Buying a new home, especially if it’s your first one, is an exhilarating but also overwhelming experience. You really need someone with both expertise and empathy to help guide you through the process to ensure what you choose best fits your pocketbook, personality and lifestyle. We’ve asked one of our amazing Sales Managers, Yaz, to chat with us about his observations and advice for new homeowners.
What is your best advice for a first-time buyer when looking at prospective homes?
It really depends on who the buyer is and what they want. Do they need a workspace? Do they want outdoor space? How do they live their life? I find that one of things that people don’t do before purchasing is really taking the time to discover what they’re looking for before going shopping. My best advice is – do your research to start and figure out your needs. What do you love about your current space? What drives you crazy about it? If you can narrow it down for yourself, you can significantly cut down on wasted time looking at homes that don’t really fit your needs.
What types of questions should potential buyers be asking you?
THE BUILD PROCESS: It’s really rare that most people know much about construction or what they need to do throughout the process. Customers should get an understanding of specific milestones and deadlines that they need to adhere to. When is the builder building? What does that mean for possession time? Etc.
FINANCIAL MATTERS: Salespeople are not financial experts. When you’re looking to purchase a home, it is so important to make sure you speak to a bank or broker first before you look and fall in love with something. Sales managers are great resources to recommend people who can assist you with financial questions so you can ensure you know what you can handle and give yourself plenty of options in your price range.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS: What you get for your money is really the most vague part of purchasing a home. It differs significantly from builder to builder and you get what you pay for. When comparing homes, it’s important to look at the options apples to apples, although it’s hard to put a dollar value on intangibles. Location is super strategic – parks, playgrounds, walking paths, and schools all factor into decision-making. What is offered for interiors is often the largest differentiating factor. For example, Cedarglen Living’s Carrington Place is a custom project – you get to meet with professionals to walk through various options for design and construction. This opportunity to infuse your own personal style is generally unheard of in the multi-family building industry.
I always encourage clients not to rush into any decisions. Take the time to look, speak to friends and family, speak to the bank and then be willing to make the leap.
What is your favourite floorplan and why?
I love them all but hands down my favourite is one of the newest plans – the T design – because it has 3 full bedrooms situated in a 50-foot-wide condo. This is larger than most single-family bungalows and it’s gorgeous. It is definitely not a cookie cutter ‘little box’. It features massive windows that run across the back and side with lovely views of the park and garden. I’m particularly fond of the corner unit, meaning you only have one neighbour, no maintenance and all for under $400k.
What do you think is the Cedarglen Living difference?
Cedarglen is a small, nimble company that really treats people like family – they are able to be very responsive leading to a much more efficient process. Cedarglen Living doesn’t play games. I see myself as a consultant. I sit with my clients and we talk about how they live their day-to-day life and what’s important to them. I help them compare a list of needs and wants and find a balance to see if Cedarglen is the best fit. Cedarglen is very transparent about pricing, you don’t have to negotiate and can rest assured that homes are high quality for a fair price.
Why do you like working for Cedarglen Living?
I have never really felt so valued as a team member as I do at Cedarglen Living. They genuinely, sincerely care about my opinion, trust that I know what I’m talking about, and allow me to collaborate on all aspects of the projects I am involved with. They are continuously responding to the market by re-adjusting pricing and improving specifications. They are open to change which helps them keep ahead of competitors. All of these factors make a huge difference in terms of job satisfaction. It makes me want to do the absolute best for my clients as I know the builder will always have my back.
Any final advice?
The relationship between the builder and buyer should be positive. Trust your gut. Your initial interactions with any builder are a clear indication how you’re going to be treated moving forward. Make sure you like them because it’s natural to have obstacles along the way, but the differentiating factor is how deficiencies are handled and how much respect you’re treated with during the process.
Yaz Kanji, Area Sales Manager, for Cedarglen Living’s Carrington Place, is a high energy, team driven professional with a diverse range of experience in corporate management, sales, client relationships, new business development, recruitment, marketing, and training. With twelve years in sales, hospitality, consumer goods, and retail Yaz is driven towards new challenges and cites real estate as by far the most rewarding career, both financially and emotionally, that he has had the privilege to pursue. In his personal time, Yaz enjoys living an active lifestyle through a variety of activities and is an avid modern board game enthusiast who loves to bring together family and friends for nights of intergalactic space battles and racing camels with lucky dice rolls.
