Six steps, no jargon. This is the same walkthrough I give every buyer client on our first call — worth reading before you book a single showing.
Before anything else, talk to a mortgage broker and get a real pre-approval — not an online estimate. It sets your ceiling, locks a rate for 90–120 days, and makes your offer credible. I can introduce you to two or three brokers I trust.
We sit down and turn a wish list into three or four communities. Commute, schools, budget, lot size, garage. This is the step most buyers skip, and it is the one that saves the most time.
I set up a live MLS® feed so new listings land in your inbox first. We view in batches, and I will tell you the things a listing photo hides — poly-B plumbing, a west-facing yard with no shade, a foundation that needs attention.
Price is one lever of five. Deposit size, possession date, condition periods and how the offer is presented all move the needle. I will show you the comparable sales behind the number so you know exactly what you are bidding against.
Home inspection, condo documents review, financing confirmation, title search. Conditions exist to protect you — we use every day of them, and I will read the condo docs with you rather than emailing a 300-page PDF and wishing you luck.
Lawyer instructions, final walkthrough, keys. In Alberta possession is usually 12:00 noon on the possession date. I do the final walkthrough with you and chase anything that is not as agreed.
Budget roughly 1.5–2% of purchase price on top for closing: legal fees ($1,200–$2,000), title insurance, an inspection ($450–$700), and an adjustment for prepaid property tax. Alberta has no land transfer tax — just modest land titles registration fees.
Nothing, in almost every case. Buyer representation in Alberta is typically paid out of the seller's commission at closing. You get full representation without writing me a cheque.
Home Buyers' Plan (HBP). Withdraw from your RRSP toward a first home, tax-free, repaid over 15 years. Per person — so a couple can combine.
First Home Savings Account (FHSA). Contributions are deductible like an RRSP and withdrawals for a first home are tax-free like a TFSA. If you are more than a year out from buying, open one now.
First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit. A non-refundable federal credit claimed on the year's return.
I am a REALTOR®, not an accountant or a lender — treat this as orientation and confirm the current rules and limits with your broker before you count on them.
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Price bands, character and trade-offs for the areas I work in most.
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