Condo fees vary by building and cover things like common-area maintenance, snow removal and reserve fund contributions, and a lender factors that fee into how much mortgage you qualify for, the same way they factor in the City of Saskatoon's property tax. A house has no condo fee but shifts every maintenance decision onto the owner directly.
Minimum down payment rules are the same either way, 5 percent up to $500,000 with CMHC, Sagen or Canada Guaranty insuring anything below 20 percent down. A home inspection on a house typically runs $400 to $600; a condo inspection should also include a review of the condo corporation's financial statements and reserve fund study, which a lawyer can help interpret before your condition period expires.
Joel Dyck can walk a first-time buyer through both options against current Arbor Creek listings so the real monthly cost, not just the sticker price, drives the decision. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.