Creating a Clear Plan

If you’re three to six months out, this is where things start to feel real.

You likely know your preferred neighbourhoods. You have a working budget in mind. You’ve seen enough listings to understand what your money buys.

Now it’s time to organize everything so you’re ready when the right property shows up.

Financing needs to move from general clarity to confirmation. This is the stage to reconnect with a mortgage professional and review your numbers with current rates. Make sure your income documentation is in order. Confirm your down payment timeline. Understand exactly what you’ll need for a firm approval.

If you’re planning to use funds from your RRSP under the Home Buyers’ Plan, this is the time to coordinate that properly. The money needs to have been in the account long enough to qualify for withdrawal, and processing can take time. Waiting until you’ve found a home can create unnecessary stress.

You don’t want surprises once you start writing offers.

Your home criteria should also be refined. By now, you should be clear on:

• The areas you’re genuinely willing to live in
  
• The layout that works for your daily life
  
• The features you care about versus the ones you can live without
  
• Where you’re willing to compromise
  

This prevents hesitation during negotiations.

If you’re selling first, timelines need to be mapped out. When will you list? How long might it reasonably take to sell in your neighbourhood? How will the purchase and sale line up? Are there repairs or updates that still need to be completed before photos and showings?

At this stage, an agent is an important ally to help you assess the current state of the market. How many offers are coming in? Are sellers holding firm or adjusting? Are conditions common, or are buyers submitting clean offers?

This is the stage where the groundwork from the past year gets organized into something workable.