You are looking at a wonderful home.  There is concert music being sent everywhere in the house.  How wonderful that the owners have wired the home for sound in every room.  Wait a minute.  Is that music disguising something?  Make sure that you do a bit of research before putting in an offer.  Is the home located close to the airport?  How about the commuter train lines?  Can you hear the 417 from the living room?  Guess what will happen in the spring when you want to sleep with the windows open.  Won't be done. Is there a school yard close by when recess will interrupt your afternoon nap time? How about the future development of the acres of farmyard behind the house? The river property may not be so tranquil if every day in the summer people are whizzing by in their motorboats. Is t... 01/30/2011

You are looking for a home in Ottawa.  You look on the MLS®.   You visit Open Houses and you check the sites for people who sell their homes on their own.  Among the options are The For Sale By Owner (FSBO) homes.  You are want to know more about these homes: Pros: Maybe the Seller doesn't know current market values and the house is cheap. Maybe the Seller has priced the home low because they will not have to pay real estate commission. Maybe the Seller is not a savvy negotiator and you can use your skills to low-ball an agreement. Maybe the Seller has a lot of home selling experience, knows values, has a good lawyer to do the contracts, has time to show and sell the house and will be fair about negotiations.    Cons:   You think the Seller will be passing the real estate commission sa... 01/24/2011