first-time homebuyer

I’ve learned a few things about homeownership since I bought my first home in July 2016.

Canada’s hot housing market has made it difficult for first-time homebuyers looking to enter the market. With sky-high housing prices, the ability to gather enough funds for a down payment has become increasingly more difficult.

Happy new year! While you’re looking ahead to the opportunities this year may bring, why not take a moment to reflect back on some of the stories you might have missed over the past month? Across … Read More

While Canada’s tumultuous real estate market is never a snooze, 2016 ushered in considerable change for buyers and sellers. A number of new policy changes, taxes, and regulations that altered affordability and expectations came into play … Read More

There are a few life events associated with a mountain of paperwork: Death, taxes, and buying a home. When it comes to buying a home (as I learned this summer), the sheer amount of paperwork you … Read More

Shopping for a home in the summer months can be stressful. Competition is heated and buyers are out in force, scrambling over each other to get the best deal or get any deal at all. Bidding … Read More

The Government of British Columbia plans to provide first-time homebuyers with an interest-free loan for their down payment on a home.

When I set out to save a down payment for my home in March 2015, I decided to save $40,000. I had originally planned for this process to take three to five years. But due to … Read More

In a hot housing market, it can be difficult to set a realistic budget that will both allow you to purchase a home you’ll be happy with, and avoid becoming house poor. With high home prices, … Read More

The home buying process is expensive. There’s the down payment—which must be at least 5% of the home’s purchase price—as well as closing costs. If you’re buying a home in Toronto or Vancouver, you can expect … Read More