“Just get in the market” is advice most buyers hear early, especially when prices feel intimidating and waiting feels risky. Buying something smaller often feels like a responsible way to get started, with the assumption that upgrading later will be easy once life and income catch up.

What tends to be overlooked is the cost of moving itself. Not the mortgage or the interest, but the friction that shows up every time a property is bought or sold. Those costs are quiet, unavoidable, and easy to underestimate when the focus is on monthly payments.

When a home is purchased with the expectation that it will be temporary, that friction doesn’t disappear. It simply gets deferred.

Why starter homes feel safe

Starter homes usually come with smaller payments and a lower sense of commitment, which makes them appealing early on. They create a feeling of flexibility, as though you are keeping your options open rather than locking yourself into something long term.

The catch is that moving later is not free. Selling and buying again means paying another round of transaction costs that do not improve your lifestyle or build equity. They simply make the move possible.

The cost most people underestimate

Every real estate transaction comes with fees. Land transfer tax, legal costs, commissions, moving expenses, and various smaller items add up quickly. Paying them once is part of homeownership. Paying them multiple times because a move was always planned can meaningfully change the economics of buying small “for now.”

That second move often arrives sooner than expected, driven by family needs, work changes, or lifestyle shifts. When timing is dictated by life rather than choice, costs tend to feel heavier.

When buying small creates pressure later

Buying a home that no longer fits tends to turn moving from an option into a necessity. At that point, decisions are shaped by urgency rather than opportunity. Inventory, pricing, and timing may not line up, but the move still has to happen.

Homes that allow for a bit of growth, whether through layout, location, or flexibility, often reduce that pressure. The value is not just in space, but in the ability to choose when to move rather than being forced to.

Stretching with intention

Paying more upfront does not automatically mean taking on more risk. In some cases, choosing a home that works for longer can reduce total housing costs by avoiding an extra transaction altogether.

This does not mean pushing payments to the limit. It means thinking about how long a home is likely to serve your needs and weighing that against the real cost of moving again.

The takeaway

Starter homes are not a mistake by default. They can work well when they genuinely fit the next chapter of life.

The hidden cost shows up when a home is clearly temporary. Each move carries friction, and that friction compounds over time. Sometimes the more durable choice is not the smallest one you can buy, but the one that reduces the need to move again too soon.

Written by the team at BBM

Selling isn’t about finding the perfect price.
It’s about choosing the right moment.

In a stable market, timing barely matters. In a shifting one, timing is the strategy. List too late and the cost isn’t just price — it’s carrying costs, missed opportunities, and tax leakage.

Here’s what actually matters before you list.

Inventory Moves Before Prices
Prices are sticky. Inventory isn’t.
When listings rise faster than sales, buyers gain leverage long before prices drop.

Watch for:

• Months of inventory trending up

• Listings growing faster than sales

• More price cuts nearby

Waiting for last year’s price usually costs more than it saves.

Days on Market Tells the Truth
Prices look backward. Days on market looks ahead.

Rising DOM usually means:

• Buyers are more selective

• Financing is tightening

• Sellers are stuck on old comps

When DOM climbs, the clean sale window is already narrowing.

Expectations Matter More Than Rates
Markets don’t move on rates. They move on where buyers think rates are going.

Pay attention to:

• Central bank guidance

• Bond yields, not headlines

• Lender behaviour on approvals

Confidence breaks before affordability does.

The Buyer Pool Is Changing
Strong markets have end-users, move-ups, and investors.
As conditions tighten, investors disappear first.

When buyers are purchasing out of necessity instead of opportunity, pricing power fades — especially in investor-heavy areas.

Tax Planning Starts Before the Listing
Thinking about tax after the sale is usually too late.

Before listing, map:

• Principal residence exposure

• Calendar-year timing

• Capital loss offsets

• How the sale stacks with income

Same price, different timing can mean very different after-tax outcomes.

Exit Structure Beats Perfect Timing
No one sells the exact top. That’s not the goal.

Better strategy:

• Sell non-core assets first

• Stagger sales to manage tax brackets

• Pay down bad debt before reinvesting

• Align the sale with a refinance or restructure

The goal isn’t winning the market. It’s exiting on your terms.

Bottom Line
In changing markets, waiting for certainty means reacting late.

The best sellers don’t predict. They notice. Inventory, buyer behaviour, financing, and tax exposure tell the story early.

When the risk-reward shifts, clarity beats hope — every time.

Written by the team at BBM

Most buyers treat a pre-approval like a green light. A lender gives you a number and it feels like that’s what you can safely spend. In reality, a pre-approval only shows what you qualify for on paper. It does not tell you what will feel comfortable once you’re actually living with the mortgage.

Your true buying power is shaped by things pre-approvals do not fully capture. Debt structure, rate choice, future renewals, and everyday lifestyle costs all affect how much home you can sustainably carry.

Debt structure matters
Pre-approvals assume your debt stays the same. Real life changes. Paying off or restructuring debt can increase usable buying power, while taking on new debt can reduce it quickly. How your debt is set up matters as much as the balance.

Rate choice affects affordability
Pre-approvals use a standardized qualifying rate. Your actual mortgage behaves differently. Fixed rates offer stability with higher penalties. Variable and adjustable rates offer flexibility but expose you to payment changes. Your ability to absorb those changes limits how far your buying power stretches.

Renewal is the real test
The starting payment is temporary. At renewal, your rate resets to market conditions. If rates are higher, payments rise. Buyers who purchase at their maximum qualification feel this pressure the most.

Lifestyle reveals the truth
Lenders do not factor in childcare, commuting, groceries, activities, travel, or income fluctuations. Their formulas ignore real-life spending, which is why many buyers feel stretched after moving in.

A pre-approval is valuable. It confirms you qualify and sets a starting point. It does not measure comfort or long-term sustainability.

A pre-approval is a reference point, not permission to spend.

Written by the team at BBM