Start with the bones, not the kitchen
A listing is built to sell the looks. The costs come from the bones, the roof, heating, electrical, and plumbing that photos leave out. Look at those first. See red flags in a listing for the full map. Shopping in an older market? Buying an older home in Canada walks through what each building era tends to hide.
The costs first-timers forget
Beyond the down payment: land transfer tax, legal fees, and the repairs a home will need after you move in. Work out the tax with the land transfer tax calculator, the price you can actually carry with the home affordability calculator, and the monthly figure with the mortgage payment calculator. Then use the repair cost guide to budget for the big fixes.
Make insurability a condition
A home you can't insure is a home you often can't finance. Before you remove conditions, confirm coverage on the specific house, see homes insurers won't cover. The insurance pre-check lists what a Canadian insurer will ask about, so you can raise it on the first call rather than the last.
Do the quick checks at the showing
You don't need to be an expert to catch a lot in a few seconds. Learn the 30-second checks and bring the right questions to ask.