eXp agence immobilièreNicolas DassylvaResidential real estate broker
FR
The guide

First-time buyer's guide for Gatineau

The nine steps of a first purchase, from budget to keys, in a single PDF with a fill-in budget worksheet and the checklists for every step. Rules in force in 2026, Gatineau figures. Free, by email.

Get the guide (PDF)

What you receive

  1. 1

    The guide, nine chapters

    From the first budget calculation to the signing at the notary's, in the order it happens. Each chapter is one sitting: the essentials in three lines, the explanation, what to remember and one thing to do this week.

    PDF, 22 pages
  2. 2

    The budget worksheet

    One page to fill in with your real figures: income, debts, target price, down payment, closing costs and the real monthly cost. The two ratios lenders use, worked out with your numbers.

    1 page
  3. 3

    The checklists

    The concrete actions of every step, gathered on a single page. Print it and tick as you go.

    1 page

Get the guide, the budget worksheet and the checklists

The nine chapters as a PDF, a fill-in budget worksheet and the checklists for every step, in your inbox. Three questions, thirty seconds.

You plan to buy

One address, never shared.

The nine chapters

1Getting ready

  1. 1
    Deciding, and knowing your means

    Before any visit: your real budget and what a bank will lend you.

  2. 2
    The down payment and the programs

    No, you do not need 20%. What you really need, and the programs that help.

  3. 3
    The pre-approval

    The real first step before visits: your budget confirmed by a lender.

  4. 4
    The real cost: fees and monthly budget

    The costs that come on top of the price, and what a house costs per month, for real.

2Finding and making an offer

  1. 5
    Finding the right property

    Needs, areas, the broker's role, and what to look at during the visit.

  2. 6
    The promise to purchase

    The document that binds you: price, deposit, conditions, deadlines, counter-proposal.

3Closing

  1. 7
    The pre-purchase inspection

    What the inspector looks at, what the report allows, and why you do not skip it.

  2. 8
    Financing and insuring

    Final approval, loan insurance, home insurance, and the choices that remain.

  3. 9
    At the notary's

    The deed of sale, the funds, the keys, and the welcome tax that comes after.

It is for you if

  • You are thinking of buying a first property in Gatineau within a year or two.
  • You want to know what it really costs, before visiting.
  • You would rather understand each step than discover it along the way.

Where the figures come from

Every rule and every amount in the guide points to its official source. When a rule changes, this is where it changes first.

Sources : OACIQ, Buyer's guide · CMHC, Homebuying step by step · Financial Consumer Agency of Canada · Revenu Québec, home ownership tax credit · Ville de Gatineau, transfer duties · Government of Canada, FHSA and HBP

Updated: September 2026. Rules and figures are verified as of that date; always confirm with the official source before deciding.

Nicolas Dassylva

A question about your situation?

Every situation has its details. Write to me, I answer myself, no obligation.

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