Toronto Home Buying Guide

To ease your anxiety about purchasing a home, we compiled this handy guide for new homebuyers like you.

We hope that you will find our homebuyer’s guide useful and that your home purchase will be as hassle-free as possible.

The Home Buying Guide consists of the following chapters:

1. Funding a Home Purchase

   Securing funding is crucial for home purchase.  In this introductory section, we examine the basic funding options for home buyers in Toronto and describe the pros and cons of each in turn.

2. Family and Career

   The home you select will be there to protect your growing family and to help you achieve your long-term goals.  Make sure that once your needs expand, your home will be there to accommodate them.

3. The Purpose of Your New Home

   Why are you moving?  Are you trading up?  Are you retiring?  Whatever your answer, we will point out the specifics of every house trade and what to keep in mind.

4. A Good Real Estate Agent: Priceless

   If you are not sure why Realtors® are useful, read about the services you can expect from your agent and why you should prefer working with a professional to buying a home on your own.

5. How to Look for a Home in Toronto

   Selecting the right dwelling is a big task, and it's hard to grasp without some guidance.  We present our clients’ favourite techniques for picking the best new home.

6. Specific Home Categories

   There are many types of houses, apartments, and condos out there.  Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of each type of housing and see whether purchase timing matters.

7. House-Hunting Questions

   Once you have an idea of the type of house you want, it's time to ask concrete questions about available homes.  Our handy lists of questions will boost your start.

8. Touring Toronto Houses: Tips & Tricks

   Now that you know which homes you like, it's time to dress up and go see them.  There are rules, written and unwritten, to touring houses; learn them and make the most of your open house tours.

9. Bargaining the Price for Your Home

   Figuring out the price of your home may be tricky business.  There are, however, negotiation techniques which may help you gain the upper hand and bring down the asking price.  Have you already read your Comparative Market Analysis?

10. Purchase Offers and Special Financing Options

    You make an offer when you are serious about purchasing a house.  Do you know all the points which an offer—an Agreement of Purchase and Sale—should contain?  Be prepared when you’re visiting your agent—extending a quality offer quickly may just ensure that you beat the next in line for your dream home.

11. Closing a Purchase Agreement

    Learn how to perform all the legal actions smoothly, and make sure that you are ready to move into your new home.  You're almost done!

12. Moving In, Moving Out

    There are countless things to keep in mind when moving from place to place.  Use our well-tested list so you don’t forget anything.

In case you're interested in finding out about selling your current Toronto home, please visit our guide to selling your home in Toronto.

Please send us your remarks and questions in the comments under each guide chapter.