The appeal is straightforward: a tenant's rent offsets the mortgage payment, which can make a more expensive property affordable in a way a single unit cannot. That math matters most to a first-time buyer stretching to get into the market or an investor building a small portfolio.
Legality is what separates a good two-family home from a liability. The City of Saskatoon inspects a secondary suite for egress windows, ceiling height and fire separation, and the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 governs the lease itself once a tenant moves in, so both the structure and the paperwork need to check out.
An online estimate sees the second unit's square footage but not whether it is permitted, which is exactly where a hand review earns its keep. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.