Buying

October 20, 2026·2 min read

About 4,000 Toronto properties are on the heritage register as 'listed' only. Unless Council acts, many drop off on January 1, 2027. Here's what that means if you're buying, selling, or living next door.

September 27, 2026·3 min read

2026 is the peak of Canada's renewal wave, the Bank of Canada is holding at 2.25%, and for the first time in years variable rates sit well below fixed. What the flip means for a Toronto renewal — with the numbers run on a typical 2021 mortgage.

September 17, 2026·4 min read

Water damage is the most common fight in a Toronto condo, and the answer depends on three documents most owners have never read — plus a deductible that can run five figures.

September 17, 2026·3 min read

As of September 1, 2026, Toronto has a new 'Distinctive Tree' category for trunks over 61 cm, steeper replacement ratios for illegal removals, and a plan to drop the protected size from 30 cm to 20 cm. Here's what changed, what a permit costs you, and why a neighbour's building permit is your cue to look at the trees.

September 16, 2026·4 min read

Studios and units under 500 square feet have lost more value than any other segment. Cheap is not the same as a deal: here's the building-level homework to do before you bite.

September 10, 2026·3 min read

Every Ontario condo buyer gets a status certificate. It's written by the corporation. Building permits and unsafe orders are written by City inspectors — and they're free, public, and sometimes tell a different story.

September 9, 2026·4 min read

August's TRREB report put the average GTA price at $993,410, down 2.7% year-over-year. The same week, the Bank of Canada held at 2.25% and five-year fixed rates kept climbing. Here's why a cheaper house can still cost more to carry — and what to check on the one you're watching.

September 3, 2026·3 min read

Toronto buyers are eyeing discounted condos in buildings with high maintenance fees and shaky finances. Here's why fees almost never go down, how to read a status certificate and reserve fund, and when a 'cheap' unit is actually expensive.

August 30, 2026·3 min read

New TransUnion and bank data show Ontario leading the country in rising mortgage delinquencies, with GTA arrears at CIBC up 50% in a year. The absolute numbers are still small — but they change how you should read listings this fall.

August 27, 2026·4 min read

The City has replaced most of its lead water services, but roughly 13,664 public-side lines are left — and the private side is on you. Here's how to check an address, and why September is the month to start.

August 24, 2026·2 min read

Ontario hasn't reassessed property values in a decade. Here's how the freeze works, who quietly wins and loses from it, and what a reassessment would actually do to your bill.

August 21, 2026·3 min read

A new survey found 45% of Canadians who renewed this year say housing now eats half or more of their household budget. Rate shopping is only part of the fix — the rest of the number is property tax, condo fees and deferred repairs you can look up.

August 16, 2026·4 min read

The enhanced HST rebate is worth up to $130,000 on a new home, and Ontario's Q2 new-home sales more than doubled. But eligibility hangs on construction dates you don't control. Here's the fine print, and what to verify before you sign.

August 14, 2026·3 min read

A Yorkville condo just sold about $450,000 below its 2021 price, and loss-sale stories are everywhere. Here's why a seller's red ink tells you almost nothing about a unit's value — and what to check instead.

August 13, 2026·2 min read

Ontario buyers are mostly on their own: caveat emptor still rules, disclosure forms are optional, and suing after closing is slow and expensive. The good news — much of what sellers stay quiet about is sitting in the public record.

August 12, 2026·3 min read

July's TRREB report says prices fell 4.5% year-over-year — and that the market is tightening. Both are true. Here's how to hold the two ideas at once, and what they mean for one specific address.

August 10, 2026·2 min read

Downtown condos going ten years without price growth used to be unthinkable. Now it's common enough to chart. Here's how the rent-vs-buy decision changes when you delete the appreciation assumption — and how to vet the building either way.

August 10, 2026·5 min read

Toronto cuts the commercial tax rate by 20% for eligible small business properties — and applies it automatically from a list of 28,222 addresses. Here's who's on it, what it's worth, and how to check yours.

August 4, 2026·2 min read

Toronto mailed 2025 Vacant Home Tax bills in June, and the first of three instalments lands September 15. The tax is 3% of assessed value, it runs with the property — and the renovation exemption lives or dies on the permit record.

July 22, 2026·2 min read

Toronto's 2026 residential property tax rate is 0.767311% of your MPAC assessed value. Here's the math, worked examples for condos and houses, and why 'average' numbers mislead.

July 16, 2026·2 min read

Same street, same floor plan, very different sale prices. A lot of the gap isn't in the listing photos — it's in the permit, order, and development records. Here's how to see it.

July 9, 2026·2 min read

With nearly half of Ontario condos reportedly worth under $500K, buying looks closer than it has in years. Here's how to figure out the income and down payment a Toronto condo really takes — and how to vet the specific building.

July 6, 2026·2 min read

Headlines about condo bailouts and falling prices are everywhere. Here's how to cut through the noise and check what's actually being built — or stalled — around a specific address.