First Time Buyers

Our Step By Step Process

Let's Get Started

Let's Go Through The Steps

If you are reading this, it’s safe to say that you are likely thinking about buying your first home. Firstly, congratulations! This is a huge accomplishment and something to be very proud of. While the home buying process is one to celebrate, it can feel a bit overwhelming at the same time.

This is the biggest investment that most people make in their life which means it’s highly important to follow the proper steps to ensure you make an informed and educated decision that aligns with your current and future goals, as well as your lifestyle.

See below for steps to get the ball rolling!

Prepare To Buy

One of the first steps (which you likely have already taken) is asking yourself if you are ready to purchase a home and what kind of home suits your lifestyle the best.

For example, a single family home requires much more exterior maintenance than a townhouse or a condo. If you aren’t sure what style of home would work best for you, ask your REALTOR®! At River Valley Realty, our lives revolve around real estate so yours doesn’t have to.

We are here to help guide you and answer any questions you may have about the responsibilities and pros and cons of different types of properties.

Get in Touch

01

Plan Your Finances

Sometimes people think they don’t need to talk to a mortgage broker until they have a contract drafted up but that couldn’t be further from the truth!

Creating a relationship with a mortgage broker can be a powerful tool for your financial planning and saving strategies. A good mortgage broker can help you understand where you are at and how you can get to where you want to be.

This is often called being ‘pre-qualified’ and is a great way to get the ball rolling. Example: John and Jamie know a home with the elements they want to buy is around $400,000; however, Jamie still has 6 months of her car payment left to pay off.

A good mortgage broker will take all of that into consideration and will give Jamie and John options as to how much they can afford now and how much they can afford when the car is fully paid off.

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02

Find A Realtor®

Find a REALTOR® who you like. This can be a difficult conversation if your Uncle Bob still carries his real estate license, but overall, its important to find a REALTOR® who you feel represents you best and places a high value on your best interests and goals. Communication preferences, negotiation skills/techniques, and accessibility are a few elements to consider when starting a relationship with a REALTOR®.

Get in Touch

03

View Properties

The part everyone has been waiting for! Once you have chatted with a mortgage broker and have found an agent you trust, it’s time to start looking at houses! Prior to viewing homes, its important to do some online research and reflecting on the ‘must-haves’ and the ‘would-be-nice-to-haves’.

Remember you are a buying a home for the location, the yard, the structure of the home, and the condition. Cabinets can be painted or replaced, carpet can be replaced, paint can be painted over – keep your eye on the prize and recognize things that can and can’t be changed and the importance of those items to you.

Get in Touch

04

Offers & Negotiating

Once you’ve found a home you love, it’s time to write an offer!

Your REALTOR® will guide you and use various information to help formulate your offer. They will take into consideration homes recently sold in the area and how much they sold for (comparable sales), how many days the home has been listed for, the condition of the home, how many offers are on the table (if you are in a multiple offer situation), and they will also keep your situation and motivation to move in mind.

Every situation is unique – the sellers are selling for a specific reason, and you are buying for a specific reason. Do your best to keep your emotions at bay when negotiating and lean on your REALTOR® for support and guidance during this time.

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05

Pending!

If you are able to come to an agreement on the price, possession, conditions and inclusions – congratulations! You are now considered, pending!

The pending process is generally a two week period (sometimes less depending on the situation) that will allow you to get your FIRM mortgage approval in place and to allow you time to get a property inspection. A property inspection is a highly recommended condition that acts as a safety net to you.

There will likely be things that come back on a property inspection, but don’t let that deter you from wanting the home. The intention of a property inspection is to allow you to understand the true condition of the property and what you can expect for costs and maintenance over the next few years.

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06

Removal of Conditions & Possession

If you are able to meet the conditions you laid out in your offer contract, congratulations!

You can officially ‘waive conditions’ and the house is now SOLD to you! Your REALTOR®, lawyer, and mortgage broker will assist you through this last portion of the process.

Get in Touch

07

If you’re ready to take the first step towards achieving your real estate goals, don’t hesitate to contact Ross Storoshenko and his team at River Valley Realty. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the local real estate market, Ross is dedicated to providing his clients with the highest level of service and expertise to help them make informed decisions about their investments.

Whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or invest in real estate in Edmonton or the surrounding areas, Ross and his team have the knowledge and resources necessary to help you achieve success.

So why wait? Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start your real estate journey with River Valley Realty.

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A Few Of Our Happy Clients

Testimonials

"Professional, personable, reliable, knowledgeable, quick to respond...appreciated the great service!"
Faith Thomson
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"Ross Storoshenko came highly recomended by family member. His professionalism, knowledge and expertise is very much appreciated. His honesty and guidance helped us to make the best decision for the family. Thank you for great service"
Janine Hudj
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"Working with Ross was fantastic experience. From start to finish his professionalism, market knowledge and experience took us through buying a first home beautifully. He also didn't try to sell us on any home. He showed us the pros and cons and helped us make a good decision, even convincing us not to offer on a couple homes we thought met our cri… Read MoreRead Less
Duncan Horner
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"If you are not using Ross and hi team as a Realtor, you're making a big mistake. I'm sure there are other good ones out there but in my experience he's one of the best. Multiple transactions and we are not going to anyone else - our whole family uses Ross."
Arctos Industries
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"Ross, is outstanding and helped us to find our dream home. His professional approach and he accommodated all our requests and made it happen. Thank you Ross! for all your help. It was a real pleasure in dealing with you !"
sunder mark
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"Alyssa Seniuk is an exceptional realtor. We listed our property with her in the Spring of 2024 and she sold it within 14 days. She is professional, detailed oriented, and gave helpful advice during every stage of the sale process. I was impressed with her level of knowledge and responsiveness during negotiations. I highly recommend Alyssa. She has… Read MoreRead Less
Kari Krell
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"Evan truly went above and beyond with being my realtor for the purchase of my home. He was knowledgeable and able to dig deeper for further information when appropriate. Evan supported showings, answered my numerous questions, had patience with my process, came up with creative ideas, was an advocate for me with the builder, and a substitute for … Read MoreRead Less
Michelle Fontaine
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"We recently had the pleasure of working with Evan Cochlin at River Valley Realty - eXp Realty for the sale of our home, and the experience exceeded our expectations. Evan's market knowledge and strategic approach played a pivotal role in positioning our property effectively. His attention to detail, coupled with the seamless coordination of the Ri… Read MoreRead Less
vibin antony
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"A TRUE PROFFESIONAL!!! I had Ross list a home for me , a unique home in St.Albert . The home had a carriage house on the property and was the first of its kind to go to market in St.Albert. Ross navigated the process of listing , negotiating, and closing of the sale of the property in a optimistic and professional manner. He was always available to… Read MoreRead Less
Jim Rae
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"Ross and his team were definately the right choice for us, we knew after our first meet with him he was the agent that we wanted to work with! He always made us feel like we were a priority, and really took the time to understand the needs of our family and help us find exactly what we were looking for. He was always available when we had questions… Read MoreRead Less
Leah Vinall
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