Blog - REALTOR Gurvinder Nokwal - Real Estate Agent in Woodstock, Oxford County, London and area

Covers of the Home Buying Basics guide in English, Hindi and Punjabi

Buying Properties

Free guide: home buying basics in English, Hindi and Punjabi

A free, plain-language guide to mortgages, down payments, GDS and TDS, the stress test and closing costs in Ontario. Download it in English, Hindi or Punjabi.

September 28, 2026 2 min read

Sample closing cost budget for a $550,000 Ontario home, split into land transfer tax, legal fees, sales tax on insurance, moving, adjustments and inspection

Buying Properties

Closing costs in Ontario: what to budget beyond your down payment

September 28, 2026 3 min read

Chart of the minimum down payment for homes priced at $400,000, $550,000, $750,000, $1 million and $1.5 million

Buying Properties

Down payment and mortgage insurance in Canada: how much you really need

September 28, 2026 3 min read

Comparison of the monthly payment you pay at a 4.5% contract rate and the higher payment you must qualify at under the stress test

Buying Properties

Fixed or variable? And the mortgage stress test, explained

September 28, 2026 4 min read

Two bars comparing housing costs and total debt against the 39% GDS and 44% TDS limits on a $10,000 monthly income

Buying Properties

GDS and TDS: the two ratios that decide how much you can borrow

September 28, 2026 4 min read

Bar chart of a 25-year mortgage showing interest shrinking and principal growing each year, with the crossover in year 10

Buying Properties

How a mortgage works in Ontario: term, amortization, rate and payment

September 28, 2026 4 min read

Location

Ontario home seller’s guide: price it right, prepare it well, sell with a plan

September 28, 2026 4 min read

Timeline of the 8 steps to buying a home in Ontario, from setting a budget to getting the keys

Buying Properties

Ontario home buyer’s guide: 8 steps from budget to keys

September 28, 2026 4 min read

Driving distances from Woodstock, Ontario: about 40 minutes to London and Kitchener and about 1 hour 40 minutes to Toronto

Buying Properties

Why buy a home in Woodstock, Ontario?

September 28, 2026 3 min read

Bar chart of first-time buyer program limits: $60,000 Home Buyers' Plan, $40,000 FHSA, $4,000 land transfer tax refund and $1,500 tax credit

Buying Properties

First-time homebuyer incentives in Ontario: the 2026 guide

September 28, 2026 5 min read