The three-year mark matters because legal fees of $800 to $1,500 and a mortgage's slow early equity buildup mean a quick resale rarely recovers what buying cost to set up, even in a rising market.
Readiness also means budgeting past the down payment: a home inspection typically $400 to $600, moving costs, and mortgage default insurance plus provincial sales tax if you put down less than 20 percent all land in the first weeks of ownership.
If those pieces are in place, the timing question mostly answers itself; if they are not, waiting costs less than buying too early. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.