If you’re looking for a home in Mississauga or the GTA, there are certain steps you need to take, especially if you’re a first time buyer. Of course, you need to save for a minimum down payment, clear up debt, and get pre-qualified.

In a seller’s market, it may feel like you should count your blessings just to be able to buy a home at all. But even in this market, it’s possible to find a house you love, on the right property, in the right neighbourhood, so your purchase is a decision you’ll feel completely confident making. You can also make sure you find a property at a price you can afford (or even under budget!) that will appreciate in value quickly using these secrets.

Not buying in the GTA? That’s ok! These secrets will apply in cities all across Canada.

Are you ready to find your new home and make an offer? Here are our five best secret tips for getting the best deal on your new house and closing the deal quickly, with as little stress as possible.

Purchase a home in the lower price range of what you can afford.

Most buyers in the GTA need to be careful to take housing affordability into account when looking at homes. We encourage you to take this one step further and stay at the bottom of your price range as much as possible. For example, if you have a mortgage pre-approval and you’re looking for houses in the $900,000 – $1.1M range, consider purchasing a home around $950,000 – $970,000.

You’ll probably be purchasing a bit of a smaller home in a neighbourhood of larger homes. If you can survive without the extra space, this will give you the best opportunity for investment.

Your smaller home will appreciate quickly in a better neighbourhood; faster than the larger homes in the same neighbourhood! If you plan to resell in a few years, this can be a very smart way of putting a bit of extra money in your pocket.

Investigate the schools in the neighbourhood, even if you don’t have kids.

This can be looked at in two ways: If you want a great deal on a home and you don’t have a personal interest in the quality of the schools in your area, you may be able to find a district with lower-ranking schools and save some money.

On the other hand, if you purchase a home in a neighbourhood with excellent schools, you may reap the rewards when you want to sell. It could drive up your home price as well as help your home sell quickly. A recent survey showed that a whopping 84% of home buyers with kids want access to school information when looking for homes. The quality of schools is a major deciding factor for parents, especially Millennials.

Bonus: If you have kids, you’re moving them into an excellent school catchment area, obviously a win-win.

Look for a home in a bounded neighbourhood, or neighbourhood that already has a good name.

Of course, we all want to live in an exclusive neighbourhood. For the purposes of appreciating home values, it’s actually a very smart idea!

Insauga.com reports these as the five swankiest neighbourhoods in Mississauga:

• Mineola
• Lorne Park
• Sheridan
• Port Credit
• East Credit

No doubt, these neighbourhoods will continue to appreciate quickly and be areas people will flock to in the coming years.

If you can, buy a smaller house or a home that needs a bit of work inside an exclusive neighbourhood. You’ve likely heard the saying, “buy the worst house in the best neighbourhood,” and it’s still true today. Your home will be worth more in the future simply because of the address.

If you can’t live in an established, exclusive neighbourhood, consider a property that may become exclusive in the future. How can you know? You can’t, exactly. But here are a few clues that a neighbourhood might become more desirable in the next few years:

Development – If new apartments or shops are being built, road or infrastructure improvements are happening (or planned), or properties are being updated, it could be a sign that a neighbourhood will become more exclusive.

Clear Boundaries – When neighbourhoods can be clearly demarcated by boundaries such as main roads, parks, or rivers and bridges, they are more likely to become exclusive or be ‘up-and-coming.’

Popular Shops or Restaurants – Is everyone flocking to a new hot brunch spot in an unlikely neighbourhood? Is there a row of great new bars or shops that your friends have been frequenting? When even a handful of great new places open up, it could be a sign the neighbourhood will have a resurgence. Invest early and you could reap the rewards!

Be flexible on closing dates (whether you’re buying or selling).

Some people are sticky on closing dates, and this can easily cost you – whether you’re buying or selling. If you’re selling a home, requiring a specific closing may limit the offers you get. But it’s when you’re buying that having a flexible closing date can be very powerful.

When you make an offer on a house, you’re likely competing with other offers; in some cases, you may be competing with dozens of other buyers. Your financial offer is only part of the picture of who you are as a buyer. Sellers will also consider your deposit amount, your conditions, whether your financing is already in place, and importantly, your required closing date.

If the owner would like to close in 30 days but other high offers would like a longer close (90 days, for example), you may win even if your purchase price offer was a little lower. This might help you get into a more expensive house for a little less money.

Want more tips for selling your house? 

Read this to have your home sold in record time!

Pay your deposit in a bank draft or certified funds.

This tip won’t necessarily help you secure a home, but it’s a smart move if you plan to put your deposit down at the time of your offer.

If you provide a regular check it could take you significantly longer to get your funds back, should your offer not be accepted. This is problematic for you because if your deposit is tied up with their mortgage broker, you may not be able to access your funds for up to three weeks.

If you provide a bank draft or certified funds, however, your money will be returned to your bank account in as little as a day, or at most, three days. Then, you’re free to use that money to put in another offer on an alternative home.

Some Final Advice for How To Buy a House in Mississauga

At Justo, we believe in helping you buy a home that will enhance your life, at the most affordable price, using as smooth and stress-free a process as possible. We’re a business that aims to make your home buying or selling journey positive and fun.

Here are some tips we’ve learned along the way to help you buy a home you won’t regret.

• Buy a home with a view you love. Whether it’s just a great view from your kitchen window or a pretty skyline from your backyard, you’ll be glad you like what you see each day.
• Find a home that backs onto land that is zoned residential. You will be less likely to end up with a shopping plaza in your backyard.
• Be within a short walk or drive to a grocery or convenience store. You’ll be thankful when you need to run out for a forgotten item or school supply.
• If the home was difficult to get to when you viewed the property, it will likely always be difficult for your guests to find. Keep this in mind when you’re looking at homes.
• An updated kitchen and bathroom will save you a lot of hassle. If you can afford a home with updates, it’s a good idea, unless you don’t mind renovation projects.
• Parking and outdoor storage are more valuable than you think! If your car has a garage or at least a driveway, you’ll likely be very thankful!
• High-efficiency windows, doors, and appliances really do pay for themselves in time!

We hope these tips have helped you out! We try our hardest every single day to provide you with the best real estate services in the GTA. If you need help getting started buying or selling a home, we would be happy to help. Our customer-centric business model guarantees you the best services at the best prices. Contact us to learn more!