Questions To Ask Your Builder
Once you’ve purchased your home, and even before you sign on the dotted line, you are sure to have many questions about items that will affect your life in your new community. Here are some questions we suggest you ask your builder in order to be well informed. We’ve provided below some Mattamy Homes answers, and if you buy from us, you will attend a meet-your-neighbour educational seminar we call Mattamy University, where these topics and more are covered.
QWhat can I expect my closing costs be in Windsong?
A Closing costs will be approximately $450 per house and include the enrollment fee required by the Alberta New Home Warranty program. This can range depending on the value of your home (including land and upgrades). For details, visit www.anhwp.com or ask a sales agent
Q Do I need to obtain legal services?
A Mattamy recommends that you have the Agreement of Purchase and Sale reviewed within 5 days, prior to being binding, by a lawyer on your behalf. If you choose to use Mattamy’s solicitor for your closing, Mattamy will cover the legal closing costs once all conditions have been waived or satisfied. Any legal disbursements will be your responsibility.
Q What deposits will be required on the purchase of a new Mattamy Home in Windsong?
A A cheque for $5000 will be due at signing for all purchases. Post-dated deposit cheques are required for the remaining deposit amounts, based on product type, as listed below:
Village Homes: $5,000 in 30 days, $5,000 in 60 days and $5,000 in 90 days
Single Garage Homes: $10,000 in 30 days, $10,000 in 60 days
Double Garage Homes: $10,000 in 30 days, $10,000 in 60 days and $5,000 in 90 days
Q When is the Windsong Sales Centre open for business?
A Windsong Sales Centre Hours are Monday to Thursday from Noon to 8pm and Friday to Sunday (incl. Holidays) from 11am to 6pm.
Q How do I know what school my child/children will attend? Are they going to be bused?
A Visit the website for the District School Board in which you will be living or contact the Board by phone.
Q When should I expect to be called for Design Centre appointments? For my Exterior Color Package Selection Appointment?
A You will be invited to Mattamy’s Design Centre for an appointment approximately six to eight months before your closing date. Exterior color package selection appointments are done at the sales office in order of purchase, and may or may not be scheduled before your design appointments.
Q What are the closest highway exits to my new community?
A Ask someone at the sales office to give you a map of the community and amenities, which should indicate where the major highways are in the city/town.
Q How do I arrange to pick up my mail?
A Visit the local post office. You will need to show a Certificate of Completion and Possession form (CCP), which you will receive at your Pre-Delivery Inspection. You may need to call Canada Post to arrange for mail pick-up. Mailbox units will be placed in your community once major construction is finished.
Q Will I have a sidewalk in front of my home?
A This information may or may not be available at the time of purchase due to the development process. Sidewalks are placed in required locations as provided by the municipality’s policies standards.
Q How do I go about getting a pre-approval for a mortgage?
A On-site mortgage specialists are available at every Mattamy sales office. They can answer questions and assist with needs
Q What is the ANHWP?
A It’s protection for you, and one of the many reasons why so many people choose to purchase new over resale. The Alberta New Home Warranty Program (the Program) was founded in 1974 by Alberta home builders to provide a package of warranty protections and to encourage improved performance for the new home building industry. Since its inception, the Program has been a leader and innovator in the provision of warranty services to the home building industry and was the first program of its kind to be introduced in Canada. The Program offers deposit protection, builder performance protection, structural integrity and first year warranty protection to homebuyers as well as mediation, conciliation and arbitration procedures. In addition to providing warranty services, The Alberta New Home Warranty Program also initiates programs to enhance performance and build technical expertise amongst builders. It also acts as a resource to homebuyers, providing relevant information relating to the purchase and maintenance of a new home or condominium. By adding the Alberta New Home Warranty Program’s various protections as back up to their own warranties, Builder Members are assuring you of fiscal responsibility from the start, performance throughout construction, follow-up if any service work is needed after possession and long-term structural integrity of your new home. Builder Members have demonstrated their commitment to your satisfaction. By joining the Program, every new home and enrolled condominium they build and every buyer is safeguarded. Among the areas protected are your deposits, your new home’s completion, quality of the workmanship and materials and your home’s structural integrity. Even temporary living expenses are included should you ever have to move out for a brief time to accommodate unforeseen warranty work. Should you ever sell your home, any remaining warranty coverage is fully transferable to the new owners—an attractive re-sale feature
Q What is the ANHWP Warranty Protection?
A 1 Year Warranty Protection: When you take possession of your new home, warranty protection starts. For the first year after you take possession, any defects in workmanship, materials or structural integrity which become apparent are warranted by Mattamy Homes and the Alberta New Home Warranty Program. 5 Year Warranty Protection: One year after you take possession, the Structural Integrity Warranty covers repairs relating to major structural defects for the next four years (or nine years when extended major structural defects coverage is purchased at the time of possession). Your Warranty Certificate will outline the rights and responsibilities among the purchaser, Mattamy Homes and the Program as well as the procedures for resolving any disputes through mediation, conciliation or arbitration.
Q When can I expect a tax bill representing both the land and the house?
A A Land taxes may be available, but the taxes levied against the house itself may not be available for a period from six months up to three years. The supplementary billing for the house portion will be retroactive to your occupancy date, and will be payable in “one” installment. You may want to start putting funds aside in anticipation of the supplementary billing. Eventually, the land and the house billings will be combined into one total to be billed over four regular installments per year.
Q Can the town provide an estimate of what the house taxes will be?
A Property taxes are calculated in proportion to the current value of the real estate property owned. Determining the value of a property for taxation purposes is known as assessment. Assessed values are a means of fairly distributing the tax burden and ensuring each property owner pays a fair level of tax in relation to his/her neighbour. The basic formula for calculating property taxes is “assessment value X tax rate. Each individual property assessment and the governing municipal tax rate is set by each individual municipality in Alberta in accordance with Provincial legislation. For more information on Property Assessment and Property Tax rates contact the Tax Department at your local Municipality.
Q Who takes care of the build-up of mud on the roads and construction debris?
A Your builder is responsible for clearing up debris and street cleaning while a site is still under construction. Street cleaning usually happens at the end of the week.
Q Does my pet require a license?
A This differs by municipality. Depending on where you will live, most dogs will require a license and registration. Check with the Town Hall or City Hall to determine how much the license will be, and to find out if cats need a license as well.
Q What by-laws are in effect for parking on the street?
A You can find this information at the bylaw office at your Town Hall or City Hall. Call to find out what the restrictions are.
Q How do we find out when you will be releasing more lots?
A You can go to the builder’s website to register online in order to be notified of upcoming releases, or call to be added to the registration list.