saving the extra $156.00 a month on smokes will do justice.
I am also trying to be more health conscious and gain the weight I’ve always wanted. They say smoking makes you lose weight. And for the longest time I have been trying to gain weight and work out to get my body just right. I also want to maintain the youth look. Yes, I know this all sounds kind of superficial, but as humans I think we can’t help but care about our image in some sort of way. My skin has been damage from all the smoking.
The Experience:
I have tried to quit in the past, but I always failed within the first 24 hours. I think it’s because I was not mentally prepared. I also found that it was harder to quit cold turkey without any type of assistants from either patch or gum.
This time around, I knew one thing for sure. I was mentally ready. I also decided to go on a patch, and as I hit my 24th hour of not having a cigarette I realize that this might be easier than I thought it would be. During that time I thought about cigarettes but my way of thinking was different. I wasn’t thinking that I wanted one, instead I was thinking about how gross it was and that I am now a non smoker. The patch is really helping me beat the craving and of course there are times when I get antsy because of the oral fixation. But I occupy myself with snacks and food. This also helps me build up the mass I am trying to reach.
This will be the first time since I lighted my first cigarette, that I will not have one for 24 hours. This is already a big accomplishment. I am excited and look forward to another smoke free day.