Today marks the 10th year since Realty Executives Gateway Realty’s opening, on February 24th, 2011. Owner and Broker, Richelle Roger has been in real estate for 15 years! She decided to open up her own realty business in Melfort after seeing the need for a new brand in town. Richelle also wanted to create her own realty team, although there are many aspects to buying and selling homes, an integrated real estate team has an incredible edge over individual agents. There is the technical expertise that goes along with the specialization of team roles which may include buyer's agents, listing specialists, transaction coordinators and marketing personnel but there is also a uniquely human advantage to utilizing a real estate team. Simply put, when you are trying to buy and sell your home, a multi-person real estate team brings resources, insights and more combined experience than an individual real estate agent. 

In 2005 Richelle began her career in real estate on a part time basis and in 2007 she decided that this was a career that she wanted to pursue on a higher, full time level.  Three years later she was ecstatic at the opening of not only her own brokerage, Realty Executive Gateway Realty, but also a new chapter in her life. As the team leader of Realty Executives Gateway Realty, it is hrt duty to hold herself and her team to the highest ethical and professional standards. We provide all our clients a professional experience with a personal touch. We build lasting friendships and fulfill dreams. Richelle’s 15 years in the real estate business, professionalism and proven systems will ensure you a top-rated experience. We take pride in being a leader in the industry and Richelle or Eleah wants to be your Realtor® for life.

Richelle and Eleah have been working together as a team for 10 years! Eleah Sims is an Associate Broker and Salesperson at Realty Executives Gateway Realty. Eleah has been licensed with the Realty Executives team since 2011. She loves to work on both sides of the transaction, whether that is with the buyer or the seller. Along with the REX team, Eleah has helped hundreds of people realize their real estate goals and is dedicated to making the home buying or selling process as fun, easy, and stress-free as possible. 

Eleah is passionate about staying up to date with the latest real estate trends and is always striving to grow a strong social media platform. Her and the REX team are continually attending educational seminars and courses in order to serve their clients better. 

Born and raised in Melfort, Eleah has an intimate knowledge of the city and its surrounding area. Her experiences of having lived in Melfort all of her life give her an enthusiasm and a desire to make her home, your home. She and her husband, Joel, live in Melfort with their daughter, Noa. When Eleah is not selling real estate, she loves spending time with her family, decorating her home, trying new food, attending church events, and watching NFL football with her husband.

Moving is often a chaotic yet exciting event in your life. After the big moving day, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. Unpacking is just the first part of the battle. Next, you’ll need to get your regular routines sorted out and make sure everyone in the family feels comfortable in the new home.

With all of the changes and the responsibilities of a big move, it’s easy to misplace important items and make mistakes. To help keep your life in order, be sure to keep these things on your to-do list.

Securely store these records:

• Your closing statement

• Property deed

• Receipts for home improvements

• Warranty information

• Loan papers

• Insurance policies

Change your address:

Start with USPS to make sure that all your mail is getting forwarded and you don’t miss any important mail or bills. You can do this online at moversguide.usps.com.

Once this is done, you’ll also want to update your address with:

• Bank and Credit Cards

• Insurance providers

• Work

• Department of motor vehicles (driver’s license and car registration)

• Voter Registration

• Online Vendors (especially with automated payments)

If you have gotten a new job in the last 6 months, or are on a probation period with a job, this is for you!

Some lenders have restrictions on how long they expect you to have been employed. 

So, how long do you have to be in a job to get a mortgage? Well, it all depends on what type of position you have. If you’re in a full time position, or half time position and depending on the bank, they can work with as little as two pay stubs. Granted that in those positions you’re getting an annual leave, sick pay and all the benefits you’d expect from a full time or half time position. If you’re in a casual position, regardless if you’re getting full time hours or half-time hours, if you’re in that casual role, the banks will need to see a bit more consistency, usually 3 months at the bare minimum. 

It does change from bank to bank, some lenders have langer requirements. So check with your broker, and make sure you’re applying to the right lender who is going to meet the circumstances that you require. 

So what if you’re currently working but you’re about to move to a new job? So, the first thing to note is that the bank will expect that you’ll be working within the same industry. The second thing they'll want to see is a copy of the employment contract, to compare what you’re supposed to be earning with what you’re currently earning. And the third thing is, at least one pay stub for that new job. So you can apply for a mortgage when you’re in your current position, provide the employment contract, and then  the bank will get a good understanding of everything and assurance with the pay stub from the new job that everything is legitimate. 

Which  lenders can help? Each bank has unique criteria and requirements that need to be met, particularly in full time or part time positions and they may need you to pass any probation type periods. Since they're all different it’s important to compare and contrast, especially if you’ve started a new role recently, you want to give yourself every opportunity at success and not be knocked back because you’re still subject to probation. 

Why are lenders so adamant on this? If they're giving you a third year loan term, and you’re in a probation period for the last 6 months, they don’t want to give you a loan and you don’t pass the probation period, so you end up with no job and no money to pay off the loan. 

So ask your broker about the right lender for you!

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial and investment  moves you will make in your life! It can also be more difficult than it needs to be, especially if you’re trying to buy in a seller’s market. But don’t worry - we’re here to help:

Get informed

Here's where a great real estate agent will come in handy. They can help determine whether your local housing market favours buyers or sellers. This will tell you how and what you should offer on a particular home you wish to buy. An agent can also tell you what similar homes are selling for in the market, giving you a better idea of the value of a home.

Don’t wait too long to make an offer

With more buyers than there are homes in a market like this, make an offer and fast, or stand the chance of losing the home of your dreams!

Get pre-approved so you can instantly make an offer

Getting a mortgage pre-approval will signal to a seller that you are a genuine buyer and you can seal the deal on the offer that you made.

Consider not adding too many contingencies in your offer

If you have multiple contingencies on an offer, especially the selling of your current home, may be seen as undesirable to a seller. If another buyer came along with the same offer just with less contingencies, chances are the seller is going to choose the other. However, don’t sacrifice your peace of mind just to secure a property, be comfortable with whatever offer you decide to make.

Start with a strong price

Put your best foot forward, at the same time not exceeding your pre-approved price. Sellers will take an offer closer to the asking price more seriously than a low ball offer.

Include a higher deposit amount

Again, this is going to show the seller how serious a buyer you are. Just make sure whatever conditions you do have on the offer, that they cover you if you back out for any reason. 

Be prepared for competing offers

There are things your can do to come out on top of a bidding war:

• Including the stronger deposit

• Taking an active part in negotiations

• Leaving the closing date open - let the seller decide

Be open to buying a new construction

The competition may be too much and the choices too little. Going with a new construction or even a RTM may be the answer you’re looking for. You’ll be waiting longer for move-in day, but you will be able to choose the floor plan,  finishings, fixtures etc. to your liking.

Stay positive

It can feel overwhelming making an offer, especially when the market favours sellers, but don’t be discouraged. Maintaining a level head will be crucial through the important home buying and decision making process.