Sarah Hougen
4150 - 4th Avenue Y1A1J2 Whitehorse, YT, Canada

I sometimes hear that people need every dollar out of their home and can’t afford to use a REALTOR to sell their home. I get that selling a home is stressful and buying another home can add to that but in the end using a REALTOR can SAVE you money! In the last 6 months there have been 44 homes in Whitehorse sold for over asking price (And Coldwell Banker sold or listed over half of those!)! Private listings can be under-priced (and therefore miss out on money you deserve) or... over-priced (and your home will sit on the market). A REALTOR knows and understands the market to price a home for what it should sell for. And when you use a REALTOR we have the resources to have many qualified buyers come through your home and set a date to look at offers so you’ll end up with multiple offers and sell your home for more money than you would have privately. Also, REALTORS pay for a professional photographer to take beautiful photos of your home and all the advertising, time and effort that goes with it! Because REALTORS work with buyers for free we have many qualified buyers working with us to bring to your home. So when you list your home vs. Property guys or private sales you’ve opened your home up to a much larger market! So now you see why you should work with a REALTOR but which REALTOR do you choose? Coldwell Banker has more than half of all REALTORS in Whitehorse is apart of more than half the listings and sales (between 3 brokerages in town!) and works together as a team. So when you work with me you don’t just get my time and experience you get the value of the 17 REALTORS working hard along side me. I have the time to spend with you, would love nothing more than to sell your home and will give you full service EVERYTIME! Call me today for a free home evaluation and let me show you everything I have to offer!

Downpayment and CMHC Before buying your first home there are some things to consider. It is crucial to have enough saved for your downpayment before entering the market. A downpayment is the amount of money you will pay upfront toward the purchase of your home. The remainder is the amount you will borrow either from a bank or a private lender. The minimum downpayment you can put down is 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the remainder. The current average home price is appro...x. $530,000 so let's use that for our example. 5% down is $28,000! If you put between 5-20% down you will have your mortgage secured by CMHC (Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation). This is an extra cost you will pay (wrapped into your mortgage) so that if you ever default on your payments (don’t pay) CMHC will secure your loan (pay it for you) to the benefit of the bank. If you put more than 20% down on the purchase of your home you do not pay extra costs for CHMC (but the bank often requires a home inspection before giving the mortgage). Knowing how much to put down can be a challenge, but most importantly do what is right for you and your family and look at houses that you can comfortably afford. Start saving for a downpayment today!! If you have any questions or want to learn more please reach out!! (867) 334-7762 [email protected] #yourbestmove #sarahhougenrealtor #whitehorserealestate #firsttimehomebuyer