#Home Buying Guide

Buyers reviewing paperwork with their agent in a Toronto kitchen.

Real Estate Commission in Ontario: Rates, HST and Who Pays

No commission rate is standard in Ontario, and HST adds 13 per cent on top. We work out the bill at real Toronto and Ottawa asking prices and explain who pays the buyer's agent under TRESA.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 4, 2026

Young couple measuring a window in a Surrey townhouse they are renting to own.

Rent to Own in BC: Option Fees, Rent Credits and Risks

A rent-to-own deal in BC fixes a price today and lets you buy later. Here is how option fees, rent credits, property transfer tax and tenancy rules really work.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 3, 2026

Aerial view of downtown Kingston, Ontario on the Lake Ontario waterfront in summer.

Best Places to Live in Ontario: 8 Cities and What They Cost

Eight Ontario cities, each matched to the buyer it suits best, from Barrie commuters to Niagara-on-the-Lake retirees, with live asking prices for every one.

Hamidreza EtebarianNovember 2, 2026

Vancouver Special house with brick lower level, stucco upper level and front balcony on an East Vancouver street, BC

Vancouver Special Homes: Problems, Prices and Lot Potential

Vancouver Specials are the boxy 1965 to 1985 houses that fill East Van streets. Here is what they cost now, what inspectors find, and what BC's multiplex rules let you build on the lot.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 30, 2026

Older wooden cottage with a dock on a granite shoreline in Muskoka, Ontario.

Buying a Muskoka Cottage: Prices, Septic, Water Access

Muskoka cottage asking prices in six towns, plus the checks city buyers miss: septic re-inspections, well tests, winter roads and shore road allowances.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 29, 2026

New side by side half duplex next to a row of townhouses on a tree lined East Vancouver street with mountains behind.

Duplex vs Townhouse in BC: Ownership, Fees and Price Gap

A Metro Vancouver half duplex costs about $651,000 more than a townhouse. Here is what that buys, from ownership and strata fees to GST, warranty and the roof you split two ways.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 28, 2026

Young couple walking past brick semi detached houses on an autumn street in Ontario.

First-Time Home Buyer Ontario: Every Rebate and Program, Added Up

Seven programs, one Ontario buyer. We add up the land transfer tax rebates, FHSA, Home Buyers' Plan and new home HST rebates at real Toronto and Windsor asking prices.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 27, 2026

One storey garden suite in the backyard of a brick semi detached house in Toronto on an overcast autumn day.

Garden Suites in Toronto: What Your Lot Allows

Toronto lots can now hold up to four units plus a garden or laneway suite. Here are the size limits, permits, development charge breaks and real build costs.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 23, 2026

Farmhouse and barn beside a grassy dike on Sumas Prairie in Abbotsford BC with standing water in the field and mountains behind.

Buying in a Fraser Valley Floodplain: Maps, Insurance, Risk

Sumas Prairie flooded in 2021 and again in 2025. Before you buy in Abbotsford or Chilliwack, check the flood map, the floor elevation rules, the covenants on title and your insurance quote.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 22, 2026

Row of brick townhouses beside a private laneway on an overcast autumn day in Toronto.

Freehold vs Condo Townhouse in Ontario: What a POTL Fee Is

Freehold, condo or POTL: three Ontario townhouses that look alike from the street but differ on ownership, fees, repairs, insurance and the status certificate.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 21, 2026

New multiplex building with separate front doors on a residential street in East Vancouver BC between two older houses

Buying a Multiplex Unit in Vancouver: What to Check First

Vancouver multiplexes put three to six strata homes on a former single-family lot. Here is what you own, what the small strata changes, and the tax rules for a new unit.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 21, 2026

Overgrown rural lot with an older frame house beside a gravel road in Ontario cottage country

Ontario Tax Sales: How Municipal Property Auctions Work

When property tax goes unpaid in Ontario, the municipality can sell the land by tender or auction. Here is the timeline, the 20% deposit, and the title risks.

Hamidreza EtebarianOctober 19, 2026