Military Relocation Experts for Ottawa
Anne and Dwight are your local Brookfield Relocation Experts for Buying or Selling in the Ottawa area. Let their Knowledge and Expertise remove the Stress from your next posting. Choose the #1 Ottawa Military Relocation Team to ensure you have a Great House Hunting Trip Experience.
To ensure the Best Possible Service and Results we recommend you contact us as soon as you get your Posting Message. If your Career Manager gives you a “Heads Up” on your upcoming posting we can certain start the ball rolling by nailing down your Needs, Wants and Priorities. Frequent communication will clairify all the options available to you and we will start providing information on neighbourhoods, schools, job opportunities for spouses, shopping, recreation and the endless items you need to continue functioning as a family.
Buying a Home in Ottawa
As a Buyer you pay no fees or commission on a home purchase. This allows you to choose the Best Military Relocation Real Estate Team in Ottawa, the Anne & Dwight Team. Anne and Dwight have over 80 years of combined Ottawa Real Estate Experience and are your Local Brookfield GRS Real Estate Experts. We are experienced in a Sellers Market, where our Expertise and Knowledge will help avoid or at least negotiate any potential bidding wars. Our continued presence of the “Ottawa Real Estate Market Pulse” allows us to react to current market conditions, such as bring your Home Inspector to a viewing, many sellers are not accepting offers with conditions so financing has to be pre-approved. Trust the Leading Real Estate Team in Ottawa to find the property and “Seal the Deal”.
Ottawa House Hunting Trip – Questions & Answers
Servicing military personnel that are moving in and out of the Ottawa area is the focus of our real estate team Every year we deal with members moving into and out of the Ottawa area. Anne & Dwight have provided the information below to help you understand the process better.
Question: How long is a typical/standard House Hunting Trip paid for my military?
Answer: A standard HHT includes up to five days and five nights at the new location, for the CF member and/or spouse. The total duration, including travel time, should not normally exceed seven days and six nights.
Question: I haven’t sold my house here. Can I go on my HHT trip before it sells?
Answer: Probably not. There are situations where you can get permission but in most cases you will have to sell your home first. It is really not a good idea to go on a HHT until you are in a position to buy a house in your new location. We have had members come on their HHT before their house sold and ended up having to take a second HHT and pay for it themselves.
Question: Are the commission rates for selling my home set for the Ottawa area acceptable to you?
Answer: Yes. We have no problem with the rates set and there will be no additional cost to you as the homeowner.
Question: I have been told that I’m being posted but don’t have the message yet. I want to put my house on the market now. Can I ?
Answer: Yes. You can list your property but if you get an offer before you have your message then you will have to make the offer conditional on you getting your message. Most buyers will not agree to this condition or agree only for a few days. What we recommend is that we meet and do the measurements, take the photos and get information packages prepared but not actually start the listing until you get your message.
Question: What is a usual closing date in the Ottawa area?
Answer: 6 weeks to two months but it varies depending on the time of year. In January until June we see a lot of sellers who would like to close the end of June so closing dates could be a little longer.
Question: How far ahead of my COS date should I plan my house hunting trip?
Answer: 8-9 weeks would be a good time given the fact that the average closing date is 6 weeks to two months here.
Question: The CFIRP policy states that I will only be reimbursed on my expenses if I buy a property under 1.25 acres ( 54,450 sq ft). Many properties in area we are interested in are over this size. What can I do?
Answer: There is absolutely no problem with you buying a property here that is over 1.25 acres or 54,450 sq ft. However if you buy a property that is larger than 1.25 acres then you will have to provide written proof that the size is required by the municipality. What you will require will depend on your IRP rep. Most will accept a letter from us stating that the lot size is normal for the area and is required to be that size because it has a septic system. Some will require a letter from the municipality stating that the property conforms with zoning by laws. If you require this letter from the municipality there is a cost of between $60 and $100 to you and this cost will not be reimbursed. If you are considering buying in the outskirts of Ottawa you should ask your IRP rep what they will require from you. Read CFIRP DIRECTIVE ON LOTS & LOST SIZES
Question: Should I do a home inspection and does Brookfield cover it?
Answer: Yes. There may be certain circumstances where the inspection is not covered but in all sales when I have been involved the inspection was covered. You can use any inspector, but Brookfield GRS has a list of Third Party Providers that will bill Brookfield directly so you don’t have to pay up front.
Question: Are there any other inspections I should do?
Answer: Yes If the property is on a well and has a septic you will need to test these as well. You will test the well to make sure that the levels of bacteria, arsenic and uranium are within allowable limits. This is a requirement for your mortgage. You should also do a Flow Test on the well to determine how much water the well is currently producing. You should do a septic inspection. Finally we strongly advise you do a radon test. Radon is a gas that can cause cancer. All these inspections will be covered by IRP but you must ask the house inspector to recommend these tests in the inspection report and then you will give this report to your IRP rep. You will have to pay for these up front and submit your receipts to Brookfield for repayment.
Question: My house hunting trip is a week. How many days should I spend actually looking for a house?
Answer: It takes about a day to negotiate a deal. The inspection could be a couple of days to set up. You should leave a day or so in case something goes wrong. If you’ve done some research ahead of time a couple of good days usually will be enough to reach the offer stage.
Question: If I find a house on the internet and want more information can you email me more details?
Answer: Yes. We have the ability to email listings with more details than is available on the net. I can also set you up so you will be emailed all new MLS® listings that fit your requirements as soon as they are posted on MLS®. This may be up to a day ahead of the public MLS site at Realtor.ca.
Question: What do you do for me when I come to town?
Answer: We will make ourselves totally available to you for the total time of your HHT. We will spend as much time with you as you need. Our goal is to find you a good home in the time you are here. We totally understand the time crunch you are under and will work hard with you to find you a home as quickly as possible. We will recommend inspectors and lawyers that are on your IRP approved list. We will setup all necessary inspections that you will require. We’ve done this many times so we know what you need.
Question: How do I request information from you?
Answer: If you like we will send you a Home Buyer’s Package.