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Everyday Experts: Four lessons from a proud homeowner
Manny Brar shares the tips he used to buy his dream home.
CIBC
Oct. 05, 2020
3-minute watch
Sponsored by CIBC
Owning your first home is a huge and fulfilling milestone in life. There’s a lot of hard work and dedication that goes into the process, which could be intimidating for some.
That’s why we’ve asked Manny Brar, CIBC client and proud homeowner, to share his story with us. Here are some of the important lessons he's learned along his 6-year homebuying journey.
Lesson 1: Dream big and chase it
First of all, you have to be ready to chase your dream. You may have doubts, but the key is to believe in yourself. There may be some unexpected bumps in the road, but if you listen to the right advice and put in the work, you can overcome these hurdles. Don’t stop when you hear, “no.” Instead think, “how?”
Lesson 2: Pick the right partner
Having the right team on your side is key. You’ll need to pick people that know more than just mortgages — they need to know you. It’s easy to hand someone an out-of-the-box solution and move on, but many people need a custom solution unique to their situation. Your team needs to understand your whole portfolio, see the bigger picture of your life and craft a solution that’s right for you.
Lesson 3: Make a plan and stick to it
The first part of making a plan is assessing the situation. Make sure you’re fully aware of your entire financial picture. Loans, debts, credit cards — sit with an advisor and make a list of anything that might be holding you back financially. Then, make a plan and work towards lessening these roadblocks. This could involve things like clearing up your credit score with consistent payments or paying off debts. As Manny mentioned, putting in the work may take a long time, but if you stick to the plan, you can make it happen.
Lesson 4: There’s always a way
While everyone’s home-buying journey is different, one thing is always the same: it’s never a straight line. Don’t get discouraged by roadblocks. Trust the advice of the people on your team, do the work, try every solution and don’t give up. The path to your dream home might not be clear at first — remember that it took Manny 6 years — but we’ll work to find it and walk it alongside of you.
Start your home-buying journey with a CIBC Mortgage Advisor today