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Born and raised in Calgary, Andrew now lives on an acreage just outside the city with his family. Before settling back home, he spent 13 years in Montreal and has travelled extensively.
Over an almost decade-long real estate career, Andrew has been part of nearly 1,000 transactions — from first-time condo purchases to multi-million-dollar commercial and luxury properties.
He's scaled BRIX Real Estate Group to more than 20 agents and 225 transactions in a single year. Whether you're buying your very first home, selling to move up, relocating to Canada, or building an investment portfolio, Andrew and the BRIX team meet you where you are and guide you at every stage.
Takeaways
The foreign buyer ban isn’t a blanket rule. Some people with valid work permits or work authorization may qualify if they have at least 183 days remaining, provided they meet the other requirements. Protected persons are also exempt, and so are those in cases where the property sits outside designated census metropolitan areas or census agglomerations. So check your status and the specific address before assuming you cannot buy.
Your deposit normally counts towards your down payment. The deposit is money paid under the purchase contract and typically held in trust. The down payment is the portion of the purchase price you fund without the mortgage. In Andrew’s example, a $10,000 deposit towards a $25,000 down payment leaves another $15,000 to provide, plus closing costs. The challenge is timing, as you may need the deposit before you can withdraw money from your investments.
A rebate can change which home makes financial sense for you. Eligible first-time buyers can recover the full GST on qualifying new homes valued up to $1 million. That helps explain why Andrew is seeing some buyers favour new builds over resale properties. When comparing homes, check whether you qualify and whether the quoted price already includes the rebate.
Where you buy affects how much money you need beyond the down payment. Ontario and British Columbia charge property transfer taxes, while Alberta charges registration fees that are generally much smaller. For someone buying their first home, that difference can mean a lot to their budget.
We spend so much time saving for the down payment that we can forget what we need left afterwards. In Andrew’s example, someone putting $25,000 down should have at least $35,000 available to cover other costs and surprises. Those surprises could include a broken furnace or an urgent flight home to see a parent. Buying the house still leaves you needing enough money to live in it.
Links
Where to find Andrew:
The Newcomers Resources
Newsletter writer: Dozie Anyaegbunam
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