If you have a friend or close family who recently bought a home or is going to buy, then you know the struggle with trying to find the perfect housewarming gift. Spending five minutes online you can see that the options are endless. The trick is to know something special or unique about the person to know what unique gifts to get them. Finding that just-right gift can be tricky though. You want to buy something that's considerate and aesthetically pleasing, something the new homeowners will actually, truly enjoy.

It may not always be the easiest thing to do, but if you try to get something that is unique and personalized to the person receiving the gift, it really won’t matter what the gift is. It really is the thought that counts.

Here are just a few great housewarming gift ideas, that can help you start brainstorming for the perfect gift to give to that new home owning friend!

Personalized carved wooden coasters or a cutting board | This really could be great with anything. A gift personalized with the family name like  “the Millers” honestly can’t go wrong with that.

Help them get their new herb garden going | Even something like a herb gardening kit. Any kind of plant makes a great housewarming gift, but if they don’t particularly have a green thumb, you could opt for the small and maintainable air plants. Perfect!

A custom house/family portraits or any art | It makes a great home gift, especially if you’re familiar with their style and what kind of art they’re into.

Classic doormat | You can personalize something like this as well, you can make it funny, or cheery, anything that encapsulates your friend or family member(s).

Custom house number plaque | again this is easier if you’re familiar with their tastes, but something modern and stylish is always popular.

Cheese boards, serving sets, cookware, barware etc. | things that are useful and practical. Things you’ll know they'll use and need! 

Custom home return address stamp | Order online a custom stamp with the family name and address

Funny Kitchen towels | something cheeky, something with a bit of humour that’ll make the person smile. 

Housewarming cookies | There’s nothing more touching than something homemade - when a gift is made with time and care, like bake a batch of home themed cookies!

Buying a home is a big decision…

It is the single most expensive asset most people acquire in their lifetime. The more prepared you are at the beginning, the less overwhelming and chaotic the buying process will be. From the initial planning to selecting the perfect home there are many steps to prepare you for the buying experience. 

What is a Buyer’s Agent and do I need one to purchase Real Estate?

• A buyer’s agent represents the consumer who is purchasing the property in the real estate transaction, not the seller.

• The buyer’s agent works directly for the buyer and has their best interests in mind throughout the entire real estate transaction.

• It doesn’t cost you any money, commissions are paid by the seller.

Understanding the process

• The loan process

• Home search

• Homework

• Offer/Negotiating process

• Conditions

• Preparing to move

• Closing

Selecting a lender & the loan process

The loan process is the tedious part of the purchase. It is crucial for you, as a buyer, to understand what you can qualify for as far as a mortgage payment. Once lenders have received your information and can pull your credit report, they will be able to give us an accurate amount you can qualify for.

Home Search

It is important for us to learn your wants and needs. Be as specific as need be, it will help us select homes that match all of your criteria. The step where we physically start the previewing process. We’ll schedule the appointments to view the properties that you are interested in.

Homework

When we have found a home that you love, it’s time for us to do our research. I will provide you with comparables in the neighborhood and/or surrounding area. This will show you what homes are selling for and hopefully give you an idea of where you want to start with your offer. This would also be the time to research the areas schools or maybe request information from the seller on their average utility bills, questions/concerns on the property. disclosure, etc.

Making an offer & deposit money

You need to enter into a written agreement which starts with your written proposal. This proposal specifies your price and the terms and conditions of the purchase. Purchase and Sale Agreement forms offer protection for you, the buyer, and covers the questions that need to be answered during the process. Deposit money accompanies your initial offer to purchase, this money is held until all parties have reached an agreement and the offer becomes a contract. Once the deal is firm, the deposit money held in trust goes towards the purchase of your new home.

Negotiating Process

This is the process that follows once you have sat down and written the offer on a property. We send the offer to the listing agent, who represents the seller. The agent and the sellers will discuss the offer and may either accept, counter or reject our offer. If they decide to counter or change our offer in any way, this is known as the negotiating period. This can go back and forth until we have reached an agreement; when everyone has signed off on the final contract.

Conditions

This stage will start once we have an accepted offer. The first and most important step is to get financing approval. The lender will require all documents related to the transaction. Once written approval has been received from your lender you can move on to the home inspection. This will ensure you that the home is in good condition and there are no hidden defects. After all conditions have been satisfied, it is time to make the deal firm. Congratulations, you’ve just bought yourself a house!

Preparing to Move

You’ll be responsible for choosing an insurance company to insure your new home. Once you have selected that company and the agent, please contact your lender with the information, including their telephone number. Also, you will need to start contacting the local utility companies to have the services transferred into your name on the date you are scheduled to take possession. 

Closing

Closing day for a home buyer is a fresh new start. It can also be extremely stressful. Make sure you know how much money you will need to bring in on closing. The balance owing will not only include what is stated in the purchase agreement, but will also include land transfer tax, legal fees, disbursements and any closing adjustments. Discuss this  with your lawyer well in advance of closing to ensure that you have sufficient funds available. Most closings take place around noon so don’t plan to arrive at the home earlier. Being properly prepared before, during and after you move into your home will make your home purchase a wonderful experience. We are here to answer any questions that you may have during this process, even after closing!

Everyone knows that the spring and summer months are the most popular time for buying and selling real estate. We know things like moving and a home not covered in snow are easier when the weather is nice. But there are some great reasons why house-hunting in the winter months is just as handy as in the spring/summer. 

Less Buyers = Less Competition | With more people looking for a new home in the warmer months, that gives you the advantage of being less likely to be in competing offers. This is true for sellers as well, with less inventory there is less competition.

Supply Exceeds Demand | When there are fewer buyers than there are houses to sell, this can lead to houses being priced lower than they are in the spring and summer. 

More Motivated Buyers and Sellers | Usually people don’t purposefully choose winter to find a home, but the timing is right for them too. Whether it’s a career change or some other sort of circumstance, buyers and sellers are going to be more serious for a purchase. Which means sellers may take a lower offer, or buyers might offer closer to the asking price. People who are coming to see your home are most likely not “just looking”.

Test a home’s winter fitness | When you’re viewing a prospective home during the winter you really can see how it will hold-up during cold weather. This is a buyer’s time to see if there are any really cold rooms, check for drafts, the HVAC system, and check out the lighting.

Be Top Priority | It’s easier during the winter months to hire a contractor to finish off that last bit of flooring, get a home inspection done almost immediately or connect with other real estate agents. In fact, most agents have fewer clients and therefore more time to dedicate to you. You may even find banks and other lenders more accessible and quicker at providing assistance. In some cases, you see lower costs on services such as movers – because you are willing to move during the winter.

Take advantage of the winter selling season. Any season is a good season to sell or buy if you’re ready to sell or buy a home. Talk to one of our agents here at Gateway Realty if you’re ready, snow or no snow. 

Windows and Doors | Stop any heat leaving the house by sealing leaks and cracks. Check the rubber seal around doors, see if you can see anything light coming through to indicate if the seals are broken. Invest in inexpensive caulk to seal up any cracks in windows. You can also install plastic window treatment, especially if you have single pane windows. 

Upgrade your Thermostat | Make the switch to a programmable thermostat, and no longer have to constantly be changing the temperature. They help save money because you get to decide when the heat will go on and off. When you know you’ll be home and will want the heat on, you can programme it to kick on then, and then programme it to go to a lower setting when you know you’ll be out of the house or when you go to bed.

Better Insulation | If you own an older home, a big loss of heat is through the lack of insulation, find out what kind of insulation you have and where you need to add to it. The attic is a popular place for heat to escape. Check stairs, trapdoors, and vents, to make sure they’re properly sealed and insulated.

Deprioritize Unused Rooms | Heating your entire home seems silly if you’re only using a couple of rooms in the house. You could invest in an electric fireplace/heating for rooms that are used often or even heated flooring in places like the kitchen or bathrooms. You can also shut the door or close vents in rooms not being used.

Simple Actions | Do the little things like letting the sun in during the day and closing the blinds at night to avoid a chill. Have your ceiling fans going clockwise at a low speed, since warm air rises, this pushes the heat back downwards. 

Keep Things Clean | Keep vents and radiators clear, if you’ve got the heat going, you don’t want it being blocked by a piece of furniture preventing it from circulating around the room. 

Change air filters, allowing hot air to move easier, can be changed monthly - or whenever it’s dirty.