Compromises that Count in Your Home Search

What do you do if you can't find everything on your home wishlist within your budget? This is the case for most of us, especially in expensive and competitive markets like Toronto.

There are a few different factors you can compromise on, and which ones are first on the chopping block will depend on your particular situation - your family's needs, your work location, your budget. But when every neighbourhood and house has its own compromises, how can you tell which compromises are worth it?

Would you rather have a 2 bathroom house in a neighbourhood that meets less of your needs than a 1 bathroom house in a neighbourhood that meets most of your needs? What about a townhouse in a neighbourhood without a dog park, vs a detached home where you wouldn't have an extra bedroom for an office? What about a longer commute for you but your kids can attend a particular school program, vs a higher rated school and shorter commute but at the very top of your budget?

It can be really hard to even determine which of your preferences a neighbourhood and home meets and doesn't meet, much less keep track of this information of all the different areas you're interested in and compare them against each other. We developed the Homebuyer Hub, and in particular, HoodQMatch™, to help with this.

After a one minute quiz, your HoodQMatch™ neighbourhood recommendations will tell you which of your wishlist items aren't met in each recommended neighbourhood. For example, if you'd prefer a 15 minute commute, it will tell you that this neighbourhood isn't 15 minutes away, but it is under 30 minutes away.

If there aren't any listings that match your specific home preferences within a particular neighbourhood, HoodQMatch™ will recommend ones that are as close as possible to your specifications - and it'll expand its definition step by step so you get the closest listings to your preferences. If there are no exact matches or homes under your minimum budget number that match, first it'll include homes with fewer bathrooms that match all your other specifications. If there are still no matches, it'll include homes with fewer bedrooms, and then homes of a different type (like townhouses when you wanted a detached home), and then homes a small percentage over your maximum budget.

If you'd prefer a map experience, our HoodQ CityLife Resource Centre™ also recommends neighbourhoods and links you to our Neighbourhood Guides, though HoodQMatch™ provides more personalized detail about each recommendation. Our HoodQ School Locator™ tool is another option if schools are one of your top priorities.