Your Team

Your Agent
A successful purchase starts with the right representative. In fact, once you’ve selected the best agent to represent you, it is likely that he or she can recommend other professionals to join your team, taking more of the responsibility off of your shoulders.

Lender (Appraiser)
A bank is not just a bank. Having the right backer can be extremely important – it is your money we’re talking about after all! Make sure that your lender and financial representative is someone with whom you feel comfortable, and be wary of any lender who promises you more than you think you can reasonably afford. Your lenders may or may not require an independent appraisal, and typically will make arrangements for the appraisal themselves.

Lawyer
Your home purchase is far too important a transaction to skimp on legal representation at the risk of leaving yourself open to costly future issues. Find a lawyer who is willing to take the time to answer your questions and who specializes in real estate law.

Home Inspector
No home inspection is 100% guaranteed, but a few hundred dollars to catch a major problem now is certainly better than many thousands to correct that ‘surprise’ down the road. Ask your agent for a recommendation.

Contractor
Planning some renovations? You’re not the only one! The home renovation industry is booming, and in some markets, booking a contractor must be done months in advance (that’s a long time to go without a kitchen). Don’t let finding the right contractor slip through the cracks – planning ahead will almost certainly make your renovation smoother, and you contractor will appreciate the advance notice.

Your Plan

1. Find the right representative
Even if you’re not quite ready to buy, your buyer’s agent can be an absolute wealth of information, and can often offer ‘scoops’ on local developments you might not have know about otherwise. Speak to your agent first and he or she can be helping to guide you right from the start.

2. Find out what your price range is
Online mortgage calculators are a good place to start, but as you get closer to being ready to buy, there is no substitute for a written mortgage pre-approval. Just speaking to your lender is an extremely worthwhile venture – this is the only way to really get an in-depth picture of your overall financial picture and to discover exactly what you can reasonably afford to spend on a home (and possibly on renovating).

3. Find out what your local market looks like
The internet can be incredibly valuable in doing preparatory research. Start with your agent – he or she can direct you to valuable resources and immediately start e-mailing you real estate listings that may interest you (or at least give you a better idea of what your needs and wants are).

4. Find out what your true needs and wants are
Compose a needs/wants list that takes into consideration your local market conditions, your price range, and the advice of your real estate agent.

5. Find your dream home!
Once you’re ready to act, you may be surprised by how quickly you can make a decision. Armed with your pre-approval, a little market knowledge, and your needs/wants list, call your real estate agent, hit the pavement, and when you see ‘the house’, put in an offer.

With the right team behind you, it really can be that easy!

Your Calculator

Let us help you find out what you can afford! Our mortgage calculator will help you determine loan amounts, mortgage qualification, or whether you should be renting or buying.

Complete the fields below (e.g., Cost of Home, Down Payment, Monthly Income) and click Calculate Now. To view the different results of your calculation, click on the various tabs. To mail yourself a copy of your results, click the Receive this Detailed Analysis link.

Required

Required Must be a number between 1 and 50
Term In Years:
Required Must be a number between 1 and 100
Interest Rate:	%
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Cost of Home:	$
Required Cannot be more than Cost of Home
Down Payment:	$
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Annual Insurance:	$
Estimate Insurance to 0.43%of Cost
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Annual Property Tax:	$
Estimate Tax to 1.2%of Cost
Monthly Income:	$ Required
Monthly Debt:	$ Required

Optional

Gross Debt Service Ratio (GDS):
Total Debt Service Ratio (TDS):
Condos Fees:	$

Results

Receive this Detailed Analysis

Mortgage
Qualification
Affordability
Rent vs Buy

Your Monthly Payments

Loan Amount:
Loan Insurance ( %):
Total Loan(Mortgage) Amount:

Principal & Interest:
Homeowners Insurance:
Property Taxes:
Condo Fees:
Monthly Loan Insurance (%):
Total Monthly Payment:

Income Needed to Qualify for the Mortgage

Total Monthly Loan Payment:
Total Monthly Debt Payment:
Monthly Loan Insurance (%):
Qualifying Income of % GDS Ratio:
Qualifying Income of % TDS Ratio:

What You Can Afford
We are using the % ratio.
Cost of House:
Down Payment:
Loan Value:
Monthly Principal & Interest:
Monthly Insurance:
Monthly Property Tax:
Monthly Condo Fees:

Note: Cost of House = [(Monthly income x Debt Ratio) – monthly tax – monthly insurance – condo fee] / (monthly interest rate/ function of interest rate)

Monthly Rent:	$ RequiredMust be a positive number	No. of Years you plan on keeping the home:	RequiredInvalid
Annual Rental Increases:	% RequiredInvalid	Yearly Appreciation on the Home:	% RequiredInvalid
Monthly Renter Insurance:	$ RequiredInvalid	Annual Home Maintenance:	% RequiredInvalid
Savings or Investment Rate:	% RequiredInvalid

Your Century 21 Real Estate News and Tips

Century21.ca - Blog
Little Improvements = Big Returns	5/24/2012 6:00 PM
It's always a good idea to spruce up the exterior and interior of your home before listing it for sale. But that doesn't mean you have to undertake major and/or expensive project. Just a little effort will greatly increase the perceived value of your home. After all, if you wanted to undertake a large-scale project, you probably wouldn't be selling! Here are some simple steps you can take to increase the perceived value of your home and make a great first impression. Exterior Appearance Keep lawns cut Trim hedges and shrubs Weed and edge gardens Clear driveway and clean up oil spills Clean out garage Power wash Touch up paint Plant colorful, inexpensive flowers. Put them in pots if necessary At the Front Door Clean porch and foyer Ensure door bell works Repair any broken screens Fresh paint or varnish front door Repair door locks and key access Create a Buying Mood Make sure your home smells fresh and clean Turn on lights Turn on air conditioner/heater Open the drapes Light the fireplace Create Space Clear halls and stairs of clutter Store surplus furniture Clear kitchen counter and stove top Clear closets of unnecessary clothing and stuff Remove empty boxes and containers Put away personal photos so buyers can envision the house as theirs Maintenance Repair leaking taps and toilets Clean furnace and filters Tighten door knobs and latches Repair cracked plaster Apply a fresh coat of paint or touch up where necessary Clean and repair windows Repair seals around tubs and basins Replace defective light bulbs Oil squeaking doors Repair squeaking floor boards Squeaky Clean Clean and freshen bathrooms Clean fridge and stove (in and out) Clean around heating vents Clean washer and dryer Clean carpets, drapes and window blinds Eliminate pet odors and stains Sukhwinder Bhaura is with CENTURY 21 President Realty Inc. in Brampton, ON.
Look What We Did for the Kids!	5/14/2012 6:00 PM
The CENTURY 21 Miller "Klean Up for the Kids" event for Easter Seals was a huge success! The May 12, 2012 Oakville event raised funds through a car wash, document shredding and clothing drop off, Mother's Day flower sales, and a raffle, and helped raise hundreds of dollars to help send disabled kids to camp this summer! We had a perfect day for the event with lots of sunshine and warm breezes. The event turned into a real party with everyone pitching in and enjoying the music: we had great team work and a lot of fun! More importantly we raised over $1500 to help send disabled kids to Easter Seals camps! CENTURY 21 Miller would like to thank everyone who supported this event Our major sponsor, The Oakville Home Leisure Centre very graciously provided the venue. We want to thank all our wonderful volunteers who came out on the day and the members of the CENTURY 21 Miller Easter Seal Fundraising committee for all their hard work in putting this event together. A big thank you also to everyone who donated cash, prizes and equipment. If you missed out on the fun, it's not too late You can still make a contribution to "Klean Up for the Kids" at CENTURY 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd, Sheena Curran is with CENTURY 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd. in Oakville, ON.
YOUR HOME YOUR GREATEST ASSET	5/6/2012 6:00 PM
Amongst all your financial investments your home is one of the most valuable asset. It holds a monetary, as well as an emotional value to you. Who is taking care of your most valuable asset? Who is your Real Estate Advisor? Every quarter or sometimes annually we receive a statement of our investments from our Financial Advisor, detailing what our proposed investments are worth now. Some go as far as to offer advice on your next steps to grow your investments. If your home is one of the biggest investments in your life, why is there no valuation update provided annually? What are your resources in ensuring you maintain and grow the value of your home? Who tells you what is going on in the real estate market and more specifically your geographical area? What should your next recourse be? These are all valid questions that you should be asking and my goal is to answer all these and any other questions that you may have regarding your real estate needs, neighbourhood updates, community events and developments. Below are some ways to stay on top of your home investment: Home Maintenance Stay on top and in control of your home repairs these tend to creep up on you. Whether it is a simple replacement of a fused light bulb or an extensive roof job, organize yourself and get it done as it appears. It will hurt your wallet less as well. Home Renovations Do not drain your money in extensive renovations. Start with small, achievable tasks: fresh coat of paint new light fixtures change the hardware on your cabinets a new vanity in the poder room for more pizazz paint your kitchen cabinets upgrade to granite countertops backsplash new flooring Be Informed Keep yourself up-to-date on the real estate market. What are homes selling for in your area? What are their key features? What makes your neighbourhood a special place to live? This information should be available to you through a qualified real estate professional and will be valuable whether you decide to sell your home or not. Always get Professional Advice When hiring a contractor for repairs and renovations, get at least three quotes and make sure you hire a qualified professional. You have enough in your daily life between juggling work, family and other obligations. Leave the sale of your home to a traine expert. Speak to a qualified mortgage specialist, an expert real estate lawyer and most importantly, a dedicate real estate sales representative. Hiba Rizvi is with CENTURY 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd. in Oakville, ON.
Spring has sprung! Home maintenance is due!	4/30/2012 6:00 PM
You and your home have survived another winter! Congratulations! Now is the time to handle these 5 critical spring maintenance activities, not only for your own comfort and enjoyment, but also to maintain and/or improve the value of your home! Check The A/C Have a qualified HVAC contractor – preferably one that belongs to the Air Conditioning Contractors of America – come out to give your air-conditioning system a tune-up. To help lower your energy bills, do this every year to ensure the system is running at its manufacturer-rated efficiency. Also make sure to inspect your system’s condensate drain hose, especially if you live in a humid climate. This hose could become clogged with algae and sediment, and your contractor may charge you more to clean it out. Avoid this extra cost by checking the hose periodically yourself. Use a wet-vac to suction any blockage out from it. Roofs And Gutters The hot summer sun can quickly damage a roof’s shingles, so you may want to call a contractor if you haven’t inspected your roof in several years. Clean out the leaves and other debris that have collected in them. Then check to see if the gutters are safely attached and haven’t sprung any leaks. Also, make sure that downspouts direct water away from the house’s foundation, to prevent a potential basement flood. Right The Foundation For further basement flood protection, inspect the foundation around your house before the spring rains. Look for cracks or imperfections, and seal them or call a contractor if necessary. Also look for low areas in the yard near the foundation that might pool water during a heavy rain. Level these yard depressions by filling them with compacted soil. Tend to any other “ponding” areas around the yard, too, because after a hard rain, standing water can develop. These puddles can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Seal The Deck If you have a patio deck, inspect the wood for stains, discolorations, or warping. If you find any, consider resealing the deck. To verify that your old application still works, pour some water onto the dry deck and check to see that it beads up. Most deck-sealer manufacturers recommend resealing annually, but if there are no immediate problems worth addressing, you can likely wait until the following spring to reseal. Check for any sharp edges, splintered wood, or rotting wood. Also look for rusting nails or any nails that are coming out or weakening their connections. And be sure to check the railings and stairs to make sure they are secure and not wobbly. Ready The Soil Spring is the season to prepare for new growth in your garden. Rake beds of leaves and other leftover winter debris. Use a hoe to churn and loosen the soil, and mix in compost for nutrients. If you’ll be planting new seeds, follow the instructions provided on the seed packet for the best results. You may also want to consider having a professional home inspector perform a Seasonal Maintenance Inspection. This is a great idea particularly in spring or fall! Your Century 21 professional can refer you to some trusted professionals! Keeley Ward is with CENTURY 21 Infinity Realty Inc. in Oshawa, ON.