• RE/MAX International oversees a network of more than 120,000 agents in more than 65 countries. The RE/MAX network is made up of more than 70 regions, varying in size from a metropolitan area to an entire country.

• Over 70% of RE/MAX agents' business comes from repeat business or referrals from past customers and friends - more than twice the industry average.

• RE/MAX agents competently control the market programs for each of their listings.

• RE/MAX agents make a personal financial investment in every listing.

• The average RE/MAX agent outsells the competition by an incredible 3 to 1.

• Community involvement is highly valued at all levels of the RE/MAX organization - from individual Associates to RE/MAX offices, regions, and RE/MAX International.

• The RE/MAX organization has been the official real estate sponsor of Children's Miracle Network since 1992. The Applegath Group sponsor's the Children's Miracle Network every sale they do.

• All of RE/MAX commitment to the community is serving the public beyond its real estate needs.

Close

There is a need among today's buyers and homeowners for straight talk and sound advice on buying and selling. Home ownership is a major decision in our lives. It's not just a shelter or another investment. It's your dream coming to life, in flower gardens and family rooms, backyard barbecues and home-cooked Sunday dinners. It's the place we raise our children, celebrate friends and family, and nurture ourselves. It's also a place of business that needs to feel successful and peaceful.

It's easy to see why buying or selling a home can often be an emotionally charged, potentially overwhelming process. Helping people through the process of buying a home ranks among our clients most important experiences so we approach our task with sensitivity, concern and professional competence.

Over and over, we in The Applegath Group find that our policy of conducting a diligent search of all available properties and reviewing it in detail with the buyer reduces the time spent on trial and error and leads to a faster purchase, at a better price and with less inconvenience to our buyer.

Thank you for this opportunity. Our presentation is a measure of the quality of service which you can expect from us until you have purchased your home. It is another reason why RE/MAX stands "Above the Crowd"!

Close

Click to view a sample contract (pdf format).

Close

We've found that affordability is probably the single biggest concern of today's first-time and repeat home buyers. Given the wide range of media coverage regularly devoted to the issue, it's not surprising that many young and older people wonder how long it will take before they can afford to purchase a home.

Close

A mortgage pre-approval assists home buyers in determining how much money they will be eligible to borrow prior to a formal application for a mortgage loan, based on information they have provided. With a pre-approval, you will get a clear sense of how much you can afford, and a particular mortgage rate which will be reserved for you. With a locked-in rate, there is no risk of any interest rate increases while you are house hunting. You will also benefit from a lower rate if rates increase during that time period.

Here are the benefits:
• You look at homes in the correct price range
• Your offer can be confirmed much sooner
• You minimize the trauma of wondering whether you qualify
• Because you are pre-approved, you become a "cash" buyer in the eyes of the seller, putting you in a much greater bargaining position.

If you haven't already gone through the mortgage pre-qualification process, you will need to find a good lender to assist you during the purchasing process and for as long as you have your mortgage.

Remember that many different institutions lend money for mortgages, such as banks, trust companies, credit unions, pension funds, insurance companies and finance companies. It's a good idea to shop around and speak with more than one lender because terms and options will vary. Some people find it helpful to use a mortgage broker. Mortgage brokers don't work for any specific lending institution. Their role is to find the lender with the terms and rates that will best suit the buyer.

To find a lender or mortgage broker, you can:
• Ask for a referral from us (we have a few we can recommend)
• Look in the Yellow Pages TM under Banks, Credit Unions or Trust Companies for a lender and under Mortgage Brokers for a broker.

Close

Introduced in 1994, the program is designed to help those home buyers purchasing a principal residence for the first time. The program exempts qualified home buyers from paying property transfer tax.

To qualify for the First Time Home Buyers' exemption you must meet all the criteria. This includes requirements which must be met in the year following the transfer. All requirements are described in the Instruction Guide for Completion of the First Tome Home Buyers' Tax Return

Close

There are many types of homes to choose from and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Think about your needs before making a decision. Don't forget to look beyond the walls. The environment surrounding your home can be almost as important as the environment inside of it.

Single-family Detached: The most popular style and the most solid investment. It is a free-standing home which sits on its own lot thereby offering a greater degree of privacy.

Duplex: Two units - one above the other, side by side or front and back.

Townhouse: One of several types of single-family homes joined by common walls. It offers less privacy than a single-family detached home but still provides a separate outdoor space. These homes offer a different lifestyle choice.

Condominium: These are another style of multi-family homes. These units offer ease of ownership with the least amount of maintenance and work. Condominiums can also been known as strata complexes.

Manufactured Home: A factory-built single-family home that is transported to your chosen location and placed on a surface-mounted foundation. The term manufactured home has replaced the term "mobile home".

Close

When thinking about the kind of home you want, the first thing you should consider is whether you want a previously owned home (often called a resale) or a new home. Here are some characteristics that may help you decide:

New Home
• Personalized choices. You may be able to upgrade or choose certain items such as siding, flooring, cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures.
• Up-to-date with the latest codes/standards. The latest building codes, electrical and energy-efficiency standards will be applied.
• Maintenance costs. Lower maintenance costs because everything is new and many items are covered by a warranty.
• Builder warranty. 2/5/10 year new home warranty. Please talk to Brad, Mike or Daimion and/or visit the Homeowner's Protection Office website.
• Neighbourhood amenities like schools, shopping malls and other services may not be complete for years.
• Taxes such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
• Extra costs. You may have to pay extra if you want to add a fireplace, plant trees and sod, or pave your driveway. Make sure you know exactly what's included in the price of your home.

Previously Owned Home (or resale home)

• Easy access to services. Probably established in a neighbourhood with schools, shopping malls and other services.
• Landscaping is usually done and fencing installed. Previously owned homes may have extras like fireplaces or finished basements or swimming pools.
• No GST. You don't have to pay the GST unless the house has been renovated substantially, and then the taxes are applied as if it were a new house.
• Possible redecorating and renovations. You may need to redecorate, renovate or do major repairs such as replacing the roof, windows, doors, furnace etc.

Building Your Own Home

Some people prefer the challenge and flexibility of building their own home. On one hand you can get exactly what you want in terms of size, design, location, quality of material, level of energy-efficiency, etc. On the other hand, you should expect to invest lots of time and energy.

Close

The house you ultimately choose to call home will play a major role in your family's life. A home can be an excellent investment, of course, and more importantly, it should fit the way you really live, with space and features that appeal to everyone in the family.

As you look at each home, pay close attention to these important considerations…
• Is there enough room for you now and in the near future?
• Is the home's floor plan right for your family?
• Is there enough storage space?
• Will you have to replace the appliances?
• Is the yard the size you want?
• Are there enough bathrooms?
• How much maintenance and/or decorating will you need to do right away?

Within the first 2-3 years?
• Will your present furniture work in this house?

Close

Whether you are married or not, or have kids or not, spare bedrooms come in handy when family and friends come to stay. When you're not having guests, extra bedrooms are useful as a home office, library, den, TV room, or meditation/yoga room.

Another good reason to choose a home with extra bedrooms… extra space will make your home more appealing to a larger number of interested buyers should you ever decide to sell.

Close

As a rule of thumb, ask any questions you have about specific rooms, features, or functions. Pay particular attention to areas that you feel could become "challenge" areas-additions, defects, areas that have been repaired. And above all, if you don't feel your questions have been answered, ask until you do understand and are satisfied.

In most cases, your Realtor will be able to provide you with detailed information about each home you see. Mike, Daimion or Brad will provide you with the listing sheet to note room sizes and other details.

Make notes and tell us everything you liked and didn't like about each home that you see so we can make sure we are showing you the right houses for you.

Close

There is no set number of homes you should look at before you decide to make an offer on one. That's why providing your Realtor with as many details as possible up front is so helpful. The perfect home may be waiting for you on your first visit! Even if it isn't, the house-hunting process will help you get a feeling for the homes in each community and narrow your choices to a few homes that are worth a second look.

Close

A powerful home shopping tool available is The Multiple Listing Service. Mls.ca is the website where every listing is posted on the World Wide Web. It should be noted that the information on mls.ca is generally 2-3 days old, as it takes this long for the website provider to process the information given to them by the Kamloops Real Estate Board.

In today's competitive real estate market, timing is everything. We will provide to you, current up to date MLS listings, including addresses, room measurements, tax info and detailed information for the hottest new homes for sale in the area. This service is at no cost to you and is in a form that is accessible to you on a secure site with your own pass codes 24hrs a day, 7 days a week.

As members of the Kamloops Real Estate Board, we have access to hundreds of properties listed for sale. We can obtain information and show you any property listed on the MLS service. If you see an ad in the paper, or a sign in a yard, call us for more information. If you want to see it, we will show it to you. We know how to do the necessary research in advance to make sure the property is suitable for your search criteria.

Close

The Contract of Purchase

The Contract of Purchase and Sale is an extremely important document. Its purpose is to define the contractual obligations of the parties.

The normal method of drafting the contract is the Buyer's Realtor will prepare the contract and then present it to the Seller's Realtor and the Seller. If the Seller accepts the contract within the time allowed and without alteration by applying his or her signature to the document, then a binding contract is formed.

In order for the Contract of Purchase of Sale to be enforceable, it must be certain with respect to material points such as: price; legal description of the property; names and signatures of Buyers and Sellers (i.e. all registered owners of the property); and the completion date (the date upon which the purchase funds are to be paid to the Seller and the ownership transferred to the Buyers). What is considered a material point depends upon the circumstances of each transaction.

The payment of the purchase price usually begins with the deposit provided by the Buyer upon creation of the Contract of Purchase and Sale and the balance of the price is, in most cases, paid at the completion date. The deposit is normally held in trust by the Realtor and the balance of the funds required by the Buyer to complete the transaction (including any costs and adjustments) is normally paid to the Buyer's lawyer in trust just prior to the completion date.

If the Buyer requires a mortgage to complete the purchase, then it is imperative that a "subject to" clause or condition precedent be included in the Contract of Purchase that allows the Buyer sufficient time to receive mortgage approval from a financial institution. The financial institution will require a copy of the Contract of Purchase and Sale and will normally perform an appraisal of the property. If you would like information from some local Mortgage Brokers, we can refer you to one.

It is recommended practice to also include in the Contract of Purchase and Sale a "subject to" clause that provides the Buyer with an opportunity to have the home inspected by a professional house inspection service.

Any "subject to" clauses included in the Contract of Purchase and Sale must be dealt with during the time specified and removed in writing once satisfied. It is normal practice that the Realtors involved in the transaction prepare the amendments to the Contract of Purchase and Sale, which remove these condition precedents. Once all "subject to's" have been removed then the lawyers for the Buyer and Seller prepare the documentation to complete the transaction.

It is normal practice that after executing the Contract of Purchase and Sale, your real estate agent will ask for the name of a lawyer to act on your behalf to complete the transaction.

It is recommended that you contact your lawyer as soon as possible to discuss steps which the lawyer will be taking and those matters, which are left to your responsibility. The lawyer should also be able to provide you with an estimate of legal fees and other costs to allow you to accurately budget for the entire transaction. It is important to keep your lawyer fully informed of all developments concerning the transaction, in an effort to avoid possible problems should they arise.

Completion of the Purchase and Sale

The main function of the lawyers involved is to ensure that the parties receive what they bargained for under the purchase and sale contract. The Buyer's lawyer ensures all legal documentation is prepared and that the Buyer obtains title to the property free of all claims except those, which have been agreed to by the Buyer. The Seller's lawyer is to clear title of any charges against the property that must be removed and to ensure the Seller receives all funds due to the Seller.

The lawyer for the Buyer investigates those matters, which can affect the title to the property (e.g. Land Title Registry and Property Tax Department records). The Buyer's lawyer then prepares the documentation necessary to transfer ownership of the property and a statement of adjustments, which is provided to the Seller's lawyer for review and execution by the Seller.

In many cases the financial institutions when providing mortgage instructions request the Buyer's lawyer to obtain a survey certificate (a drawing prepared by a surveyor showing the distances between the foundation walls and the property lines). In the event that the Seller is unable to provide an existing survey certificate, then this is a cost, which the Buyer must incur.

It is the Buyer's own responsibility to arrange fire insurance, establish accounts for utilities and make arrangements for keys. It is recommended that the Buyer discuss in advance with the realtors and the lawyer what matters they should be dealing with prior to the completion date.

Close

We will inform you if we learn that a multiple offer situation exists.
• As a general rule, it is a good idea to make your best offer in these circumstances as you may not get a second chance.
• With our assistance, write-up the offer as "cleanly" as possible, the fewer terms and conditions included the more attractive it will be to the seller.
• Offers are normally presented to the seller in the order they were received. It's very important to remember, however, that under most circumstances the seller is under no obligation to consider, respond or counter to your offer. Just because it may have been the first offer presented does not mean the seller is obligated to consider it and respond to it prior to considering and dealing with other offers.
• Be aware too, that even a full-price offer does not guarantee you will obtain the listing-other offers may be for above the asking price or may have some more attractive conditions attached such as financing or possession date, etc.
• There may be situations where the seller has give specific instructions to the listing agent not to divulge to the Realtors acting for potential buyers that multiple offers exist-there may be therefore be other offers in existence that you are not aware of.
• Bear in mind that if the seller counters your offer, your offer remains at risk as there is always the possibility that the seller could rescind the counter offer and accept another offer before you have had the opportunity to consider the counter offer and respond to it.
• We may suggest that you accompany us and wait outside in the car while your offer is presented. This would allow you to make quick decisions should the seller wish to counter.
• If your offer is unsuccessful you may chose to make a back-up offer which, if accepted, would come into effect should the accepted offer collapse for any reason.

Close

Closing day is the day when you finally achieve your goal - you take legal possession and finally get to call your new house your own. You are sure to feel great relief and satisfaction but remember that the home buying process isn't over just yet. There are quite a few things that need to be done the day before and on closing day:

1. Your lender will want a copy of your paid-up home insurance. They will provide the mortgage money to your lawyer/notary.
2. The lawyer will list the closing adjustments. These include the money you owe the vendor (the remainder of the down payment, any prepaid taxes) and what the vendor owes you (unpaid taxes, prepaid rent).
3. You will sign the mortgage document. This gives the lender legal right to the property, registers the home in your name, and provides you with a deed and the keys to your new home.
4. Your lawyer will collect the closing costs from you and give you a statement of all the items you have paid for. 5. Once the sale is completed, your realtor can give you
the keys to your new home at the time the contract of purchase and sale states.

Close

You will need to plan ahead to cover the up-front costs that apply to buying a home. Timing is important to help make things go smoothly. Here is a list of costs that will help you prepare to buy your home.

Legal Fees
(Typically +/- $1,000 will be sufficient as a sale expense).

Provincial Property Transfer Tax
1% on the first 200,000 then 2% on the balance.
Except for first time buyer exemption.

Moving utilities Cost
(for example BC Hydro, Home Phone, Cable/Internet)

Close