First-time buyers
Your first home, explained step by step
I have walked first-time buyers through this process for many years, and earned the Accredited Buyer Representative designation because representing buyers is a craft of its own. I explain each step before it happens, answer every question, and never push you past your budget.
Or call directly: 519-895-6393
20+
Years guiding first-time buyers
ABR
Accredited Buyer Representative
CNE
Certified Negotiation Expert
The path
From "where do we even start" to keys in hand
Step 1 of 4
Pre-approval before house hunting
A mortgage pre-approval turns a hopeful budget into a real one. I explain what pre-approval does and does not guarantee, what lenders look at, and why getting it first saves you from falling for homes you would have to stretch for. If you do not have a lender or broker yet, I can point you toward the conversation to have.
Step 2 of 4
A search built around your life
Listing alerts tuned to what you actually need, showings booked at your pace, and a guide who walks each home with you. At showings I point out what a first-time buyer would only notice after moving in: the good, the fixable, and the reasons to walk away.
Step 3 of 4
The offer, explained before you sign
Price, deposit, closing date, and conditions like financing and inspection are all explained before anything is written. As a Certified Negotiation Expert, I plan the strategy with you, and I will say plainly when a bidding war is not worth winning.
Step 4 of 4
Closing costs, mapped in advance
Land transfer tax, legal fees, title insurance, adjustments, the inspection, the move itself. None of it should surprise you on closing day. I map the full list for the specific homes you are considering, so the number you commit to is the whole number.
My approach
No question is too basic
A first purchase comes with a hundred questions you might feel you should already know the answers to. What is a condition? Who holds the deposit? What does the lawyer actually do? I answer all of them, plainly and without a hint of impatience, because a buyer who understands each step makes better decisions at every one of them. If a question comes up at 9 pm while you are scrolling listings, send it over and I will answer it.
The practical tools help too. Run a listing through the mortgage calculator to see what a price really costs monthly, and the land transfer tax calculator to see Ontario's closing-day tax before it surprises you. Then browse the MLS or the neighbourhood guides with numbers you trust.
Not actually your first home? The full buying process covers moves of every kind, and if you own a home already, a free evaluation is the honest place to start.
First-timer questions
Asked by every first-time buyer
Straight answers to the questions people are most shy about asking.
What are the first steps for a first-time buyer?
Start with a mortgage pre-approval so your search range is real rather than hopeful, then let's talk about what you need a home to do for the next five years or so. From there I set up listing alerts, book showings at your pace, and explain each step before it happens. First-time buyers have always been part of my practice, and no question is too basic to ask.
How much do I need for a down payment?
It depends on the purchase price and on whether your mortgage will be insured, and the rules are set federally rather than by any agent. Your lender or mortgage broker confirms the exact figure during pre-approval, which is why I suggest that step first. What I add is the local context: what the money you have actually buys in each city and neighbourhood, so the budget conversation is grounded in real homes rather than averages.
What closing costs should I budget for beyond the down payment?
The big ones in Ontario are land transfer tax, legal fees and disbursements, title insurance, and adjustments for anything the seller has prepaid, plus practical costs like a home inspection and the move itself. The amounts depend on the price and the property, so I map them out for the specific homes you are considering before you offer, never after. The land transfer tax calculator on this site is a good place to start.
How do showings get booked?
Tell me which listings interest you, by phone or through the contact form, and I will arrange access with each listing brokerage and confirm times with you. Evenings and weekends work, and several showings can be grouped into one outing. If you are selling, showings of your home follow notice rules you approve in advance.
No pressure, ever
Ask your first question, however basic
Tell me where you are in the process, even if the answer is "we have no idea yet." That is where most first purchases start, and it is a perfectly good place to begin.
Prefer to talk? 519-895-6393