Buying a home in Toronto is a massive investment that not many who live here can actually afford, so if you're making the big jump into home ownership, you're going to want to make sure you make the right choice, especially in today's economic landscape.

But unless you're well-versed in house hunting, listings can be a little hard to decipher, and every one can seem like "the one."

Instead of wasting time viewing homes that may end up being a complete letdown, the team at Canadian real estate firm Properly want to give buyers a few tips:

1. Firstly, understand that listings are written with a very clear end goal, which is to market a property in the best light and thus get the best value for the seller.
2. Be wary of certain terms: "cozy," "well-loved," "fixer-upper," "great potential," or "handyman's/developer's dream." These may all sound like good things, but are in reality just positive ways of warning you of a home's less-than-positive traits.
3. Remember that photos aren't always the reality, and are often taken from certain angles and/or even with certain lenses to strategically make a space seem larger or hide eyesores — don't be afraid to zoom in or take a virtual tour!

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For anyone buying or selling a home, Properly is the go-to for searching through local listings and working with an agent to find your dream home or to sell your current home with confidence, using its unique Sale Assurance.