Thinking of Buying?
The 6 Steps to Buying
STEP 1
Get pre-approved
Check Your Mortgage Details
Start with a clear budget
A pre-approval gives you a realistic purchase range, but it is equally important to understand your monthly payments, down payment, closing costs, and the type of property that makes sense for your financial picture.
TIPS
Get pre-approved before you fall in love with a home. A pre-approval helps confirm your borrowing capacity and makes you a stronger buyer when the right property appears.
Understand your full monthly cost. In addition to your mortgage payment, consider property taxes, strata fees, utilities, insurance, and maintenance.
Plan for your down payment and closing costs. You will generally need funds for your down payment, legal fees, inspection, appraisal, insurance, moving costs, and Property Transfer Tax where applicable.
Ask about your financing conditions. Your lender can explain what documents they will need once you have an accepted offer and whether the property type could affect approval.
Keep your finances steady while shopping. Avoid major purchases, new credit applications, or changes to employment until your purchase is complete. Lenders adore consistency. Drama belongs on television, not in your mortgage file.
STEP 2
Define Your Move
Get Clear on What Matters Most
Once you understand your budget, the next step is deciding what you want your next home to support: your lifestyle, commute, future plans, and day-to-day comfort.
Separate needs from nice-to-haves
No property will be perfect, but having clear priorities makes your search more focused and helps you recognize the right opportunity when it appears.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Location and lifestyle. Consider commute times, walkability, nearby amenities, schools, outdoor space, and the feel of the neighbourhood.
Your must-have features. Think about bedrooms, bathrooms, parking, storage, accessibility, a yard, a suite, or space for children, pets, hobbies, guests, or work.
The property type. A condo, townhouse, duplex, or detached home each comes with different costs, responsibilities, and levels of flexibility.
Your future plans. Consider how long you expect to stay and whether the home can adapt to changes in work, family, finances, or caregiving needs.
Your comfort level with projects. Be honest about whether you want something move-in ready or are genuinely prepared for renovations, maintenance, and the occasional deeply rude surprise behind a wall.
The goal is not to build an impossible wish list. It is to create a clear filter so we can focus on homes that genuinely fit your life.
STEP 3
Contact your Real Estate Agent
Contact Your REALTOR®️
Once you have a sense of your budget, timing, and priorities, share them with your REALTOR®. That conversation shapes the entire search and ensures you have informed guidance before you start viewing homes.
What your agent does first
Your REALTOR® will help you understand the market, refine your search, and prepare you to act confidently when the right home comes along.
Discuss your goals and search criteria. We will talk through your preferred locations, property type, budget, timing, and non-negotiables.
Set up a tailored property search. You will receive listings that fit your criteria, including new opportunities as they come to market.
Why using a REALTOR®️ search portal is easier than Realtor.ca <
Explain representation and required documents. Before viewing homes together, we will review agency disclosure, buyer representation, and identity verification requirements.
Prepare you for the buying process. I will explain how showings, offers, deposits, subjects, negotiations, and closing work before you are under pressure to make decisions quickly.
Connect you with trusted professionals if needed. This may include mortgage brokers, inspectors, lawyers or notaries, insurance advisors, contractors, and other specialists.
Help you understand local value. We will look beyond list price and compare recent sales, current competition, property condition, and location-specific factors.
Working with a REALTOR®️ FAQS
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You are not required to work with a REALTOR®, but having representation gives you someone focused on your interests throughout the process. I help you evaluate properties, understand local value, write and negotiate the contract, coordinate due diligence, and keep the transaction organized through completion. In most cases, buyer representation is paid from the commission offered by the seller.
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Before you begin viewing homes. A pre-approval gives you a realistic budget, clarifies your expected monthly costs, and lets you move quickly when the right property appears. It is important to remember that a pre-approval is not the same as final financing approval; your lender will still need to review the specific property and your full file once you have an accepted offer.
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It depends on your search, the market, and the type of property you are buying. Some buyers find the right home quickly, while others take months to explore neighbourhoods and refine their priorities. Once an offer is accepted, subject conditions commonly take about one to two weeks, followed by a completion date that is often several weeks later. We will build a timeline around your needs and keep the process moving at a pace that feels right for you.
STEP 4
View Homes of Interest
Touring Properties With Purpose
Once your search is underway, we will begin viewing properties that suit your needs and budget. The goal is not to see every home on the internet until your soul leaves your body—it is to recognize real value and a strong fit when we find it.
What to look for during showings
A home can feel exciting in the moment, but it is important to look at both the lifestyle fit and the practical details.
Consider the location as carefully as the home. Look at the street, surrounding properties, parking, noise, traffic, sunlight, proximity to amenities, and overall neighbourhood feel.
Look beyond staging and cosmetics. Paint colours, furniture, and décor can be changed. Pay attention to layout, storage, natural light, condition, and whether the home functions well for your life.
Notice signs of maintenance issues. Look for moisture staining, cracks, aging roofs, drainage concerns, older electrical or plumbing, and anything that may need professional review.
Ask questions early. I can help gather information about the property, including permits, zoning, strata details, tenancy, renovations, inclusions, and known concerns.
Compare properties thoughtfully. After each viewing, we will assess how the home measures up against your priorities, the asking price, and other available options.
Move quickly when the right home appears. Good properties can attract attention quickly. Being prepared means you can act with confidence without making a rushed or uninformed decision.
STEP 5
Write and Negotiate Your Offer
Making a Smart, Strategic Offer
When you find the right property, we will prepare an offer that protects your interests while remaining competitive in the current market.
Looking beyond the purchase price
An offer is more than a number. Price matters, but dates, deposits, subjects, inclusions, and terms can all affect whether an offer is attractive to a seller—and whether it works for you.
Review the property’s value and competition. Before writing, we will look at recent comparable sales, current listings, market conditions, and any known interest in the property.
Choose a price and strategy. I will help you decide how to position your offer based on your goals, budget, risk tolerance, and the specific property.
Include appropriate subject conditions. Depending on the home, this may include financing, inspection, insurance, strata-document review, appraisal, sale of your current property, or other property-specific due diligence.
Set workable dates and deposit terms. We will structure completion, possession, adjustment, and deposit timing in a way that supports your move and strengthens your offer.
Review all inclusions and exclusions. Appliances, window coverings, fixtures, storage lockers, parking stalls, and other items should be clearly addressed in the contract.
Negotiate with clarity. You may accept, reject, or counter a seller’s response. I will explain the practical trade-offs so you can make decisions strategically rather than emotionally.
STEP 6
Completing & Getting the Keys
From Accepted Offer to Key Day
Once your offer is accepted, the focus shifts to completing your due diligence and preparing for a smooth closing.
The Road to Homeownership
Your contract will usually include a period for subjects and investigations before the purchase becomes firm.
Complete your due diligence. Depending on the property, this may include final mortgage approval, a home inspection, insurance review, appraisal, strata-document review, title review, or specialized inspections.
Review findings carefully. If an inspection or document review reveals a concern, we will discuss the practical implications and whether further information, an amendment, or a different path is appropriate.
Remove subjects in writing. Once you are satisfied and ready to proceed, subjects are removed according to the contract. At that point, the purchase becomes firm.
Pay your deposit. Your deposit is delivered within the timeframe set out in the contract, usually shortly after subject removal. A deposit is typically 3-5% of the purchase price. This counts towards your down payment.
Work with your lawyer or notary. Your legal professional will prepare the transfer documents, receive your funds, register the purchase, and coordinate with the seller’s legal representative.
Prepare for completion and possession. Before possession, arrange insurance, utilities, movers, address changes, and any services you need in place for your new home.
Receive your keys. On possession day, once the transaction has completed and funds have transferred, you receive the keys and your new chapter begins.
