Below that benchmark is where most first-time buyers land, in condos, townhouses and older character homes in neighbourhoods like Riversdale and Caswell Hill. Above it sits the move-up market: larger detached homes in established family neighbourhoods and newer builds in areas like Stonebridge and Brighton.
The strategy changes by price point even when the process does not. A starter home sells on financing accessibility and condition, while a move-up home sells on documented improvements an online estimate cannot see, a kitchen renovation or a finished basement that never made it into the public record.
Whatever your price point, the number that actually matters is what your specific house is worth today. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.