For many Canadians, the start of a new year is a time for new resolutions. While eating healthier and getting more exercise still rank as the most common New Year’s resolutions in Canada, with both inflation and interest rates continuing to drop, more and more Canadians are making resolutions for 2025 that include the possibility of buying a home.
If becoming a homeowner is on your radar in 2025, there are a few things you should know before you start looking for your dream home.
Will 2025 be a good time to buy a home?
For the past few years, high interest rates, increases in the cost of living, and political and economic worries have kept Canada’s housing market fairly flat (remember, the national housing market was even as “flat as a pancake” not too long ago). But with both mortgage rates and inflation now on their way down, 2025 is increasingly shaping up to be a busy market.
“I believe the first three months of 2025 will be one of the best times to buy in a very long time,” says REALTOR® Romey Halabi, founder of Toronto Realty Boutique in Toronto, Ontario.
In Toronto, Halabi says that will likely lead to something that hasn’t happened in “quite some time,”: a condo market that’s favourable to buyers simply because of the inventory that’s on hand.
Alan MacDonald, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Senior Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities’ MacDonald Advisory Team in Ottawa, Ontario, cautions even if prices fall, however, many Canadians will still be unable to afford to buy a home.
“Falling interest rates mean it’s easier to afford a larger mortgage, which typically draws more people into the real estate market,” MacDonald explains. “But one of the side effects of falling rates over the last 15 years has been an unprecedented boom in housing prices in Canada. So while falling rates should push more people into the market, the hurdle is there are fewer people who can afford to take the plunge.”
In addition, there will likely be a federal election in 2025, which could impact both home sales and prices.
“As we’ve seen in the past, federal elections can influence the housing markets, especially if they involve policy changes that promote affordability and impact demand and prices,” says Luisa Hough, a mortgage broker in Surrey, British Columbia, and co-founder of Verico Xeva Mortgage.
“But along with declining inflation, the predictions are to expect economic stabilization in 2025, which should increase consumer confidence and the housing market,” she adds.
Are you ready to become a homeowner?
The next question to ask yourself is whether you’re ready to become a homeowner. While individual circumstances vary, there are a few rules of thumb that can help you decide if this is the right time for you. For example:
Are you ready to commit to living in one home for the next few years? If there’s a good chance you may need to move in six months, it’s probably not an ideal time to buy.
Are your career and short-term plans fairly stable? Or are you thinking about making any big changes that could have an impact on your housing needs, personal situation, or income?
If you’re currently renting, are you ready to take care of all the repairs, maintenance, and other tasks that come with owning a home?
Perhaps most importantly, are you financially ready to own a home? Buying a home could be the biggest financial decision you ever make. An affordability calculator can help you calculate your monthly housing costs and figure out how much you can afford to spend. Just remember to factor in all the expenses that come with homeownership, not just the mortgage payments. This includes things like condo fees, insurance, utilities, repairs and maintenance, and property taxes.
“When a buyer is thinking about buying a new home, their decision should be based solely upon their needs,” Halabi says. “An expanding family, marriage, moving to a new city, getting into a new school district—these are all life moments that may require a new home.”
For Hough, the “right time to buy” is less about what’s happening in the market, and more about your personal choices and circumstances.
“If you have the down payment, income, and are ready to make the move to being a homeowner, then it’s the right time to buy,” she says. “We can’t time any market. So as long as you’re in the position to purchase, the right time is when you’re ready.
“Real estate is generally not a short-term investment where you can try and time the market for one or two years,” she adds. “But if you stay invested in real estate long term, you can generally do well.”
When to contact a REALTOR® (and how they can help)
If you’ve resolved to become a homeowner this year, start your search for a local REALTOR® who will work best for you and your needs as early in the process as possible.
“It’s never too early to start working with a REALTOR®,” Halabi says. “They’re the first draft in your real estate team, as they can help connect you with a mortgage broker, lawyer, and anyone else you need.”
In addition to connecting you with their network of professionals, a REALTOR® can also answer any questions you may have, keep you informed about the latest ups and downs in the market, walk you through each step in the home buying process, and help you negotiate the best possible price for your new home.
If you don’t already have a REALTOR®, ask friends or family members for recommendations, or check out reviews of REALTORS® in your area online and through social media. You can also use a Find a REALTOR® tool to narrow your search down by location, languages spoken and areas of specialization.
“Getting the conversation going with a REALTOR® is the first step in educating yourself in how the process works” Halabi says. “Work with someone you actually like, because you’re going to be spending a lot of time together, and you want to ensure you’re comfortable being honest.”
What to do before you buy
If you decide you’re ready to buy, there are a few simple things you can do to make the home buying process as seamless as possible, and get the best possible deal on your new home. Your REALTOR® will help build a plan for your specific needs and timing, but you can always start with the basics. This includes:
Make a list of your wants and needs in a home, so you know exactly what to look for. Do you want a single-family home, a townhouse or a condo? How many bedrooms or bathrooms? What other features are important to you?
Identify which neighbourhoods you want to live in. If you’re thinking about moving to a new area, check out our Neighbourhood Guides or ask your REALTOR® for advice.
Find out your credit score, and see what you can do to improve it if necessary.
Use an affordability calculator to figure out how much you can afford to spend on a home, and create a budget to make sure you stay on track financially.
Get pre-approved or pre-qualified for a mortgage so you’ll know in advance exactly what price range you should be looking at.
Lastly, find out if you’re eligible for the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP), GST/HST housing rebate, home buyers’ tax credit, or any other federal home buying programs and incentives. If you aren’t sure what these programs are or if you qualify, check with your REALTOR®.
“The first step I always recommend to my clients is to get their pre-approval, so you know how much you can afford,” Halabi says. “Next, decide what your top neighbourhoods are. Then make a list of your must-haves and nice-to-haves. When buyers are prepared and organized, they won’t get caught up in an emotionally charged decision.”
For Hough, getting pre-qualified for a mortgage is almost always the best first step to take.
“In my eyes, every buyer must get pre-qualified,” she says. “There’s a misconception on pre-approval vs. pre-qualification. There are similarities in both… [but] pre-qualification is a more formal process, where we ask for all the documentation and information upfront to ensure if there are any obstacles during the mortgage process, we can address them.
“Pre-qualification helps the borrower clarify their budget, strengthen their offer and speed up the subject-to-financing process,” she explains. “Getting pre-qualified early on can save time and stress for the borrower.”
Maximize your down payment
If you still have some time between now and when you’re planning to buy, try to save as much as you can for that all-important down payment. This will help maximize your chances of getting approved and getting the best possible rate on your mortgage.
If you don’t have enough saved up to afford the home you want, creating a budget can help you save more. You can also grow your down payment in the meantime by putting what you’ve already saved into a safe, liquid investment like a GIC or high-interest savings account, or temporarily investing your savings in an RRSP, TFSA, or the new First Home Savings Account (FHSA).
“Investments with a short time frame such as 12 months or less should be in savings accounts or cashable GICs,” MacDonald notes. “There are a number of providers that offer high interest bonuses to new accounts, so it’s worth doing a bit of shopping.
“Buyers who haven’t owned a home in the last four years should also take advantage of the FHSA, which lets you contribute up to $8,000 per calendar year,” he adds. “You get a tax deduction for each contribution and no tax payable when you use the funds to buy your first home. But unlike an RRSP or TFSA, the contribution room doesn’t carry forward if you don’t open an account.”
Additional considerations for first-time home buyers
If you’re a first-time home buyer, there are some additional things you may need to prepare. For instance, some first-time buyers aren’t aware of how long the home buying process can take.
“The home buying process length can differ from buyer to buyer,” Halabi explains. “I’ve had clients who are very open to one or two neighbourhoods who found a home in a couple weeks. But others who have more specifics on their must-have list could take longer.
“Most sellers ask for a 30 or 60-day close,” he adds. Meaning, the final transfer of ownership would take place either 30 or 60 days after the agreement is signed.
Depending on your budget, you may need to start with a smaller or more modest home for your first property. This can allow you to build both your equity and your experience, while still getting your foot on the first step in the property ladder.
Plus, don’t put yourself in a situation where you buy more home than you can realistically afford or maintain. While you may be tempted to stretch your budget to get a home that seems perfect, being “house rich, but cash poor,” can be a very stressful—and risky—way to live.
“For people who are currently renting, the mortgage payment may be close to what you pay in rent,” MacDonald says. “But there are all kinds of other expenses associated with homeownership, like taxes, insurance and upkeep. If you don’t have exact numbers, use 2% or 3% of the purchase price to estimate your added monthly ancillary costs. Then try living for six months as though you already own the home, to see if you can do it before you make the leap.”
The information discussed in this article should not be taken as financial or legal advice. This article is for informational purposes only.
Courtesy Realtor.ca