Underestimating the importance of using a BUYER'S AGENT to get you the best value in your next home could cost you thousands of dollars. Know where you stand BEFORE you go house hunting.

Contact us for a FREE step by step process for purchasing a home. Then allow us to show you how we can help you to sort through all of the houses available for purchase, in the Saskatoon marketing area, with the least amount of effort. We will arrange for viewings, accompany you, advise you and help you through the process of placing an offer and closing the purchase of your new home. Call Otto or Brigitte today for a free Information Package for Buyers, everything you should know before you buy a home. Let us take care of everything for you.

If you have been thinking about buying a home, now or in the near future, please give us a call or email us at buying@konradhomes.com.

Interested in buying a home? Use the Home Profiler Tool to help you find what you're looking for!

Please scroll down the page for more valuable information on selling your house.

• FREE INFORMATION PACKAGE FOR BUYERS
• IMPORTANT INFORMATION BUYERS SHOULD KNOW
• MORTGAGE CALCULATOR
• RELATED LINKS
  • MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE (MLS)
  • RE/MAX SASKATOON WEBSITE FOR BUYER'S
  • MORTGAGE BROKERS
  • LEGAL SERVICES
  • HOUSE INSPECTION COMPANIES
  • INSURANCE
  • UTILITIES
  • MOVING COMPANIES
  • HELPFUL CONTACTS, CONTRACTORS & BUSINESSES
  • OTHER LINKS

IMPORTANT INFORMATION BUYERS SHOULD KNOW

Failing to use the services of an experienced REALTOR. Many times buyers avoid using the services of a REALTOR under the mistaken belief that it costs them money - or that they will be able to negotiate a better deal directly with the seller or seller's agent. This can be an expensive mistake.

If you are negotiating directly with the seller or seller's agent, you may not be taking advantage of the best deal available in the marketplace today! You may not be getting the unbiased information that you need to determine the best price, for you, to offer. You can have your own REALTOR, a Buyer Broker or Purchaser's Agent, who is committed to using the experience gained through hundreds of successful negotiations for your benefit - at no charge to you! Your agent can be paid from the same commission that the seller's agent is paid from - by the seller.

Real Estate is a unique business, where an agent with one day's experience and no sales gets paid the same as an agent with several years experience and hundreds of successful sales. An experienced agent can help you avoid the other costly mistakes outlined here, and make your home buying experience an enjoyable, stress-free one!

Failing to take the steps to be financially pre-qualified, and having an interest rate guarantee before looking at homes. Knowing how much you can comfortably afford will ensure you are looking in the right price range and prevent you from buying a home that will strain you financially and emotionally. Having an interest rate guarantee will protect you in times of fluctuating rates and ensure that your initial projected payments do not suddenly escalate, resulting in extra interest charges. An experienced REALTOR can help you initiate this process and can also recommend alternative sources of financing.

Not knowing who the agent is really working for. It is important for buyers to know and understand for whom the agent, helping with the house hunting, is actually working. The agent may be working as a sub agent - representing the seller's best interests during negotiations - or as your agent representing your best interests during negotiations. If you are not sure who your agent is working for - ask for clarification. Your REALTOR must fully explain agency. When negotiations commence, wouldn't you want to know whether information you divulge will be used for the seller's benefit - or yours?

Failing to have a Comparative Market Analysis prepared before offering. Before you make an offer to purchase that special home, you must have a good idea what it's market value is to ensure that you do not overpay. Your agent can prepare a Comparative Market Analysis, showing what similar homes have recently sold for, and the difference between the asking and selling prices. This is the same type of report the seller receives when deciding on an asking price. Wouldn't you like to have access to the same information as the seller?

Failing to recognize different negotiating styles and strategies. Many buyers think that the way to achieve a fair purchase price is by offering low. This is the strategy of the buyer who is not in possession of all the facts essential to negotiating the best possible deal. Many times that type of strategy will polarize negotiations and lead to inflexibility on part of the seller - or worse yet - failed negotiations!

If you have chosen your REALTOR wisely, the most effective strategies for this particular situation will be revealed to you. Remember, in the real estate business, an agent with many successfully closed transactions usually costs the same as someone who is inexperienced. That experience could mean a better deal at the negotiating table with a minimum amount of hassles.

Failing to have the home inspected by a competent home inspection company. Buying a home is a major purchase usually made after spending just half an hour looking at the home. Isn't it worth ensuring you will not be surprised later with deficiencies that could potentially cost you thousands of dollars? Your REALTOR can recommend several reputable companies for you to choose from, and will ensure the appropriate clause is inserted in the offer.

Not knowing or understanding your rights and obligations set out in the Offer To Purchase. It is important to understand completely the terms of the Offer to Purchase. Wrong assumptions, poorly written or missing clauses, and not understanding how the clauses affect the purchase, can lead to increased costs or a void contract. An experienced REALTOR can thoroughly explain the agreement to you and help you to fulfill your contractual obligations.

Letting emotion blind reason. Buying a home is an exciting time and is usually an emotional decision. It is important that those emotions be validated by facts and reason. An experienced agent will help to remove the emotion from the negotiating process and provide you with the information you need to make the right decisions.

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MORTGAGE CALCULATOR

Try the Royal Bank's Mortgage Calculator to calculate mortgage payments based on income and current debt criteria.

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RELATED LINKS

MLS Central Saskatchewan
A complete list of available properties in Central Saskatchewan.

Re/Max Saskatoon Website For Buyer's
Re/max information for Buyer's

MORTGAGE BROKERS

Mortgage Link
Scott Tremblay, AMP
1134 8th Street East
Saskatoon, SK  S7H 0S4
Phone:  (306) 244-4663
Toll Free:  1-866-627-7716
Cell: 220-1917
Fax:  (306) 244-4742
E-mail:  mtremblay@yourmortgagelink.ca
Website:  www.yourmortgagelink.ca

Mortgage Intelligence
Yvette Vallee - Accredited Mortgage Professional - AMP
Suite 201, 3550 Taylor Street E.
Saskatoon, Sask. S7H 5H9
Bus. (306) 373-0003
Fax. (306) 373-1711
Toll Free. 1-866-429-0003

LEGAL SERVICES

LAWYERS

Burlingham & Cuelenaere - Rand Burlingham,
1043 - 8th St. E., Saskatoon, Sask. S7H OS2
Office (306) 343-9581
Fax: (306) 343-1947

Leland Kimpinski - Dave Leland
800 - 230 - 22nd St. E.
Saskatoon, SK. S7K OE9
Office: (306) 244-6686
Fax: (306) 653-7008

Cuelenaere, Kendall, Katzman, Watson & Hagen
#500 - 128 4th Avenue South
Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 1M8
Office: (306) 653-5000
Fax: (306) 652-4171

HOUSE INSPECTION COMPANIES

Quality Building Inspections Ltd.
Garry B. Groff
Box 22124
Saskatoon, SK. S7H 5P1
Cell: (306) 221-8090 & (306) 230-2348
Fax: (306) 373-4451

Amerispec
Scott Brown
1814 McKercher
Saskatoon, SK. S7H 5E2
Office: (306) 652-8779

Pillar To Post
Frank Browne
Cell: (306) 221-5622

INSURANCE

Brennan Baillie, CAIB | Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc.
Personal Insurance Broker
8th Floor Canada Building - 105 21st Street E
Saskatoon, SK S7K 0B3
Tel: 306.934.8662
Fax: 306.665.2606
brennan.baillie@aon.ca

THE CO-OPERATORS
Abe Kroeger - Associate Agent
H & J Klassen Holdings Ltd.
105-440 2nd Ave. North,
Saskatoon, SK.
Phone 934-7338
Fax: 934-7328

UTILITIES

NATURAL GAS

SaskEnergy
(306) 975-8505 (City)
(306) 975-8540 (Rural)
408 36th Street East
Saskatoon, SK. S7K 4J9

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

SaskPower
(306) 934-7700 (In Saskatoon)
1-888-757-6937 (Outside Saskatoon)
320 22nd Street East
Saskatoon, SK. S7K 0H1

WATER/ELECTRICAL/SEWER/GARBAGE
Some areas in Saskatoon receive their electricity from the City rather than SaskEnergy.

City of Saskatoon
(306)975-2400 (In Saskatoon) or
1-800-667-9944 (Outside Saskatoon)
222 3rd Avenue North
Saskatoon, SK. S7K 0J5

TELEPHONE SERVICES

SaskTel
(306) 310-7253 (call collect) or 1-800-727-5835
123 2nd Avenue South
Saskatoon, SK. S7K 7E6

MOVING COMPANIES

RAY'S MOVING & STORAGE CO. LTD.
Specialist in Exporting Goods Worldwide

ALLIED VAN LINES
Country Wide Moving & Storage

JAY'S MOVING & STORAGE LTD.

HELPFUL CONTACTS, CONTRACTORS & BUSINESSES
The following companies and people are some helpful services you may need when purchasing a home. For more information, feel free to contact us.

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

Mark's Appliances
Phone: (306) 665-8026

APPLIANCE PARTS

Camco Parts
11 - 1724 Quebec Ave.
Saskatoon, SK., S7K 1V9
Office: (306) 652-5436 Fax: (306) 653-6588

CENTRAL VACUUMS

Built-In Vacuum Service
2216A - Ave. C North
Saskatoon, SK S7L 6C3
Phone: (306) 244-2276
Fax: (306) 665-1705

CONCRETE CONTRACTOR

Dean & Gina Geransky
Phone: (306) 975-1071
Cell: (306) 221-0433

HOUSE INSURANCE

The Co-operators - Abe Kroeger
102 - 310 Idylwyld Drive
Saskatoon, Sk. S7L OZ2
Office (306) 934-7338 Fax: (306) 934-7328
After House Emergency Services: 1-800-466-2667

PAINTERS

Cadillac Painting - Lanny Brotzel
Phone (306) 249-3425
Lanny comes highly recommended, by past clients.

PLUMBERS & HEATING/COOLING SPECIALISTS

Ray's Plumbing & Heating
Phone: 652-4143

Efficiency Heating & Cooling
2011 Alberta Ave
Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 1S2
Phone: (306) 384-4328
Fax: (306) 242-2496

Central Mortgage & Housing
For buying a home - no matter what the purchase price all borrowers can put as little as 5% down when purchasing their primary residence. See our website for more information

GE Insurance
Check out our website for more information of 5% down for purchasing a home

MLS Central Saskatchewan
A complete list of available properties in Central Saskatchewan.

Re/max.com
Lots of information on buying a home and why choose a Re/max Realtor

Shop In Canada
Canada's Business Directory

The Saskatoon Market Conditions
This link will take you to the seller's page, go to the Saskatoon Real Estate Market Statistics

Tourism Saskatoon
What's happening in Saskatoon Today?

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