FHSA, RRSP Home Buyers' Plan, land transfer tax rebates, the mortgage process, and an explanation of every document before you sign it. First-time buyers need a different kind of agent.
What first-time buyers actually need
Every agent will take a first-time buyer client. A specialist in first-time buyers builds their practice around explaining the process, ensuring clients use the right programs, and catching what inexperienced buyers are most likely to miss.
The FHSA allows first-time buyers to contribute up to $40,000 tax-free toward a first home. An agent who works with first-timers regularly will ask about this at the first meeting and ensure you've maximised the program before closing. [verify current figures with a licensed agent or at realtor.ca]
First-time buyers can withdraw up to $35,000 from an RRSP for a home purchase under the Home Buyers' Plan. The withdrawal must be repaid over 15 years. An agent who handles first-timers knows the interaction between the HBP and the FHSA and can tell you which to use first. [verify current figures with a licensed agent or at realtor.ca]
Ontario and the City of Toronto both offer first-time buyer rebates on land transfer tax. In Toronto, the combined federal and municipal rebates can amount to $8,475 on a qualifying purchase. [verify current figures with a licensed agent or at realtor.ca] An agent who works with first-timers confirms these are applied correctly at closing.
First-time buyers often underestimate how much the pre-approval process involves and how quickly conditions can change. A specialist in first-timers will have working relationships with mortgage brokers and lenders who are comfortable with clients who have shorter credit histories or non-traditional income.
First-time buyers have never been through an inspection before. What's normal in a 50-year-old house, what's a genuine concern, and what's a negotiating point are all things an experienced first-time buyer agent can explain before you're in the moment making decisions under competitive pressure.
The offer, the representation agreement, the condition clauses, the title search, the closing statement. First-timers sign documents they've never seen, often quickly. A specialist explains every document before you sign it rather than after. The best ones do this proactively, not only when asked.
Browse agents with verified experience working with first-time buyers.
Browse agents →How to verify specialty
The right question to ask any agent claiming to specialise in first-time buyers: "How many first-time buyer transactions have you completed in the past 12 months?" A genuine first-time buyer specialist has meaningful volume. They can tell you specifically what proportion of their clients are first-timers, and they can describe a recent situation where a first-time buyer was about to miss something important and they caught it.
Beyond volume, ask whether the agent has ever had a first-time buyer client decline to proceed after the home inspection, and what happened. This tells you both about their experience with the inspection process and about their willingness to give honest advice even when it costs them the commission. Read our 8 questions before signing guide for a full list of what to ask.