Joel DyckReal Broker SK Ltd.
Saskatoon · From the topic map

How do I choose a Saskatoon buyer's agent if I am buying a two-family to house hack?

Choosing a Saskatoon buyer's agent for a house-hack purchase means finding one who understands legal secondary suites, since Saskatoon does not zone a two-family as its own category the way some US cities do. The City of Saskatoon instead requires a building permit for a secondary suite before a lender or appraiser will count its rental income.

Ask the agent directly how many secondary-suite purchases they have closed, and whether they know how to pull permit history before you write an offer. A duplex or a permitted secondary suite that shows up clean on the City of Saskatoon's permit records is a fundamentally different purchase than one where the basement unit was finished without a permit.

Financing is the second thing to check. An agent experienced with owner-occupied multi-unit purchases should know which local lenders count projected rental income toward qualifying, and should flag early that CMHC insures an owner-occupied multi-unit property, which changes your minimum down payment math, and should budget a home inspection, typically $400 to $600, that covers both units separately.

The agent's job is to separate a legal income suite from an illegal one before you are financially committed to either. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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