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If you’re thinking about buying your first home, you’re probably confused as hell.

The Royal LePage data reveals something disturbing: 80% of Ontario first-time buyers are waiting 1-2 years to purchase, despite improving market conditions. Lower rates, better qualifying income, less competition.

But here’s the problem. Most of these buyers have no idea what they’re actually waiting for.

I’ve worked with 500+ clients over the past decade, helping them secure more than $250 million in mortgages. What I’m seeing now should terrify every first-time buyer who thinks they’re being “smart” by waiting.

There’s massive apprehension about where the economy is heading. Trade negotiations with the US. The state of the Canadian economy. Economic uncertainty is keeping buyers from making big financial commitments.

But while you’re sitting on the sidelines trying to figure it out, something critical is happening.

That confusion is the real risk for first-time buyers—which is why I’m hosting a First Time Buyer Seminar on Oct 22 to break it all down simply and clearly.  More on this below.

I haven’t seen this small amount of transactions in decades. Sales volumes are coming off what experts describe as decades-low activity.

This slow market gives buyers everything they say they want. More time to make educated decisions. No rush. Moving through the process at their own pace without competitive pressure.

The longer you wait, the hotter the market will inevitably get.

Then increased competition creates exactly the stressful buying experience everyone’s trying to avoid.

Here’s what most first-time buyers don’t understand about timing the market.

They tell me they want to wait until they see prices start going up for a few months to “confirm the bottom.” This sounds logical. It feels safe.

But it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of how real estate wealth actually works.

If you don’t know the difference between timing the market and time in the market, you’re already behind. If you can’t calculate the true cost of waiting versus the risk of buying now, you’re making emotional decisions with financial consequences.

Most first-time buyers think they’re being strategic. They’re actually being reactive.

With any asset investment, stocks, housing, whatever it might be, the true value isn’t created in the buy or the sell.

Most of the wealth is created through time.

There are some wins on well-timed buys or sells. But when you pull back and look at a longer spread of time, time in the market beats timing the market every time.

You could gain more than $80,000 in household wealth over the next five years from a $400,000 home purchase. If you keep renting, you’re losing out on this equity gain.

That’s the real cost of waiting.

While 80% of buyers are paralyzed by analysis, the 20% who understand what’s really happening are positioning themselves for massive wealth creation.

But here’s what you need to know: this window won’t stay open forever.

Current conditions offer everything buyers claim they’re waiting for. Less competition. More room for negotiation. No bidding wars. Time for proper inspections.

The problem? Most first-time buyers don’t know how to recognize these conditions, let alone capitalize on them.

They don’t understand mortgage strategies that turn market uncertainty into long-term advantage. They can’t identify which properties offer the best wealth-building potential. They don’t know how to structure their financing to maximize tax benefits and cash flow.

While you’re googling “best time to buy a house,” strategic buyers are building generational wealth.

The biggest risk isn’t buying at the wrong time. It’s not knowing enough to buy at the right time.

Most first-time buyers are asking the wrong questions entirely. They’re focused on perfect timing instead of perfect strategy.

If you don’t have a clear framework for evaluating market conditions, mortgage products, and investment potential, you’re not making informed decisions. You’re gambling with your financial future.

The buyers building wealth right now aren’t lucky. They’re educated.

They understand something you don’t: The knowledge gap is the wealth gap.

That’s exactly why I’m hosting a First Time Buyer Seminar on Tuesday, October 22nd from 6–8 PM at East Room – Claremont.

It’s a casual evening—drinks, snacks, and straight talk—designed to close the knowledge gap that’s costing first-time buyers time, money, and opportunity.

Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

• A clear roadmap of the mortgage and buying process 
• How to build a realistic budget and timeline for your purchase 
• An understanding of today’s housing market and interest rates—without the jargon 
• Practical strategies you can use right now to avoid costly mistakes 

No sales pitch. No slides. Just a conversation where you can finally get clarity on the process, ask your burning questions, and leave with confidence about your next steps.