The first step in any home search always involves a discussion with the client about what is most important to them in a new home. But if you're basing your decision on where to buy your family home on what neighbourhoods do well on standardized testing, it's almost certainly going to cost you.

We constantly hear headlines proclaiming the 'Toronto Housing Market' is this or that, but in fact, each neighbourhood within the city has its own housing market, as unique as its culture. Understanding the many factors that shape housing prices in each of these markets, as well as knowing where prices are trending, is an important part of a successful home purchase.

Buying a property in a neighbourhood that is in the early stages of such a process is generally considered one of the best ways to build equity in terms of real estate investments. The media constantly runs stories along these lines. Unfortunately however, they couldn't possibly be further from the truth.