We’ve seen it time and time again: a client looking for a new Edmonton home is viewing properties and walks into a potential home that seems perfect. A newly finished kitchen, beautiful hardwood floors, elegant lighting fixtures… you name it. But sometimes, experiencing all the rainbows and butterflies that a home may have can make you forget what you’re really looking for. So let’s talk about non-negotiables.

When Searching For An Edmonton & Area Home 

Before even beginning your home-buying search, we recommend you put together a list of things you need in your next home. Then, when viewing homes, you have a good idea of what you absolutely can’t live without—or, on the flipside, can’t live with.

Number Of Bedrooms

This is a big one for younger first-time home buyers. Even though that one-bedroom open-style loft may be perfect for your lifestyle right now, we often suggest visualizing what your lives could look like in the next 10 years. In the event that you have children, or even long-term guests, or a work-from-home job, it may be a good idea to have one or even two extra bedrooms.

Style Of Home 

Even though most Edmonton home buyers have an idea of the type of home they’re looking to purchase, try to get a solid idea of the style of home you’re looking to purchase before even getting started. Do you envision yourself in a condominium, a townhouse, a home or maybe even an acreage?

Neighbourhood

Do you prefer living in the quiet suburbs or the lively downtown core? Here in Edmonton, each part of the city is vastly different and offers distinct, unique perks in each area. And if you’re a parent or looking to be one within the next 10 years, which Edmonton neighbourhoods are in close proximity to your desired school districts?

Commute

Similar to choosing the right neighbourhood, determining your commute to work, daycare or the in-law’s place can make it or break it. Is your home within walking distance to those things, or is there a major bus or LRT route near it?

Accessibility

Do you, someone in your family or a good friend needs a home that is easily accessible, such as being wheelchair friendly? There are a lot of things to consider there—an open floor plan or a ramp or elevator may be something that you will need to ensure your next home has available.

Garage

Are you a one, two or maybe even three or four car family? Ensure that you have space to protect and store your vehicles, bicycles, tools or toys. Though two parking stalls are sometimes included when buying a condominium, most of the time it’s only one… or none. Don’t even bother viewing a home if it doesn’t meet your car storage requirements!

Storage

This one goes for those living in condominiums or even smaller homes. Is there enough closet or garage space for your ever-growing list of belongings? Sure, your patio cushion set may be fine outside during the summer months, but where will they go once the snow comes around? Some condos include storage cages outside of the unit itself, which can be incredibly helpful in this case. Alternatively, some buyers factor in external storage away from their residence to store seasonal items. 

Price

Arguably the most important thing to consider before shopping for homes is the price. Depending on the market and the home you are looking for will determine a range of negotiation that is reasonable, so considering what your honest budget really is, is important. Being “house poor” is a real thing, so ensure whatever you purchase allows you to comfortably pay your mortgage, basic needs, entertainment and savings account!

When Purchasing Your Home 

So you’ve found your dream home and your offer has been accepted. Congratulations! Even though this is an exciting step, the non-negotiables don’t stop here. Here are a number of non-negotiables to look for when the purchasing and agreements come into play at this phase in the home buying process, so let us enlighten you.

Downpayment 

A mortgage lender can loan only the amount of the appraised value of the home. So if the appraisal comes back lower than what you offered the seller, it may put you in a bit of a conundrum. A TruHome team member is there to support you in navigating the various options for handling this. There are also times when the lender will only give you your desired loan if you put down a specific down payment amount. Let’s say you planned to put down 5% but your lender is asking you to put down 10%. Most of the time, this means dipping into a savings account that you weren’t looking to use or maybe using the money you planned to renovate the kitchen with. Either way it’s not ideal and you will want to determine what moving forward looks like. By getting pre-approved in advance, you can avoid some of these headaches pre-offer. 

Timeline

Did you just sell your last home and are looking to move to a new one as soon as possible? Or maybe you still need to sell your home and the current owner of the new home wants you to move in next week. Sometimes, timelines simply don’t match up. It’s stressful when this happens, but our team can help you navigate the right ways to move forward. 

Home Inspection

It’s time for your home to get professionally inspected and, to your surprise, the hardwood floors need a complete replacement before moving in. Large projects like this can cost a lot of money and sometimes may become non-negotiable. However, we always like to stress that once we know all the information we can work on figuring out the best strategies to move forward both positive for you the buyer and the seller respectively. 

Your Instinct 

Even though you’ve made a verbal deal and put down a deposit on the home, it doesn’t mean you’re stuck moving forward with it if things come up in the purchasing process. Don’t ignore red flags—if something feels wrong, it probably is. There is a time period when you can walk away from the process, get your deposit back and start fresh. The right home will come to you in due time and your REALTOR® should be there advising and supporting you throughout the whole process!

And there you have it—a starting list of standard non-negotiables that most people look for when searching for their next home. Remember: when looking for your Edmonton home, those upscale finishings can be upgraded in due time—the barebones and the unchangeable features of a home is what’s most important. And during the purchasing process, it’s most important that it feels right.

If you’re in the market to purchase your next home, talk to us about scheduling an Edmonton home buyer consult to discuss your goals for homeownership. 

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