Making an Offer to purchase your new home

So, you have been shopping for a new home for weeks, months or even years. You have finally fallen in love with one. And now is the time to put an agreement together with the seller.

The benefit of buying private is that you can deal directly with the seller. Setup an appointment to meet with them. No doubt sitting at the kitchen table and over a cup of coffee, you will explain your terms of buying their home. The main things you will mention are the price you want to pay, the items you want included in the sale (fridge, stove, etc.) and the date of closing. You may require conditions like having time to complete a home inspection and receiving final mortgage companay approval of the transaction. If you have a property to sell, you may require a condition that your home sell before you commit to the home you want to purchase.

The seller of the home may have a copy of an offer form. In Ontario they are called 'Agreement of Purchase and Sale'. You can fill one out with the seller, but unless you are familiar with the process, you might want to consult with a real estate lawyer before signing. If you don't have a lawyer, you can ask friends or relatives. Also check the yellow pages of the phone book.