The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

a- REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK Wtdnndaj February 17 IMS Added costs may surprise home buyer By Sonla Zimmerman CA When comes buying a home of your own are you really clear on what costs are involved Oddly most people base their home- buying decision on price alone Yet price is only one component The inter est cost of financing for example must also be taken into account as must legal fees moving costs land transfer tax and closing adjustments Then there are the usual costs of owning to consider property axes insurance water heating electricity and maintenance all come with the ter ritory and have to be paid Unless you are very lucky it is un likely you will find a house that you can move into as is Chances are some decorating and repairs will be neces sary And what about the doityour self tools the lawn mower hedge clip pers snow blower or shovel and gar den hose More expense So plan for it Whether you buy an old house or a brand new one location is allimpor tant It will affect not only the apprecia tion value of your home but your travel time and cost getting to and from your place of work With an older house you can usually negotiate with the seller for such things as drapes appliances and fixtures With a new house you are starting from scratch although the builder often al lows you to choose standard quality kitchen cupboards carpeting and bath room fixtures any upgrade will cost more And be sure to find out whether driveway paving landscaping and fenc ing are included in the price There are two ways to go house hunting on your own or through a real estate agent A good agent can save you a lot of time and drudgery even money and it does not cost you a cent No matter which route you take however do not be too hasty about making an offer See the property at least twice and see your lawyer before you sign because once the offer is accepted you have just bought a house Then relax you have also made a first class investment For CAs advice on TV see Your Wealth available on broadcast chan nels in Ontario and on satellite across Canada or see Money in the Bank on your community cable channel Moneycare I financial ad vice by Canada chartered account- anla Sonia Zimmerman la with the Office of the Provincial Auditor Theres More These listings represent only a small percentage of the real estate offered for sale in our Catalogue of Homes Land and Investments The Catalogues present nearly 12000 regularly updated propertiesfor sale Feel free to visit me at our office Mountainview Georgetown I NATIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICE BRAND REALTY INC REALTOR Bus 8730300 Res 8778402 Toronto Linft certificate a estimate the of dome REMAX SUBURBAN REALTY INC REALTOR TO ARRANGE AN APPOINTMENT jim akers associate broker RES jy aa Your new home may be just down the road Let the REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK be your guide to getting there