Ty Lacroix

As a fairly general rule, homes appreciate about four or five percent a year. Some years will be more, some less. The figure will vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, and region to region.

     Five percent may not seem like much at first. Stocks (at times) appreciate much more, and you could easily earn over the same return with a very safe investment in treasury bills or bonds.  But, take a second look ...

   Presumably, if you bought a $200,000 house, you did not pay cash for the home. You got a mortgage and lets say you put as much as 20% down, that would be an investment of $40,000.

  At an appreciation rate of 5% annually, a $200,000 home would increase in value $10,000 during the first year. That means you earned $10,000 with an investment of $40,000. Your annual " return on investment" would be a whopping 25%!

   Of course you are making mortgage payments and paying property taxes, along with a few other costs. Your rate of return when buying a home is much higher than most any other investment you can make. If you would like to know more about other home buying ideas or tips, let me know and I will gladly see that you are informed and knowledgeable before you purchase.

Are you facing any of these situations when thinking about real estate?

  •¨     You're looking to make one of the most important purchases of your life and you don't want to get burned because of not knowing whom you can trust, or making a mistake that could cost you thousands of dollars later.

•¨     You do not know the values in the marketplace and you want to be assured of getting the most that you can for your money, without having any regrets after your closing?  

•¨     You're feeling out of control because there are so many unanswered questions.  Making it hard to know where to start.  Is there an easy way to buy a home?

 If any of these situations sound familiar, I have some fact-filled information will help prepare you for the purchase of your next home.  Doesn't it make sense that in order for you to make one of the most important decisions in your life you should be well informed?

Just 32 Minutes Of Your Time Will  Save You From "YEARS Of Headaches"

I have a  quick and easy way to help you prepare for your next purchase  which I  call, "40 Buyer Tips YOU Should Know To Avoid Making Huge Mistakes!"

 Just give me a call at 519-435-1600 to set up a convenient , discussion and  in 32 minutes you will have 40 tips that could save you thousands of dollars and a ton of headaches!

    Shopping for a home is an emotional experience. It's also time consuming and comes with a myriad of details. Some buyers, (and their sales person), however, caught up in the excitement of buying a home tend to overlook some items. Their home purchase then turns into an expensive process! These errors generally fall into three areas:

• Paying too much
• Losing a dream home to another buyer
• Buying the wrong home

 When you have a systematic plan before you shop, you'll be sure to avoid these costly errors. Here are some tips on making the most of your home purchase.

 Bidding without sufficient information  What price do you offer a seller? Is the seller's asking price too high? Is it a deal? Without research on the market and comparable homes, you basically are bidding blind.

 A professional REALTOR® who represents you, the buyer, can offer an unbiased opinion on the value of a home, based on market conditions, condition of the home and neighborhood. Without this knowledge, you could easily bid too much, or worse, miss out on a great buying opportunity.

Buying the wrong home What are you looking for in a home? A simple enough question, but the answer can be quite complex. More than one buyer has been swept up in the emotion and excitement of the buying process only to find themselves the owner of a home that is either too big or too small. Perhaps they didn't consider the drive to work, the distance to school or the many fix-ups that they really want to deal with now that the excitement has died down.

Take the time now, to clearly define your wants and needs, discuss these wants and needs with your  REALTOR® put it in writing and use them as a yardstick with which to measure every home you look at.

 Unclear title:    Before you sign any documents, be sure the property you are considering is free of all encumbrances. A good realtor will ensure that he has enclosed clauses to protect you. The last thing you want to discover before you move in is that there are tax liens, debts, undisclosed owners, leases, contracts or easements

 Unexpected repairs   Don't expect every seller to disclose every physical detail that will need to be attended to. Use a professional home inspector to conduct a thorough inspection of the home, before you close the deal. A good REALTOR®  will enclose a home inspection clause in the offer and only if the inspection report is suitable to you, would you waive that condition. (See my report: "The Role of a Home Inspector") 

Hidden Costs   Make sure you identify and uncover all costs-large and small- far enough ahead of time. A good buyer's agent will discuss this with you, and you should discuss all fees and costs with your lender, your lawyer and any other professional you may use. (See my reports;"The role of a lawyer", "The role of a lender")

Rushing the Closing   Take your time during this critical part of the process. Do you understand your mortgage details? Has any thing been forgotten? Does the paperwork and documentation reflect your understanding of the transaction? Will your buyer agent take you through your planned house 2-3 days before closing? (To ensure that there is no unusual changes in the condition of the home, that what is supposed to stay-stays)  I, or my client and I, go through the property before closing to make sure that what we have bought 30 to 60 days ago is still the same.

Can you now see why it is very important to have an experienced, knowledgeable and trusting REALTOR® to help you?  Why not see for yourself. My thorough systematic approach to real estate buying and selling, it can save you time, money and frustration!

We all have been there when we say we are not sure if this house or that house is the right one, that this property or the one across town is best. Then later say we should have or could have or have heard the stories from someone else. Here is a Buyer's lament that I feel covers it all:

I hesitate to make a list
Of all the countless deals I've missed;
Bonanzas that were in my grip -
I watched them through my fingers slip;
The windfalls which I Should have bought
were lost because I over-thought;
I thought of this, I thought of that,
I could have sworn I smelled a rat,
And while I thought things over twice,
Another grabbed them at the price,
It seemed I always hesitate,
Then make my mind up much too late,
Avery cautious man am I

And that is why I never buy.

When tracts rose high on
Sixth and Third,
The prices asked I felt absurd;
Whole block-fronts bleak and black with soot-
Were priced at thirty bucks a foot!
I wouldn't even make a bid,
But others did -- yes, others did!
When Tucson was cheap desert land,
I could have had a hip of sand;
When Phoenix was the place to buy,
I thought the climate much too dry!
"Invest in Dallas-That's the spot!"
My sixth sense warned me I should not,
A very prudent man am I

And that is why I never buy.

A corner here, then acres there,
Compounding values year by year,
I chose to think and as I thought,
They bought the deals I should have bought.
The Golden chances I had then
Are lost and will not come again,
Today I can not be enticed
For everything's so overpriced.
The deals of yesteryear are dead;
The market's soft -- so's my head!

Last night I had a fearful dream,
I know I wakened with a scream;
Some Indians approached my bed --
For trinkets on the barrelhead,
(In dollar bills worth twenty-four,
And nothing less and nothing more),
They'd sell Manhattan Isle to me,
The most I'd go was twenty-three.
The redman scowled: "Not on a bet!"
And sold to Peter Minuit.

At times a teardrop drowns my eye
For deals I had, but did not buy;
And now life's saddest words I pen
"If only I'd invested then!"

 As you can see, you are not alone. I can help you through the decision process with facts and research on real estate in London Ontario. You will be in charge of your emotions. If that works for you, let's get together.

Do NOT Sign Another Rent Cheque Until You Consider This: Buy and Own Your Own Home or Condo, Right Now

      You can stop flushing away rent money every month, stop making your landlord rich, and buy a home or a condo of your own right now, and I can help you every step of the way. 

     Imagine; a home of your own! A fenced yard for the kids. A garage for your car. Enough room for your stuff. All on a quiet street. Privacy. Comfort.  

                                                       Why Now?

 There are lots of lenders sitting on too much money and imagine that! - and they are eager to make more home loans right now. Interest rates are low. The time just couldn't be better to get financing for your new home.

                                             What About Credit Problems?

Even if you do NOT have perfect credit, there may be loans available for you. Even if you are self-employed, there are loans available to you. Whatever your current situation, there's probably a home loan just right for you, and I'll find it for you.             

                                                                Won't I Need A Big Down Payment?

You do not need a large chunk of money for a down payment either. If you've been held back by the idea that you have to save up $10,000, $20,000 or more to put down, to buy a good home, I'll show you how to avoid that altogether.

Consider Charlie and Sue. They had rented for 24 years. They raised 4 children in rental apartments and homes. Just recently, I helped them find a beautiful home and buy that $147,000 home with $7,350.00 down. Charlie and Sue got out of their apartment with the nosy, noisy neighbours and no place to park their car, got into a really great home in a nice neighbourhood with 5% down. Now Charlie has a TV room.

And instead of paying rent each month and losing that money forever, that same payment is now an investment, creating security for them in the future. Oh and by the way, their mortgage payments and taxes are less than they were paying in rent!

Can I do all that for you? Yes, I can. Maybe the level of the government will even step in to help with the down payment, with low interest financing, home improvement grants and in other ways. Very few people know that the government is eager to help them buy their first home. I can help you get every benefit available for first-time home buyers from Mr. Harper too.         

Every Month You Wait, You Flush Your Hard Earned Money Right Down The Drain.

Renting is wasting money. You make your landlord rich, but you do nothing for yourself. By putting those exact same dollars into a "house payment" instead of "rent", you create "equity"..... value that you own, that later can send your kids to university, finance the start-up of your own business or pay for your retirement. Be your own landlord and build up future financial security. I'll even show you easy strategies to speed up the pay-off of your home without making extra payments. And, as a homeowner, you get tax breaks that renters never get.

                    There's no reason to wait. I can help you buy a home RIGHT NOW.

By the way, I was just visiting with Jack the other day; I helped them buy their first home 6 months ago. Jack and Carolyn had a bankruptcy three years ago and were worried they could not buy a home. I helped them purchase a nice 2 bedroom condo for $104,900 with only $6,000 down. Jack's whole attitude has changed. He is no longer a renter who cannot buy because he has a bankruptcy. He is a homeowner and you can tell he's proud of it. He's already talking about renting out his condo and moving up to a bigger home in a few years.

I remember when Verna called me last year. She had lived in the same house for 40 years and after her husband passed away, she was urged by her family to move to an apartment "to save money". After 16 months in an apartment, the cat and she were going stir crazy. She liked to tinker about and she didn't like the noise and all the traffic. I helped her find a great one bedroom condo with a balcony, she has her own laundry and oodles of storage and get this, and her payments are less than what she was paying in rent!

 Switching from renting to home ownership can help you go from being in debt or "cash poor" to becoming financially secure, too. You can use home ownership as the "foundation" of a complete change in your finances!                                        

                                           Being A Homeowner Makes You Feel Good                         In addition to the smart financial and tax reason for buying your own home instead of renting, you will feel better about yourself and your life. You'll provide a safer place for yourself, your spouse, your family. You can decorate your home just as you please. You'll enjoy inviting people over to your home.                        

                             Will I have To Settle For A Home I Don't Love?

 My inventory of available houses and condos is huge. I can show you a great home in just about any price range. Also, you may be surprised at how much home you can afford, with my loans and financing strategies. We'll talk about the kind of home you want, the kind of neighbourhood you want to live in, your finances, and then I will do all the hard work of finding the perfect home for you. A home you can afford, with a loan that's right for you. A home you'll be proud of. A home you can move into now. Of course, everything you tell me is completely private and confidential. My job mandates this high level of integrity. I work for you. I'm your counselor and advisor.                  

                      Why Not Explore This Idea? What Do You Have To Lose?

I'm so confident that I can "match" you with right home and great lender, if I fail after 120 days, I'll pay you $50.00 cash the day you "fire" me as your home finder!                 

                If I'm So Certain I can Help You, Why Wouldn't You Let Me Try?

There are 2 ways we can move ahead from here......... One, you can call me and we'll set up a brief personal meeting. During our brief meeting, I'll collect the information I need from you to create a "Home Search Profile", and then I'll go to work for you.... To find a choice of houses or condos and to be sure you can get a home loan. There is absolutely no charge to you for the meeting or the search. I'm paid the normal real estate commission by the seller of the home only after I've "matched" you with a home of your choice. 0r, send me an email with your full name and I will have one of our mortgage specialists get back to you.      

         You Never Pay A Cent Out Of Your Own Pocket For All The Work I Do For You

Or two, if you're not ready to meet yet, at least let me send you my FREE "The Envelope Exclusive Homeowner Information Packet". Reading this information may change your entire life. To set up a meeting or ask for your FREE "The Envelope Exclusive Homeowner Information Packet", call me at 519-435-1600 or send me an email at ty@enveloperealestate.com and I'll get back to you quickly.

Sincerely Ty Lacroix

Ty Lacroix Broker of Record

PS: I know there's a tendency to set this letter aside....to "think it over"... but then it may get lost, and you forget about it. So I wanted to give you a little extra reason to pick up the phone and call me right now, while it's still fresh in your mind. When we meet, I'll give you a "FREE BUYER'S GUIDE" which has lots of important information about buying a home or a condo. There's "no catch".

But I only have a limited supply. So you need to call me right now at 519-435-1600 to be sure of getting one.

PPS: Oh... I almost forgot a very important thing. I or one of our many lenders will also provide for you a FREE confidential credit report and FREE determination of your home loan qualifying range. Remember, everything is completely private, confidential and you are under no obligation what so ever. So give me a call at 519-435-1600 right now.                       

 Copyright 2009 Envelope Real Estate Brokerage Inc Hi Ty   I want to thank you for all your help in the purchase of my "Dream Beach House"......You made the buying process easy....all your patience as I went through it a few times was absolutely wonderful..   Showing me other places so I knew what else was out there and could be sure "this was the one"  before my final decision was great......   Thank you for your suggestions and help in getting the final papers signed......being able to do the whole process in one day was certainly pretty stress free....not having to wait while it was taken back and forth over a few days made it very easy.   Once again, thank you so much for all your help...I will definitely call you again if the need arises to buy or sell and will pass your name on to anyone I know who may need someone...    It was certainly great working with you for these last few months.   Kind regards   Sue Grycaj