You are looking at Jamie Sarner’s Guide to Buying a Home in Toronto. Jamie will guide you through your home purchase step by step, one chapter at a time. Be ready for the process and ask smart questions and you too will turn your home purchase into a pleasant and exciting experience.
Check Your Finance
Can you make sure that you are financially ready to own a home? Learn about the basics of obtaining a good mortgage and the costs of home-ownership.
Lifestyle Changes & Emotions
Is now the right time to make a major lifestyle change? How do others prepare for the big change in their life? How much of an emotional investment will your move require?
Planning Your Move Accordingly
When you are choosing your new home, you will have to zoom in on the specifics: where you want to live, and what is important to you when it comes to your new home.
What Home Type To Choose?
How to understand the pros and cons of purchasing a house versus a condo? What does each have to offer? Learn about the differences in ownership and other considerations.
Your Options
Get a feel for the opportunities in Toronto real estate market. What are the specifics of houses, condos, and other properties in Toronto?
Setting Boundaries
What you can compromise on, and what you simply can’t – how do you decide what you want from your new home? Where do you stop? Learn how to make sure that you indeed get all you need in your new home, but that you avoid wasting money and time on things that you don’t.
What to Ask
Need help choosing your Realtor® in Toronto? Find out which you should ask your prospective real estate agent and what is important for you to know about him or her.
Home-Buying Strategy
Selecting and buying a home is an exciting task, but with insufficient planning or strategy, it may easily overwhelm you? Develop a solid strategy and zoom in onto your dream home easily with Jamie.
Your Agent and You
How to deal with your Realtor®? Learn about disclosure requirements, the fiduciary relationship, and when and why agents must act in their clients’ best interests.
Looking at Homes: Your Daily Listings
Picking your favourite locality in Toronto? Learn about real estate districts and understand district codes. Don’t forget to bring a map of Toronto with you.
Open Houses & Showings
What do you have to keep in mind when you attend an open house or a showing? How to effectively take notes and where to look for specialties? What to focus on and how to judge what you see?
A Closer Look at a Home
Do you have a top-ten or top-five list of houses you like? How do you compare and pick the right one from among them? Go back and re-examine them in turn with Jamie.
How to Make an Offer
What is a home purchase offer and how does one look like? Learn about the intricacies of offer placement, negotiation of price and other terms, and more.
Firm or Conditional Offers?
What is the difference between a firm and a conditional offer? When is it smart to extend one or the other? Learn how to assess the situation and extend a reasonable offer that is in your favour.
The Acceptance Process
Have you received a counter-offer from your seller? Learn how to recognize whether it is fair and craft a knowledgeable response.
Re-evaluating Your Needs and Staying Motivated
Learn how to cope with initial failures to find or purchase a house or a condo. Motivation and positive thinking is key.
Dealing with the Deal
Learn how to cope with the technicalities of a home purchase agreement, be ready for the legal actions you need to take, and find out where you can find professional help at every stage of closing.
Closing: Task Checklist
Learn how to prepare for the closing day. Which documents will be required from you? What questions will be asked and what should you be ready to answer, demonstrate, or pay? Be ready and speed up the process.
Moving Preparation
If everything is settled with your purchase and the contract, you should start planning for a move. Learn how to prepare for the moving day: check out Jamie’s tips on how to make good arrangements with everybody involved in the process, and see how best to organize the haul.
Day ‘M’
Learn what is expected of you on the actual moving day and also about the procedures waiting for you after you arrive to your new Toronto home. Bon voyage!
If you are selling an old home while looking for the new one, you may be interested in Jamie Sarner’s Guide to Selling a House in Toronto as well.