Buying a New Home: Tips for Newcomers
If you are new to Alberta or moving to our province, finding a new home can seem like a big task if you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, we are here to help and you can start with these easy steps for finding a home:
How much can you afford?
The easiest place to start is to determine what you can afford for a home. Finding this out at the beginning will help pave the way for the rest of your decisions going forward. For tools and resources on financials and determining what you can afford, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has free resources and tools on their website.
Determine what you need in a home and a neighbourhood
Answer some basic questions and make a list of priorities for you in an area you live in and what kind of home you want to buy. Understanding what kind of lifestyle you want for you or your family will help narrow down the search.
- Size: how many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need?
- Parking: do you want a garage or is street parking okay?
- Special features: is it important for you to have air conditioning, a fireplace or do you have special accessibility requirements like living in a home without stairs?
- Lifestyle: do you have children or are you planning to have any in the future? Are your children moving out in the next few years? Do you have relatives that visit from out of town?
- Urban vs suburban: do you prefer the city, suburbs or a rural area?
- Commute: what kind of commute are you willing to do for work?
- School and recreation: what school will your children attend and where is it? Do you need to be in close proximity to community or recreation centres?
- Culture: do you want to be close to a place of worship?
Find a home builder
There are many benefits to buying a brand new home, like knowing that your home hasn’t been previously lived in and the ability to customize your house. In order to find the right builder, check things like:
- Ask for references from friends or coworkers
- Check with the New Home Warranty Program
- Do some research online
About Genesis Builders
At Genesis, we don’t just build homes; we enrich lives and create outstanding communities. This promise extends to our team and workplace, where we offer competitive wages, employee home purchase programs, comprehensive health and benefit packages, continuing education reimbursements, and opportunities for career and personal growth. Learn more about our company and our home building here.