Like anything in life, if you work hard, you will see results. In my career in real estate, I’ve noticed that the harder my clients work in their 9 to 5 jobs, the more room they have to look in the market for their new home.

“No man but feels more of a man in the world if he have but a bit of ground that he can call his own.  However small it is on the surface, it is four thousand miles deep; and that is a very handsome property.”  ~Charles Dudley Warner


Push your limits. Save a little more than usual every month and you will see huge results. I promise. You could be on your way to a larger home, a condo with 24-hour concierge, simply having enough money to pay your lawyer fees in cash without a hassle or any of those unexpected costs alongside purchasing a new place.

How-to: BUDGET by SMART Goal Setting

• Have a financial goal setting worksheet and focus on it daily.
• Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely
• Focus on a goal for 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 10 years.

Here’s an example:

• 1 month:
  • Save $100 by bringing lunch to work 4 days a week.
  • Change your Starbucks order from a Venti to a Grande.
  • Do your own nails.
  • Start now: Whatever money you earn, whether it is cash or cheque, save 10-20% immediately.

• 6 months:
  • Use cash for purchases. This could save you hundreds and even a few thousands of dollars. By using cash only, your wallet will be a daily reminder of how much you have to spend on a weekly basis, until your next paycheque comes in.
  • What to do: Take out cash at the beginning of the month, store half in your room and the rest in your wallet. Use that only for one month. You’ll soon realize how many small things you purchase that add up to so much at the end of month.

• 1 year:
  • Rent a condo. You can easily find a new condo with top of the line amenities and upgrades for $1200 a month.  If that’s too high to do solo, ask a reliable, trustworthy friend to room with you.  By splitting the monthly rent in half, you can use that money to put towards your car, school fund, and even a savings account for a new home to purchase in the future.

• 3 years:
  • Own a home! You can do it! With small changes you’ve made over the past 3 years, you will be on your way to purchasing something that you can finally call your own!
  • Fun money saving tip: Have a clothes trade off party. Get all of your friends together and your gently used clothing and buy an inexpensive bottle of wine. Spend a few hours “shopping” in their closet and trade some pieces that you no longer wear.
  • 10 years:
    • Upgrade to a new home, different location or a bigger home if you’ve just started a family. Real estate is like every other trend, things come and go; styles change on a regular basis. With these renovations, selling will be easy and will allow you to make money from your current home to put towards something new.

Have this year be YOUR year. Don’t compare to friends, family or colleagues. Do what is good for you. Everyone has different obstacles and different preferences, that’s why every home is so different. Have fun with it.