Home Buying

Closing Costs in Ontario: What Buyers Pay Beyond the Price (2026)

Beyond the down payment and purchase price, what closing costs does an Ontario/GTA home buyer pay? A line-by-line breakdown of land transfer tax, legal fees, title insurance, inspection and adjustments, with a worked $1M example.

Public vs Private School in Ontario: How Home-Buying Families Should Choose

Public or private school in Ontario? A GTA broker’s framework on rankings, school-zone home premiums, and real tuition math for home-buying families.

New vs Resale Condo in the GTA: Which Should You Buy?

There is no universal answer—it comes down to your timeline, cash flow, and tolerance for uncertainty. A new (preconstruction) condo lets you pay the deposit in instalments, comes with Tarion's Ontario new-home warranty, and can be customized, but you take on delivery delays, interim occupancy fees,

Chattels vs. Fixtures in an Ontario Home Purchase: What Stays, What Goes, and How to Write the APS

Two questions decide it: first, is the item actually attached to the home, and second, is it written into the contract? According to the standard Ontario Agreement of Purchase and Sale (the OREA Form 100), fixtures — things attached to and forming part of the property, like built-in cabinetry, light

Why Your Real Estate Agent Is Legally Required to Verify Your ID (FINTRAC Rules)

No. Under Canada's Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), real estate agents, sales representatives, and brokerages are designated 'reporting entities' supervised by FINTRAC — the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada. The law requires your

Co-Signer vs Guarantor on a Canadian Mortgage: What Every Parent Helping a Child Buy in the GTA Should Know

Co-signing or guaranteeing your child's mortgage in Canada? They are not the same. Arthur Zhao breaks down liability, who goes on title, the credit-report hit, and how to get removed later.

What Is CMHC Mortgage Insurance, Really? The Premiums, the $1.5M Cap, and the Money Math Behind a Low Down Payment

If your down payment is under 20%, Canadian law requires mortgage default insurance (CMHC, Sagen, or Canada Guaranty). Per CMHC, premiums run 0.60%-4.00% of the loan, higher the smaller your down payment. Since Dec 15, 2024 the insurable price cap is $1.5M, and first-time buyers or new-build buyers can use 30-year amortization. Here's the full breakdown, including Ontario's 8% sales tax on the premium.

If You Have Title Insurance, Do You Still Need a Survey (RPR)? They’re Not the Same Thing

Buying in Ontario, do you still need a survey/RPR if you have title insurance? Per the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors and others, a survey (RPR) is a surveyor's professional opinion on boundaries, structures, and easements; title insurance is a financial product that pays out after you buy and won't tell you where your boundaries are. A southern Ontario survey is typically $1,700–$2,200. Here's the difference.