Budgeting, pre-approval, government incentives, house-hunting, offers, and closing — the whole path explained in plain language, with no assumption you've done this before (because you haven't).
1. Budgeting & pre-approval. Before you look at a single listing, get pre-approved — it tells you your real price range, locks a rate for a window, and makes your offer credible when you find the right home. It also surfaces closing costs and down payment requirements early, before you're emotionally attached to a house.
2. Government incentives. Two programs work together to boost your buying power: the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) lets you save up to $8,000 a year, tax-deductible, toward a down payment, and the RRSP Home Buyers' Plan (HBP) lets you pull up to $60,000 from your RRSP tax-free for the same purpose. Used together, they can meaningfully shrink the amount you need to save from scratch.
3. House-hunting & offer strategy. With a budget and a pre-approval in hand, house-hunting becomes about fit, not guesswork. When you find the right home, Amir builds the offer strategy around current competition, conditions you should keep (financing, inspection), and what's actually negotiable.
4. Closing. Between an accepted offer and moving day, a lawyer finalizes the title search, mortgage funds are advanced, and closing costs (legal fees, land transfer tax, adjustments) come due. Budget for this separately from your down payment — it catches a lot of first-time buyers off guard.
Tell us where you're starting from, and get a plain-language plan covering pre-approval, incentives, and what to expect from your first offer through closing.