Toronto Real Estate Blog
Answers to the questions people actually run into when buying, selling or renting. Every post uses only facts checked in Ontario law, official sources and TRREB statistics, with the source and date noted. A new post every two days.
BuyingThree offer conditions: when to include or drop financing, inspection and sale-of-property conditions
Conditions are safety nets written into the purchase agreement. Here is what the financing, home inspection and sale-of-property conditions protect, how waivers and deadlines work, the risks of dropping conditions in a bidding war and what you can do before you offer, based on RECO and Ontario government sources.
SellingWhat it costs to sell a home in Ontario: commission, legal fees, mortgage penalties and capital gains basics
The sale price is not what lands in your account. Commission and HST, legal fees, the rest of your mortgage and any prepayment penalty come off first, and sometimes tax is due too. Here is what comes off, based on the law and official sources.
Condo LivingHow to read a condo status certificate: reserve fund, special assessments and lawsuits
A step-by-step way to read the thick package you get when buying a resale condo. The $100 fee cap, the 10-day deadline, and what to look for in the reserve fund, special assessments and lawsuits, based on the Condominium Act.
BuyingHow much cash you need to buy your first home: minimum down payment, land transfer tax, closing costs and first-time buyer benefits
“You only need 5% down” is half true. Besides the down payment, land transfer tax (twice in Toronto), the tax on mortgage insurance and legal fees all leave your account at closing. We add it all up for a $700,000 condo.
Mortgage & RatesThe mortgage stress test and pre-approval: how lenders decide how much you can borrow
Lenders check whether you could pay at “the greater of your contract rate plus 2% or 5.25%”, not at your actual rate. Add the income limits (GDS 39%, TDS 44%) and you get your maximum loan. A worked example at $10,000 monthly income, and what a pre-approval is and is not.
Pre-ConstructionThe 10 days after you sign a pre-construction condo: what to do, and how your deposit is protected
When you sign for a new condo unit, Ontario’s Condominium Act gives you a 10-day cancellation period. When it starts, how to cancel, what to check with a lawyer in the meantime, and how your deposit is protected by trust rules and Tarion.
RentingRenting in Ontario for the first time: the standard lease, deposit rules and the 2026 rent increase limit
Newcomers most often lose money on deposits and the lease itself. What a landlord may collect, the lease form that must be used, and how much and how often rent can go up, based on the text of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act.
No posts on this topic yet.
About the author
Joonghyun Ahn is a Sales Representative with HomeLife Frontier Realty Inc., Brokerage, based in Thornhill and serving the whole GTHA. Every post is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check with a professional before you decide.
Have a question?
I am happy to talk through situations the posts do not cover, in Korean or English.
Book a consultationNew post alerts
Email alerts for new posts are coming. For now, write “blog alerts” in the consultation form.