The Ultimate Guide to Buying Your First Home in Edmonton
Buying your first home is an exciting milestone, but it can also feel overwhelming. From saving for a down payment to choosing the right neighbourhood, there’s a lot to consider. This step-by-step guide is designed to help first-time homebuyers in Edmonton navigate the process with confidence in 2025.
I had a great REALTOR® when I bought my house (he became a mentor on my real estate journey), I was young and possibly naive to what 900 sq feet and 1200 sq feet looked like and I definitly didn’t know what aspestos was I was beyond grateful to have someone by my side to help educate me and guilde me away from a bad decision and help me find my first home.
No matter if it's your first or fifth time purchasing a house, it can be stressful, and that is why it is so important to have a bit of a game plan and someone by your side who is your advocate, cheerleader, teacher and friend. This will help you to get the most out of your experience.
Step 1: Understand Your Budget
Start by figuring out how much home you can afford. Talk to a mortgage broker or lender to get pre-approved, which will give you a clearer picture of your price range.
Tip: Don't forget to factor in additional costs like property taxes, insurance, utilities, and potential condo fees.
Step 2: Explore Edmonton’s Neighbourhoods
Different areas offer different perks. Ask yourself:
Do you want to be close to downtown?
Are schools and parks a priority?
Do you prefer new developments or mature neighbourhoods?
(Check out our blog post: Top 10 Neighbourhoods to Buy a Home in Edmonton (2025 Edition))
Step 3: Assemble Your Home Buying Team
You don’t have to do this alone. Consider working with:
A local REALTOR® who understands the market (👋 That’s me!)
A mortgage broker or bank lender
A real estate lawyer
A home inspector
** I have recommendations for great vendors **
Step 4: Get Pre-Approved
You will be heartbroken if you want a house, but it just isn’t in your budget. Take the time to get your ducks in a row before looking otherwise; it might as well be window shopping. A mortgage broker is great to help you see all of your options from a variety of lenders, and they will also help set you up for long term success as a home owner (you don’t want your payments too high or too low)
Step 5: Start House Hunting
Use tools like MLS listings, real estate apps, and local agent websites.
Make a checklist of your “must-haves” vs. “nice-to-haves” to stay focused. Think about things like, would you like a larger house but it would mean a longer commute? or Is being close to transit important to you?
Step 6: Attend Open Houses or Book Showings
Seeing homes in person helps you understand what your budget gets you, I often will take clients to view homes before we start “shopping” to help them understandnd what one community or home size look like about their budget.. Keep a notebook or notes app handy to jot down your impressions of each home. This process often helps to narrow down the search to something you will be happy with.
Step 7: Make an Offer
Once you find the right home, your REALTOR® will help you submit an offer and negotiate terms like price, possession date, and conditions (like home inspection). Depending on what the market looks like, you will need to be prepared for multiple offers and knowing good strategies to help you with your home will be key to success.
Step 8: Close the Deal
Your offer is accepted—congrats! Now comes finalizing your mortgage, doing a home inspection, and working with your lawyer to complete the legal paperwork. The deal is described as “Pending” until you have taken any conditions away; once that is complete, the house is “SOLD”, you have paid your deposit, signed the paperwork and are ready to start packing.
Make it stand out
Step 9: Move In and Celebrate!
Grab the keys, take the obligatory front-door selfie, and start your next chapter as a homeowner in Edmonton 🎉
Things to note on move-in day, it is best practice to book the moving truck fo the day after you get your keys if they aren’t released on time you will be frustrated. Your expectations of a “clean” home could be very different then others, rather than being frustrated, plan it into your move to have time to book a cleaner or grab your bucket.