Are you thinking of buying your first home?

So many questions...

Some of the topics we will be covering

  • Do I qualify? and for how much?
  • How does the lender decide on how much money they are lending me?
  • Pre approval, what does it mean and how important is it?
  • What does my real estate agent do? Do I have to pay them too?
  • Where can my down payment come from? How much do I need?
  • Are there any other expenses I should know about?
  • I like a house, Now what?
  • What does a home inspector do?
  • What do they charge?Do I go with the home inspector?
  • What happens on the day of close?
  • How does the house get paid for?
  • Where do you pick up keys?

Please bring any other questions you may have!

Food and drinks will be provided. There will also be some draws.

Seating is limited so please sign up early.

Featured Speakers

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Tracey Sherman - Realtor with Century 21 Heritage House Ltd. Brokerage

Tracey has been an industry leader in real estate for over 11 years. Tracey is also the team leader of The Sherman Group and works along side her husband Marshall Sherman and her friend Bonnita Vanderklooster.

Tracey specializes in residential real estate in Oxford County and working with first time buyers is one of her favourite things to do. Tracey owned her first home at 22 and remembers how intimidating it can be when buying your first home. Tracey prides herself on the extra care she gives first time buyers to make sure they understand every detail and she is with them every step of the way,

It has been Traceys experience that many buyers are able to buy when they think they are unable to and tracey has saved many first time buyers money with a mortgage that was lower than their current rent.

Tracey loves her career and enjoys helping people with their real estate needs. 

 
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Julie Brenneman - Mortgage Broker with The Mortgage Centre-Sunshine Financial

Julie has worked in the Financial Industry for over 12 years, beginning at a local note loan company in Stratford. She worked there for several years, focusing mainly on high risk lending and Collections/Credit advising. During that time, she obtained her Mortgage Agent License. In 2010, seeking better solutions for her clients, Julie decided to leave her current position by becoming an Independent Agent under the supervision of a local Mortgage Brokerage. She worked there for 2 years before obtaining her Mortgage Broker’s licence through Seneca College in 2011.

In 2012, she joined the Sunshine Financial team as a Broker and moved her office from her location in Tavistock, Ontario to a storefront in downtown Woodstock. Julie is very active in the local Community and volunteers regularly with the Heart and Stroke, Tavistock AG Society, Tavistock Assistance Program Annual Food Drive and other Community Events.

She lives in Tavistock with her husband and 3 children. She is also a proud Step Mommy to furbaby Mishka the Olde English Bulldog.

 
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Jeff Gleeson - Licensed Home Inspector with Cardinal Home Inspections

Jeff has been involved in residential real estate for nearly 10 years, managing multiple rental properties in the Woodstock area.   Over that time, he has gained considerable experience with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.  While observing and participating in many Landlord Tenant Board hearings, he has come to see that several aspects of the Residential Tenancies Act are poorly understood by tenants and landlords alike.

Jeff is also the owner of Cardinal Home Inspections, serving Southwestern Ontario.  Cardinal uses the latest technologies and is committed to embracing new technologies as they become available.  Jeff is a Continuous Improvement Master Trainer (CIMT) and has more than 12 years of construction and management experience, with companies like General Motors and PepsiCo.  He enjoys being an ambassador for the Home Inspections Industry, and educating home buyers with respect to Bill 59 – The Putting Consumers First Act.  This piece of legislation, expected to be enacted by Parliament in 2018 will play a pivotal role in safeguarding consumers, holding Home Inspectors accountable, and restoring credibility to the field of Home Inspections.  For these reasons, Cardinal Home Inspections is a huge advocate for Bill59!

Jeff lives in Woodstock with his girlfriend Nicole and 5-year-old daughter Eva.  He has two more girls in his life – Bella the Rhodesian Ridgeback and Zoey the Basset Hound.

 
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Melissa Bowen - Lawyer with Bowen Law Office

Melissa is a wife, mother, lawyer, and sports enthusiast. She is the owner of Bowen Law Office and a Partner in Gladiator Hockey Agency.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Calgary in 2005, and started working in the legal industry in 2004. She completed her Law Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2009 having had her first child during her final year of law school. She continued working for lawyers in Saskatchewan during law school and was admitted to the Law Society of Saskatchewan in 2010. She practiced in Saskatchewan until the end of 2011. She and her husband returned to Woodstock in 2011 Ontario and was admitted to the Law Society of Ontario in 2012. 

Her areas of practice are primarily Real Estate, Family law, Wills and Estate Law and Sports Law.