First-time buyer guide

Buying your first home in BC? Start here.

This page gives you the overview. I built free interactive lessons with quizzes that go deeper on every topic below.

Start the free buyer lessons Compare renting vs. buying

Which of these have you already done?

Checked my credit score

Got pre-approved for a mortgage

Started saving for a down payment

Talked to a real estate lawyer

Researched neighbourhoods I'd like to live in

Four things to get right before you buy

I built free lessons with quizzes that cover each of these topics in detail. Here is the overview.

Advisory focus

Fix your numbers before the search

Real affordability is not your pre-approval ceiling. It is the payment you can carry without changing your life. The buyer lesson walks you through setting this number.

Advisory focus

Narrow criteria before you see listings

Decide what matters before you start looking. Otherwise every listing bends your preferences. The search criteria lesson helps you lock this down.

Advisory focus

Compare total ownership cost, not just price

Strata fees, tax, maintenance, resale risk. Every property has costs beyond the mortgage. The comparison lesson teaches you how to stack them side by side.

Advisory focus

Structure the offer to protect you

The goal is not the cheapest price. It is an offer that protects you if something turns out differently than expected. The offer lesson covers exactly how.

Common questions before starting

Answers to what first-time buyers usually ask before they commit to a next step.

Keep learning

Free bite-sized lessons about buying a home in BC. Quizzes, scenarios, and real government sources.