Buying a property is one of the most important decisions of your life. This is why it's essential to determine your needs thoughtfully and plan your purchase carefully.
First, before even setting one foot visiting a property, you need to target one or two neighbourhoods.
Your second priority is to determine your borrowing capacity through your bank or mortgage broker.
With your pre-determined mortgage amount or monthly payment, you can better determine your needs:
- Type of property: detached home, townhouse, condo
- Services needed like public transit, schools, stores, etc
- Interior characteristics of the house like living area, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, garage, air conditioning, etc
- Exterior characteristics of the house like yard, landscaping, pool, etc
Fill out your own house visit notes to help you compare all the visited properties afterwards and take a sound decision.
Once your offer has been accepted, have the property inspected and provide your bank, mortgage broker and real estate agent the name and contact info of your notary.
Finally, don't forget to factor in all direct and indirect costs of a move such as: the notary fees, the property transfer tax and all fees for public services address changes.