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

What should I watch out for?

Buying a Saskatoon house for the rental income from a secondary suite carries one recurring risk: an unpermitted suite. The City of Saskatoon requires a permit covering egress, fire separation and ceiling height, and a beautifully finished basement without one can be worth close to nothing toward your financing.

The second risk is the tenant already in place. If a suite is occupied, the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 governs that lease and limits how quickly you can end it after closing, so inheriting a tenant is not the same as inheriting an empty unit you can rent out on your own terms.

A $400 to $600 home inspection should specifically check the suite's egress windows, separate entrance and fire separation, not just the main house, since a lender's insurer can decline to credit the rent if any of those items fail after the fact.

Confirm the permit, confirm the tenancy and confirm the inspection covers the suite specifically, in that order. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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