OUR ARRIVAL AND FIRST HOME PURCHASE IN CANADA

We wanted to put on record, our appreciation for the help we received from our Realtor, Eamonn O’Gorman.

Before moving out to Canada, we had researched Realtors and there are a lot out there and also a lot of small print using them and buying through them. Eamonn was a godsend when we needed him, not least because when you land here, you know no-one and you need to find someone you can rely on & trust from the moment you touch Canadian soil.

We landed with our PR visas on 15th January 2009. Slightly shell shocked but pleased to have made it. We got through immigration & customs with ease and then through the one way doors out of Calgary airport. We were met the other side by our life line otherwise known as our Realtor, Eamonn O’Gorman.

We were collected with ourselves, 2 kids and 8 cases. Although it was about -1˚ it felt freezing after being cooped up on a 8 hour flight. Eamonn drove us from Calgary Airport to our rental in Okotoks. 

Eamonn had found us a 3 bed detached house rental, with a very short notice period, at a cost, including all bills, significantly less than the condos on offer from other Realtors. We were lucky. Eamonn has plenty of contacts and he did the research for us. It was a case of us saying we wanted to pay $x and he found it. What’s more, he'd been in and loaded our fridge and cupboards so we could have a very welcoming cup of tea on arrival and something to eat. Although it was only 6.30pm in Canada, our bodies were starting to go into automatic shut down.

The kids checked out the house, loved what they saw, argued over bedrooms and then we ate. Up bright and breezy the next day to do all the boring bits and pieces.

Eamonn picked us up at 10am and took us to his house to complete paperwork such as Health cards applications. He had downloaded all the forms we needed, including those to register the girls in school. He made us loads of copies of documents he knew everyone would ask for and then he drove us to the bank to get access to the money we had wired across. Once that was sorted, we went off for a customary Tim Hortons coffee and doughnut and to plan the rest of the day, as we wanted to get as much paperwork done as possible.

We then got back in the car and we went and sorted out driving licences - ladies be aware they ask you your weight. I nearly died but both my husband and Eamonn were proper gentlemen and blocked their ears so I could divulge my personal information.

Back in the car and next stop, the doctors. Again, he waited, we registered. Easy peasy. Back in car and off to Calgary to register us & the kids for our SIN numbers. As we had been told what to expect and what to bring, this all went really well.

So far so good. Loads done. Back we headed to Okotoks with Eamonn giving us a running commentary about what we were passing and what to do and see. We arrived in Okotoks and went and got a bite to eat. Then Eamonn ran us to Walmart and sat in the car while we went and got some shopping in. As we walked off we said “we wont be long”. An hour and a half later and we were back! Beginning to get tired and flagging, we went back to house all had coffee and planned for the next day.

We were again up bright and breezy, something to do with time difference. Next, we were off to a meeting with a Mortgage Broker. Again, very, very helpful. We talked through the various options that were available to us and we were pleasantly surprised just how much we were able to borrow. That then opened up a world of opportunities on the home purchase front. On the way home from meeting we stopped off at Eamonn’s to have a look at properties within our price range. There were a total of 28.

We sorted and sifted and came up with a total of 14 we wanted to view. Deep down, we were thinking we would be fobbed off and talked into just looking at perhaps 4 or 5 as we know friends had been talked into this by other Realtors but not so. The next morning I had an email with an inventory of the next couple of days viewing. Each house had been allocated about 30-40 minutes viewing which, at first, we thought was a bit excessive - comparing to how it’s done in the UK - but allowing that amount of time is good. We looked in cupboards, planned furniture, looked at every aspect you can’t consider in UK as you have the home owners breathing down your neck but here it is much more relaxed. The homes are always vacant when you look round. We most definitely didn't feel rushed or that we were time wasting.

Any comment we made about a property, Eamonn documented, so that, eventually, he knew exactly what boxes we were looking to tick. So we visited houses, had some lunch, visited more houses and went home to discuss prior to the second days viewing.

After all the viewings, we shortlisted the ones we liked and Eamonn then made appointments to re visit them so that we could really digest what we thought we liked/disliked. Again nothing was too much trouble, any questions we had were either answered on the spot or we had an email response that evening.

One house, we fell in love with, and have now bought, was a new build spec home. We really, really liked it but it was out of our price range and had already just been dropped in price by a huge amount, so we didn't think the seller would drop it again. Eamonn decided we should take a chance and go in with a really cheeky offer - seeing as not much was selling on the new build front. They came back the next day and rejected the offer, as we all knew they would, but Eamonn now had them engaged in debate and with the negotiating skills of a genius he managed to get us the house we desperately wanted and another $20K knocked off the asking price, which made it affordable.

From putting in our first offer to moving in was 10 days. Painless, tearless and no sleepless nights. We moved in and had a small disaster. The builders had accidentally cut through the internet/tv/phone cables when backfilling the house, which no one realised until we fired up our email. As I (Alison) work from home for UK clients, you can imagine my horror. I was mortified as this could do so much damage to my business. Fear not! Eamonn stepped in. Above and beyond the call of duty, he managed (to cut a long story short) to speak to the builders of the house next door, who spoke to the guy who has purchased that property and they agreed that I could use their cables until the builders can relay the cables to our home. Given it was going to take a few days to get this temporary solution in place, Eamonn then gave me the keys to his house so that I can work from his office, (I start work at 4am to be in-line with my UK clients). He was my saviour.

So this recommendation for Eamonn O’Gorman is being written here in his home while he and his partner Janet are asleep! They have only known me and my family as clients but they have more than extended the hand of friendship to us. Get to know your Realtor. As I say - they are going to be the only real friend you have for a while once you have landed.

Anyone coming over to Calgary and surrounding towns who needs a Realtor – use Eamonn.

Alison & Simon, Okotoks

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUPPORT FROM DAY ONE

We first came into contact with Eamonn O'Gorman in September 2008 when he kindly offered advice via an internet discussion board with regards to our desire to re-locate to Canada.  This was right at the start of our inquiries and research and we can honestly say that without Eamonn's help, advice and common sense, we seriously wonder if we would have made it here at all.  We knew very little about the immigration process and Eamonn answered our questions promptly and efficiently, going out of his way to find the answers for us.  Considering we had never met, he certainly went the extra mile for us and he has asked for nothing in return, (well, except for a bag of Galaxy Minstrels, his favourite chocolate treat!!!)

Wind forward several months and now we have made it to Canada.  Eamonn continues to be a fantastic support and is now advising us o n the subject of home buying in Canada and again, nothing is too much trouble for him. We trust him completely.  He is our Canadian "rock" and a great bloke!  Anyone wishing to come to Alberta (especially Calgary and surrounding towns) would be well advised to connect with Eamonn and his partner Jan.  They are good, honest and kind people and in this world, gems like these two are very hard to find.

Julie & Phil, Sherwood Park, Alberta

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEVON TO OKOTOKS

We arrived in Canada on the 5th February 2009, with four exhausted kids in tow.  Eamonn was at the airport to meet us and took us to our temporary accommodation, (the excellent High Cactus Ranch in De Winton, Between Calgary and Okotoks).  Eamonn had arranged the accommodation for us prior to our arrival and was helpful every step of the way. He gave us a cellphone to use until we bought one ourselves and showed us around Okotoks. He helped with our Alberta health cards, PR cards, SIN numbers, Resumes and anything else we could think of!

Eamonn has been and continues to be a star, and he has done all of this for us knowing we may not be in a position to buy a house here for longer than we first thought due to the poor house price we sold for in the UK. This is something Eamonn knew before we left the UK and he still helped us in every way he could in our move and settling, all without any charge.

When we do buy a house, there is no-one else we would trust or use other than Eamonn.  He's a genuine, nice guy who would help anyone and everyone, in any way he could, no questions asked. 

We think ourselves lucky to have found Eamonn on the internet before we left the UK.  We really don't know how we would have managed without him and we consider him and Janet to be friends, neighbours and when we get around to it, he will be our Realtor!

We can't recommend Eamonn highly enough.  If you're moving to the area, get in contact and you'll wonder how you would have managed without him.

Dave and April, Okotoks

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINSTREL MAN

I strongly urge anyone seeking to relocate to Alberta to contact Eamonn O'Gorman. I guarantee you will be satisfied with the Realty & Relocation service he provides.

We first came across Eamonn on the British Expats website (his username is Getting There) as we were trawling for information on our intended move to Calgary or nearby; we posted a thread as we were having problems with a couple of B&B’s cancelling our booking and Eamonn replied suggesting others in the area.  This was just the beginning of our exchanges of questions and answers.

I am a very pessimistic person and at first I took his e-mails with a pinch of salt, but saying that, even in type, he seemed genuine but I do not trust strangers blindly.  We told him we were planning a recce trip to see the area and also to get our visas stamped, although we had to return to the UK as we are still trying to sell our house.

Eamonn offered to pick us up from our B&B and show us around Calgary and Okotoks, all for no charge, (except for some Minstrels) which I thought was a bit suspect!  I had a vision of a hard salesman with a captive audience for the day! We need not have worried. At 9:30am prompt, he arrived to collect us, just as he said he would.  As I opened the door I was greeted by a friendly giant of a man (he is 6 foot 5") and we set out on what became a wonderful day and I hope the beginning of a personal as well as a professional relationship.

As you can imagine our 2 teenage kids were very reluctant to just drive around looking at houses all day but I can honestly say they enjoyed their day and all 4 of us took an instant liking to Eamonn. (He’s just that sort of guy).

Eamonn goes a long way to help people and he thinks about what you have said and comes up with the goods, not forgetting the small thoughtful touches along the way. For instance when we drove off in his vehicle, he had supplied bottles of water for us in each door holder.

He took us to the places we wanted to see as well as the places he will take us to when we eventually arrive for good. He showed us the Pengrowth Saddledome and the Stampede grounds because we had expressed an interest in the rodeo and he told us about all the other events that take place there. He took us to a great vantage point to see the city and I can tell you, it is a pretty spectacular sight.

Driving from Calgary down to Okotoks, he showed us different shopping malls and particular places for groceries, furniture, etc. At one mall car park his friendly nature shone forth as he gladly helped a Canadian woman, who was lost, find where she wanted to go; we thought it highly amusing that a Brit had to show a Canadian the correct road to take!

After been shown around the town of Okotoks and all it has to offer, we took a brief tour around some houses. These homes are not done justice by their photographs as some are just beautiful and surprisingly in our price range!  Eamonn surprised us again with a tour of his own house and Jan had laid on some food and drink for us, which was a really nice touch and was very welcome.

We have harboured the idea of building a house in Canada and mentioned this idea to Eamonn and he arranged for what Eamonn described as “THE farm/land/acreage expert in Southern Alberta” to meet with us for a couple of hours. Barry, the land guy, met us at Eamonn's house and was an instant hit with the kids, with his Canadian accent and his jokes. The 6 of us set out to view some plots of land, some with amazing mountain views and we learned lots along the way.

On our return to Eamonn's we said our goodbye's to Barry and Eamonn then showed us the facilities around the local Crystal Shores lake, which was another big hit with the kids. After that, we went to a show home for a look round ,which was a real eye opener, especially after Eamonn told us the price and we realised we could afford it.

Eamonn then asked us if we wanted to visit some brits who had recently moved in, to meet them and hear their experiences. We immediately realised that he was talking about a family we had already connected with on the internet (our children and theirs had already been MSN’ing!)  It turns out they had already been through a stress less home buying experience with Eamonn.  We had a fabulous time at their house and even went back and spent the next day with them too, exploring Okotoks further.

However, our day with Eamonn came to an end and he drove us back to our B&B. During the day, Eamonn had me jot down on a pad, anything that we wanted him to find out for us.  There was quite a list and true to his word, he has researched and e-mailed us with his findings to every one of our questions.

My pessimism totally disappeared that day.  Eamonn is a genuinely nice guy, who is good at his job and true to his word.  He is very thoughtful and extremely helpful.  He is still sending us snippets of information and various links he thinks we may find useful, (none of it real estate related!) He has built up a great network to help the newcomer to Canada ease gently into life in another country. He can arrange rented accommodation, house viewing, SIN card applications, driving licence exchanges, mortgage advisors, car insurance providers and much more. He actually takes you to places and waits patiently as you do the things that are initially needed and he doesn't require a cent!

I had to ask him, “How can you provide all this service for free?”  He honestly answered that his income comes from the house seller when his clients buy homes through him and that the Relocation service is totally free and designed to make the transition into a new country as stress free as possible - with no strings attached. We could still use a different Realtor when our time comes (but we won't).

Eamonn knows how hard this process could be without a friend on the inside and that is exactly what he is.  Thank you for everything Eamonn.  You are our diamond in the Rockies.

Brendan and Debbie, currently Staffordshire, UK.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FROM THE UK TO ALBERTA

Eamonn? - Isn't he the big guy with an obsession with Galaxy Minstrels?!  On a more serious note he has gone the extra mile (several times) for us on our journey out to Canada.

We first 'met' Eamonn on the British Expats Forum when we were researching where to settle in Alberta once Ian's Temporary Work Permit was approved. In the months since, Eamonn has always responded fully to our myriad of questions and no matter how trivial they were, he continued to answer everything in a very professional and thorough manner.  Eamonn is always objective and never tries to force his own opinion upon you.  Although he is a Realtor and does offer real estate services, he has never once pushed us to use them and continues to help us, even though we are not yet in the market to purchase a house.

When Ian arrived in Calgary in November 2008, Eamonn drove up from Okotoks and took Ian on a tour of most of the popular communities.  Eamonn and Jan played a big part in helping Ian through the ups and downs of being alone in Calgary without myself and our daughter.  In addition to providing Ian with a nice Sunday roast, he also took time to introduce him to others in a similar situation. Eamonn even helped Ian to view rental properties for us all to live in and was ever helpful with all the necessary paperwork and all the other aspects of renting.  He also met myself and Ella at the airport with Ian when we finally arrived in February 2009 and arranged a 'fish and chip' lunch for a whole bunch of 'newbie's' in order to help us find other kindred spirits and share relocation experiences.  I have since experienced several hangovers with the wives of other newbie's and we continue to venture out to the hot spots of Okotoks!

Eamonn uses various forms of technology to keep in touch and share information for those thinking of coming to Alberta, including email, Skype, his own blog, the British Expats Forum and good old Facebook, where he has set up the "Moving to or New to Okotoks" Group'.

Eamonn and Jan have been so helpful that we can never fully repay them (despite the numerous bags of Minstrels brought over from the UK) and myself (Debbie), Ian and Ella now consider them good friends.

So if you are thinking of coming to Alberta, then the Ross Family would thoroughly recommend the services of Eamonn.

Debbie, Ian and Ella Ross.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OSWALDTWISTLE TO OKOTOKS - TWO GREAT NAMES!

I first "found" Eamonn on the British Expats web site, which I was checking out as both my daughter and her family and my son and his wife are planning their move to Canada and more specifically Calgary.  As a mum I had a lot of questions and no-one to ask, they were still all waiting excitedly for their visas.

I decided to write to Eamonn but it it felt quite odd writing to someone I didn't know. John (my hubby) was not too keen at all.  But I did and I am so glad.

Eamonn replied almost immediately with some answers, he sounded friendly and helpful, so I kept writing (sorry Eamonn!) He put us all in touch with another family who had just moved out to Okotoks who were extremely helpful as well.  At Easter, Eamonn and Jan were over in England visiting family, so we asked if we might meet up.  Without hesitation, he agreed and arranged to drive an hour over to us to meet.  So the family had lunch with the guy mum met on the Internet!!!!! We had a lovely afternoon with absolutely no sales talk.  It just felt like they were both old friends we hadn't seen for a while.  We asked them loads of questions (probably more of an interrogation) and after they had left, we all felt we couldn't wait to get over to Canada and see the area around Calgary and Okotoks.

Our son in law has just come back from Okotoks where he has been for a week of job interviews.  Eamonn  and Jan spent a lot of time with him, showing him the area and introducing him to other families.  He was blown away by some of the properties that he viewed but most of all, he has not stopped talking about what a fantastic guy Eamonn was and how welcoming both he and Jan were.

John and I are also going out to Okotoks in the summer to see the area for ourselves but we know without doubt that when the family get out there, we have not just found a Real Estate guy, we have found a friend.
 
Margaret & John
Oswaldtwistle, Lancs
 
PS. Check out Eamonn & Jan's Weather Watch - what a good idea - you can really get a feel for what it will be like living there.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------