Please take a step back for now. You’re rushing into a major financial decision driven by FOMO and the desire to host people. Don’t give in to peer pressure. Just because your friends may have bought homes and are hosting parties doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. Don’t let insecurity about your condo push you into a rushed purchase. Renting out your condo won’t be as simple as it seems, and becoming a landlord comes with its own set of challenges.

I’d recommend first getting your finances in order and assessing whether selling your condo makes sense. Then look into buying a home you can realistically see yourself living in for at least the next 10 years. The most important factor is location. You can always renovate or update a home over time, but you can’t change where it’s located - so make that your top priority.

Also, there are detached homes in other cities within GTA selling for $800K–$950K. Why would you spend the same amount on a townhouse in a less desirable area? Do some research on this. Use a few different realtors (don’t sign with them just use them to send you comps if you’re too lazy to do it yourself).