Buy a Home.
Get a Cheque.

Let us help you find your next home, and we’ll rebate you a portion of our commission on closing.

Calculate Your Rebate.

When you choose us to help you buy your next home, we’ll write you a cheque for a portion of our commission on closing.

No gimmicks—just cashback.

We’ll guide you through as many properties as it takes to find the perfect fit. And when you’ve found ‘the one’, we’ll use our experience and insight to make sure you don’t overpay, and that the home you love doesn’t come with costly surprises.

Find out how much you’ll get back using our rebate calculator.

At Equity One, we make finding the right home easy. We back you with expert advice, real data, and all the support you need—no pressure, and no limits on showings. And when you close? We hand you a rebate cheque from our commission. Just our way of saying thanks.

Frequently Asked Buying Questions

  • 1. Get Your Finances in Order

    • Check your credit score – better credit means better mortgage terms.

    • Save for a down payment – minimum is 5% of the purchase price (higher if over $500K).

    • Budget for closing costs – usually 1.5%–4% of purchase price (land transfer tax, legal fees, inspections, adjustments).

    • Mortgage pre-approval – secure a rate hold (usually 90–120 days) and know your budget.

    2. Define Your Needs & Neighbourhood

    • Decide what type of home fits your lifestyle: condo, townhouse, detached, rural property, etc.

    • Research Ottawa neighbourhoods (e.g., Kanata for tech, Orleans for families, Centretown/Glebe for urban living, Manotick/Greely for larger lots).

    • Factor in schools, transit (LRT), commute, and amenities.

    3. Engage Equity One

    • We will provide MLS® access, arrange showings, evaluate properties, and negotiate offers.

    4. Start House Hunting

    • View homes online and in person.

    • Compare property taxes, utility costs, and resale potential.

    • In competitive Ottawa markets, be prepared to move quickly.

    5. Make an Offer

    • Your agent prepares an Agreement of Purchase and Sale (APS).

    • Decide on price, closing date, deposit (usually 1–5%), and conditions.

    • Common conditions:

      • Financing approval

      • Home inspection

      • Status certificate (for condos)

    6. Negotiate

    • Seller may accept, reject, or counter your offer.

    • In Ottawa’s hot neighbourhoods, you may face multiple offers—sometimes without conditions.

    7. Satisfy Conditions

    • Arrange a home inspection to check for issues (roof, foundation, plumbing, etc.).

    • Finalize mortgage financing with your lender.

    • If a condo, review the status certificate with your lawyer.

    8. Firm Sale

    • Once conditions are waived, the sale is “firm.”

    • Your deposit is applied toward the purchase price.

    9. Hire a Real Estate Lawyer

    • They handle title searches, land transfer tax filing, closing funds, and registration.

    • They’ll also ensure property taxes and utilities are adjusted fairly between buyer and seller.

    10. Closing Day

    • You provide your down payment + mortgage funds + closing costs to your lawyer.

    • Lawyer registers you as the new owner.

    • Keys are released (usually late afternoon).

    11. Move In

    • Arrange movers, set up utilities, forward mail, and update your address.

  • No. We are a full-service real estate brokerage that charges less. We like to say that the only thing ‘discounted’ is our commission — never our service or commitment to you.

    • No. We offer competitive co-op commission to buyer agents, ensuring your listing gets maximum exposure and interest. In fact, we reduce the commission on our end, and not the buying agent end, meaning buyer agents make no distinction between our listings and a national brands listings. And our listings appear on MLS®, REALTOR.ca, and all major real estate platforms, including the websites of the biggest brands in the business through listing syndication. We’ve also developed an excellent reputation in the industry, and are respected amongst our peers.

  • No. A kickback is a payment to a third party (often called a “birddog fee”) who simply connects two parties and has no real involvement in the transaction. A rebate, on the other hand, is a return of part of a payment to the person who actually made it.

    In real estate, the buyer purchases a home from the seller, and the seller pays commissions to the agents involved in the deal. A rebate is a portion of the commission earned that is then given back to the buyer from his or her agent.

    Real estate rebates are completely legal.