The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Family Home in Oakville

As a family, moving up to a bigger house can make life easier and more enjoyable. However, there’s a lot more that goes into this type of move than many families realize. Luckily, I’m here to help.

Ready to upsize your living space? Explore this ultimate guide to buying a family home in Oakville.

A Two-Step Process

Moving up to a new family home is a two-step process. You’ll be in for two separate real estate transactions as you sell your current place and buy a new property. When done together, buying and selling can feel like one smooth process. However, they’re really two different steps, each requiring careful planning and attention.

What Comes First, Buying or Selling?

Whatever the motivations behind your move may be, one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is which step you’d like to take first, either buying your next home or selling the one you have now. This is not a choice to take lightly – each option has its pros and cons.

In today’s market, most upsizers choose to sell their existing home first simply because it’s less risky. If you wait to enter the market as a buyer until after your house has sold, you won’t be gambling on an assumed sale price or timeline. You’ll also have a better picture of your financial capabilities once you know how much equity you can cash out of your home.

That being said, there is also a case to be made for buying your next home first. As long as you’re aware of (and prepared for) the risks, it could suit you. If you’re particularly picky about what you’re looking for from your next home, buying first ensures you’re not rushed while house hunting, giving you the chance to be more selective. Plus, when the time comes to negotiate a deal, you’ll be in a better position since you’re not facing a must-buy scenario.

Choose the Right Real Estate Agent

Before you take another step towards buying or selling, you’ll want to seek out (and hire) an experienced real estate agent who can help you upsize effectively. As your personal guide to the market, it’s your Realtor’s job to help you get the best results possible.

Not only are you about to make a major investment, but you’re also selling the most significant asset you own. That’s why it’s essential to do your research and speak to multiple professionals before making a decision about who to hire.

There are tens of thousands of real estate agents in the Greater Toronto Area, but the experience, expertise, and resources necessary to ensure a successful move can differ significantly among them.

Want to make the most of your upcoming home purchase? You’ll find lots of great advice in this blog!

Finding Your Forever Home

Hunting for your perfect home can be a fun process – and it usually is! However, there are also a lot of complexities and nuances that come up when searching for and buying a house. Whatever may be happening in the market, properly preparing for your home purchase can give you a big leg up.

Understanding What You Can Afford

You shouldn’t start house hunting until you know what you can afford. The last thing you want to do is fall in love with a great home only to realize it’s out of reach financially.

Creating a well-thought-out budget is an essential part of buying a home, but there will be other expenses to account for beyond just the property itself. Closing costs like legal fees, land transfer taxes, and other expenses can add up to several thousand dollars, so you’ll want to make sure you factor them into your budget.

Buying With the Future in Mind

Just because a particular home meets your family’s needs today, that doesn’t mean it’ll be a good fit in a few years. So, as you start thinking about your next home, it’s important to look ahead and anticipate how your family’s needs may change or evolve in the coming years. This is particularly important if you have younger-aged children.

For instance, will you be having more children in the future? Are you expecting older children to move out or head off to university in the next few years? Do you plan on hosting guests or relatives more frequently?

How to Make an Offer

Once you’ve found a great home, your next step is to craft an appealing buying offer that maximizes your odds of success while still protecting your interests. This is an area where your agent’s expertise will come in handy.

If there’s competing interest from other buyers, you’ll need to elevate your offer and make it stand out. Beyond offering a compelling dollar amount, consider limiting which conditions you include and being flexible in terms of closing and possession dates.

Choosing a Family Neighbourhood

A lot of homebuyers underestimate the importance of location. In reality, finding the perfect home isn’t just about the property itself. For families, choosing the right neighbourhood can be the difference in finding a place that truly feels like home.

One of the many great things about Oakville is that a lot of it was developed with family living in mind. As most Oakville neighbourhoods are good for kids, buyers have plenty of options when searching for the right community for their family’s unique needs.

Family Neighbourhoods in Oakville: My Recommendations

As a local real estate agent, I work closely with families who are searching for the perfect community, and there are a handful of Oakville neighbourhoods that stand out as a great fit.

Bronte
Clearview
Glen Abbey
Joshua Creek
South Oakville
West Oak Trails

Simplifying Your Commute

Moving to a new neighbourhood also allows you to make your commute easier. Luckily, Oakville has some of the most commuter-friendly neighbourhoods in the entire Greater Toronto Area, being only 35 kilometres or so from the city centre.

One of the main reasons why Oakville is so popular with Hamilton and Toronto-bound commuters is the transit options – especially GO Buses and the Lakeshore West GO Train. From Oakville GO Station, you can reach downtown Toronto comfortably and reliably in as little as 45 minutes. Heading southbound, downtown Hamilton is only a 30-minute ride away.

If you prefer to commute by car, Oakville’s location right along the Queen Elizabeth Way makes it easy to reach downtown Toronto or wherever else you’re travelling. Depending on traffic levels, travel times can range from 30 to 45 minutes during non-peak hours.

Where to Find Great Schools in Oakville

Oakville is one of Toronto’s best suburbs – especially for families. Along with Oakville’s great communities and family homes, one of its best features is the wide selection of local schools.

Truthfully, most schools in Oakville are great. However, some are known for having an especially strong reputation.

Public Schools (Elementary)

Forest Trail Public School
Joshua Creek Public School
W.H. Morden Public School

Public Schools (Secondary)

Oakville Trafalgar High School
Iroquois Ridge High School
White Oaks Secondary School

Private Schools

Appleby College
MacLachlan College
St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School

French Immersion Schools

École élémentaire Patricia-Picknell
École secondaire Gaétan-Gervais
Fern Hill School (Oakville Campus)

Making Your Home Market-Ready

Value-Adding Preparations

Great home sales don’t happen by accident. If you’re hoping to accomplish a strong result, you’ll need to do everything you can to make buyers feel like it’s their dream home – this means preparing your home for the market and ensuring it presents well.

Start by decluttering and deep cleaning your home to create a blank canvas. Next, take a look at any repairs that need to be made and consider making some high-ROI upgrades. Staging is also an effective way to boost buyers’ interest in your home.

Setting Your Asking Price

When it comes to selling your home, setting the right asking price is another important step. Keep in mind that your home doesn’t have an objective value. Instead, you’ll need to choose an asking price that attracts buyers but doesn’t leave any money on the table. Once again, your Realtor’s professional insights will be invaluable as they draw on market data, unique property features, neighbourhood trends, and other factors to recommend a balanced and informed pricing strategy.

Want to know more about the home-selling process? You’ll want to read these blogs next!

Once Your Home is On the Market

Getting your home officially listed is a lot of work, but you’re not done just yet.

Stay Showing Ready

Buyers may request to see your home on short notice, so you need to keep it in showing-ready condition at all times. This can be tough as a busy family, but it is important. Set up a daily routine with your family to ensure your home is clean and clutter-free – especially before you leave for the day.

Be Flexible When You Need to Be

As potential buyers discover and interact with your home, it’s important to gauge how they’re responding. If your home garners little interest or takes longer than expected to sell, be prepared to adapt your strategy.

Guiding Your Real Estate Journey

When you’re ready to find your dream home, you’ll want to partner with a local real estate agent who understands families and their unique needs. That’s where I come in! For more than 30 years, I’ve helped families across Oakville and the Greater Toronto Area upsize with ease – and I can do the same for you.

Not only do I have the unique insights and expertise to help you navigate the market strategically, but I also strive to make the house-hunting process as fun as possible.

Ready to buy or sell? I can help! To get in touch, call 905-346-8188 or email me at stacey@staceyrobinson.com.

At Your Service

I’m here to guide your real estate venture with an education to empower you. Let’s chat about what your needs, and I’ll tell you how I can help you meet them.

Book a Meeting With Me