Buyer resources

Buying a house without the mystery

The whole process, laid out ahead of time so nothing surprises you at the table.

Five steps, start to keys

A lender pre-approval tells you what you can borrow. We'll figure out what you actually want to spend. Those are two very different numbers.

Areas, commute, schools, lot size, the non-negotiables. I set the alerts so you see homes the day they list.

We walk through with a list: foundation, roof age, windows, water, and what the neighbourhood is really like at 8pm.

Price, conditions, deposit, closing date. In a competitive week, the terms often matter more than the number.

Financing, inspection, status certificate if it's a condo. Your lawyer handles closing; I keep everyone moving.

Deposit

Typically 3–5% of price, due with the offer, held in trust

Land transfer tax

Ontario provincial tax at closing; no municipal tax in Waterloo Region

Legal fees

Roughly $1,500–2,500 including disbursements

Home inspection

$400–700 for most homes, more for rural or older properties

Title insurance

Usually $250–500, arranged by your lawyer

Moving & set-up

Movers, utility hookups, and the first-week hardware store runs

Figures are typical ranges for Waterloo Region and are not financial or legal advice. Your lender and lawyer confirm the exact numbers.

Ontario refunds up to $4,000 of provincial land transfer tax for eligible first-time buyers.

Withdraw from your RRSP toward a first home, repaid over time without tax.

Contributions are deductible and qualifying withdrawals come out tax-free.

I'll email the full checklist and we can set up a no-obligation call whenever you're ready.