How long does buying a first home in Ottawa usually take?

From first tour to a firm offer is typically 6–12 weeks. From firm sale to closing is usually another 30–90 days. New construction can run 12–36 months from contract to move-in.

What's the very first thing I should do?

Open an FHSA today, and book an early call with a mortgage broker and a realtor to map out your budget and timeline.

Do I really need a realtor?

In practice, yes — in almost every Ontario resale deal, the seller pays your realtor's commission, so there's no direct cost to you. New construction especially benefits from having your own representation.

How much should I have saved before I start touring?

Most first-time buyers start touring with $35,000–$60,000 saved toward a down payment, plus 1.5–2% of the purchase price set aside for closing costs.

Can I buy with just 5% down?

Yes, on purchases up to $500,000. Between $500,000 and $1.5M, it's 5% on the first $500K and 10% on the rest. Above $1.5M, 20% is required.

What if my offer gets rejected?

Your deposit comes back and you keep looking. Multiple-offer situations are fairly common on well-priced homes here — it's normal to make a couple of offers before one is accepted.

House keys and mortgage paperwork on a desk

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First Home in Ottawa

The 10 Steps to Buying Your First Ottawa Home

By Bo Yu, Broker, Right at Home Realty, Brokerage

Buying your first home usually takes somewhere between 6 and 18 months from the day you start saving to the day you get keys. The order matters more than people expect — doing things out of sequence is where most of the stress and wasted money creeps in.

This is the same step-by-step list I use with first-time clients. Treat it as a checklist, and follow the links for the deeper guide on any step.

Prices, rates, and program rules change often. Treat the figures here as general guidance, not advice for your specific situation. Ask Bo for current OREB comparables, and confirm program eligibility with your lender or lawyer.

Step 1 — Open an FHSA now

Even with nothing in it yet. An FHSA (First Home Savings Account) only starts building contribution room once it's open, so opening it today banks $8,000 of room for next year. See the full FHSA guide for details.

Young family at the front door of their new Ottawa home — First-time buyers stepping into their Ottawa home.

Step 2 — Figure out your down payment target

Pick a rough price range based on the Ottawa neighbourhoods you're actually considering — Kanata, Barrhaven, Orléans, Centretown, and so on. From there, work out the minimum down payment: 5% on the first $500K, plus 10% on anything above that.

Save into your FHSA first, then the RRSP Home Buyers' Plan, then a TFSA as a top-up.

Step 3 — Get pre-approved

About 6–12 months out from buying, get an actual pre-approval — not just a rate hold. Most first-time buyers here do better working with a mortgage broker than a bank.

Pre-approval gives you a verified maximum price and a rate locked in for 90–120 days.

Laptop with real estate listings and mortgage paperwork on a kitchen table — Planning a purchase, mortgage and closing from the kitchen table.

Step 4 — Choose a realtor and define the search

Have an early conversation with your realtor to set your must-haves, dealbreakers, neighbourhoods, and rough timeline, then set up alerts for new listings that match.

A good realtor will also flag things specific to your target area — new-construction inventory in Barrhaven versus resale in Kanata Lakes, for instance.

Step 5 — Start touring

Expect to tour somewhere between 8 and 20 homes before making an offer. The first handful mostly help you calibrate what your budget actually buys — try not to offer on the very first place unless you've already seen comparable listings.

Most searches run 6–12 weeks of active touring.

Tree-lined Ottawa street of century brick homes in autumn — Central Ottawa's century homes and mature maple canopy.

Step 6 — Put in an offer

Once you find the right place, your realtor pulls recent comparable sales ("comps") and recommends a price and structure. A typical Ottawa offer includes conditions for financing, inspection, and — for a condo — reviewing the status certificate.

Multiple offers do happen on well-priced homes here, so it's worth being mentally ready for that.

Step 7 — The conditional period

Once your offer's accepted, you'll usually have 5–10 business days to finalize your financing with your lender, complete a home inspection, and review the status certificate if it's a condo.

If any condition doesn't check out, you can walk away and get your deposit back. Once every condition is waived, the deal is firm.

Step 8 — From firm sale to closing

Closing typically lands 30–90 days after the sale goes firm. In that window: hire a real estate lawyer, finalize home insurance, book movers, arrange utility transfers, do a pre-closing walkthrough, and get your down payment plus closing cash ready to send to your lawyer.

Step 9 — Closing day

Your lawyer transfers the funds, registers the title, and you get the keys — usually by mid-to-late afternoon, either from your lawyer or your realtor.

I make a point of meeting first-time clients in person on closing day to hand over the keys and walk the property with them.

Step 10 — Settle in

Update your driver's licence and address. Apply for Ontario's first-time buyer land transfer tax rebate if your lawyer hasn't already applied it at closing. If you used the RRSP Home Buyers' Plan, remember repayments start in year two. And it's worth starting to think about your 5-year plan — a first home is often a stepping stone to a second purchase down the line.

Questions People Ask

A few common questions

How long does buying a first home in Ottawa usually take?: From first tour to a firm offer is typically 6–12 weeks. From firm sale to closing is usually another 30–90 days. New construction can run 12–36 months from contract to move-in.
What's the very first thing I should do?: Open an FHSA today, and book an early call with a mortgage broker and a realtor to map out your budget and timeline.
Do I really need a realtor?: In practice, yes — in almost every Ontario resale deal, the seller pays your realtor's commission, so there's no direct cost to you. New construction especially benefits from having your own representation.
How much should I have saved before I start touring?: Most first-time buyers start touring with $35,000–$60,000 saved toward a down payment, plus 1.5–2% of the purchase price set aside for closing costs.
Can I buy with just 5% down?: Yes, on purchases up to $500,000. Between $500,000 and $1.5M, it's 5% on the first $500K and 10% on the rest. Above $1.5M, 20% is required.
What if my offer gets rejected?: Your deposit comes back and you keep looking. Multiple-offer situations are fairly common on well-priced homes here — it's normal to make a couple of offers before one is accepted.

Keep Reading

First-Time Home Buyer Ottawa

The complete first-time buyer playbook.

FHSA Ottawa Guide

Step 1: open your tax-free savings account.

Down Payment Guide Ottawa

Step 2: build your down payment.

Mortgage Pre-Approval Guide

Step 3: get pre-approved before touring.

CMHC Insurance Guide

What you pay with less than 20% down.

Ottawa Closing Costs Guide

Steps 8–9: cash on closing day.

Ottawa Home Buying Guide (pillar)

The broader buyer playbook.

Straight From the Source

Check the numbers yourself

These are the official sources I use for current Ottawa real estate data, government programs and buyer protection.

Ready to map out your first Ottawa purchase?

Book a free, no-pressure first-time buyer conversation. We'll go through the steps together and set a timeline that fits you.

Book a first-time buyer consultation

Any prices, rates, market figures or value estimates on this page are for general information only, based on the assumptions shown, and are not legal, tax, mortgage or financial advice or an offer of credit. Actual rates, payments, taxes, fees and values vary — confirm the numbers with your lender, lawyer or accountant before relying on them. Full disclosures.

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