The first question is bound to be, "How much home can I afford?" That depends on a number of factors:

Your selected location. Are you set on a specific area? Downtown? The suburbs? A rural setting?

Your preferred type of home. Detached? Semi? Duplex? High-rise? Link? Townhouse? New or Resale? There are a variety of home styles you will want to explore.

Your income. After all, it's not just the mortgage you have to take into account. There are property taxes, utilities, and in some cases condo or strata fees. As a general rule of thumb, your monthly home-carrying cost should not exceed 30-35% of your income.

Market conditions. Is it a buyer's, sellers or balanced market?

There are also additional costs to keep in mind. It's a good idea to work out exactly what you want and what you can afford before you begin the search. Be specific! After all, you don't want to suddenly come to the realization that your dream house has come with a nightmare of bills and expenses. Stick to looking at houses in your price range. The more you've thought it out, the better your sales representative can meet your needs.

A part of deciding just what you can afford can be accomplished by meeting with your bank or a mortgage broker and negotiating a pre-approved mortgage. There are many types of mortgages and many different terms. Research all of your options. This ensures that there are no surprises once you're ready to make an offer.

Once you've figured out your monthly expenses and what you can afford, you can start your search. It could happen that the first home you see is the one you want; or you might look at home after home with none of them catching your interest. Rest assured, the home you're looking for is out there, and when you find it, you're ready to make an offer. If your offer is accepted, the next steps are closing and moving into your new home.

Purchasing a home is easy once you put your plans into action.

Buyers in most areas will have to add Land Transfer Taxes to their closing costs

Land transfer taxes are a part of the process unless you live in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or rural Nova Scotia. These taxes, levied on properties that are changing hands, are the responsibility of the buyer. Depending on where you live, taxes can range from a half a per cent to two per cent of the total value of the property.

Many provinces have multi-tiered taxation systems that can sometimes be difficult to understand. If you buy a property for $260,000 in Ontario, for example, .5 per cent is charged on the first $55,000, 1 per cent is charged on $55,000 - $250,000, while the $250,000 - $400,000 range is taxed at 1.5 per cent. Your total tax bill? $2,375.00.

The following chart illustrates Land Transfer Taxes by province:

Ontario

Up to $55,000 X .5 % of total property value
From $55,000 to $250,000 X 1 % of total property value
From $250,000 to $400,000 X 1.5 % of total property value
From $400,000 up X 2 % of total property value

Toronto

Up to $55,000 X .5 % of total property value.
First-time homebuyers receieve a full tax rebate.

From $55,000 to $250,000 X 1 % of total property value.
First-time homebuyers receieve a full tax rebate.

From $250,000 to $400,000 X 1.5 % of total property value.
First-time homebuyers receieve a full tax rebate.

From $400,000 to $2,000,000 X 2 % of total property value.
First-time homebuyers receieve a $4,475 maximum tax rebate.

From $2,000,000 up X 2.5 % of total property value.
First-time homebuyers receieve a $4,475 maximum tax rebate.

British Columbia

Up to $200,000 X 1 % of total property value
From $200,000 up X 2 % of total property value

Manitoba

Up to $30,000 N/A
From $30,000 to $90,000 X .5 % of total property value
From $90,000 to $150,000 X 1 % of total property value
From $150,000 up X 1.5 % of total property value

Quebec

Up to $50,000 X .5 % of total property value
From $50,000 to $250,000 X 1 % of total property value
From $250,000 up X 1.5 % of total property value

Nova Scotia

Halifax Metro
1.5 per cent on total property value
Outside Halifax County, check with local municipality.