Commercial Services · Buyer path
Buy a commercial asset, calculated.
Pick the property type, get a tailored shortlist, real comps, and an offer strategy that wins on the seller's terms.
Quick answer
How do I buy commercial property in the GTA in 2026?
Five-step process: get pre-approved by a lender, define your criteria (property type, neighbourhood, budget), tour with an agent (typically 5-15 properties), submit a conditional offer with financing + inspection clauses, then close. Total timeline 60-120 days. Closing costs run 3-4% of purchase price on top of down payment. Alex Goodman (RE/MAX Your Community Realty) handles GTA commercial purchases end-to-end with sold-comp pricing and off-market access.
Step 3 · Property category
What are you looking to buy?
The category narrows the rest of the page. Each one has its own comps, regulations, and buyer pool.
Step 4 · Services & Step 5 · Why
What buyers actually need.
Five services. Each one paired with the why — so you can push back on anything that doesn't earn its place.
01
What you actually need
Long & short list, budget reality-check, must-haves vs. nice-to-haves.
Why we do that
A clear brief saves weeks of touring the wrong properties.
02
Tailored property search
Off-market, pre-list, and MLS — filtered to your shortlist criteria.
Why we do that
The best deal is rarely the most public one.
03
Comparable sold listings
Real comps, not Zestimates. Price the property before you bid on it.
Why we do that
Asking ≠ market. We bid against actual sales data.
04
Showings & shortlist
Tour with a checklist. We score every showing on the same rubric.
Why we do that
Memory is unreliable; a rubric is comparable.
05
Offer strategy & negotiation
Bid structure, conditions, deposit timing — built around what the seller actually wants.
Why we do that
Most offers leave money on the table because they're written for the buyer, not the seller.
Step 6 · How it benefits you
Ten things you'll feel through the process.
01
Clarity
Know the number before you list or bid.
02
Confidence
Bid or counter without guessing.
03
Speed
Fewer days on market, fewer wasted showings.
04
Net
More dollars in your pocket after fees.
05
Calm
Fewer surprises mid-deal.
06
Fit
Homes filtered to your real shortlist.
07
Proof
Every claim tied to actual sold data.
08
Access
Off-market & pre-list opportunities.
09
Service
One point of contact, end-to-end.
10
Trust
RE/MAX brokerage power behind every move.
Step-by-step
How to buy a commercial property in the GTA
Seven steps from LOI to closing for a GTA commercial acquisition. Average timeline: 90-180 days.
- 01
Identify acquisition criteria
Investment thesis: asset class (office, retail, industrial, multi-family, land), target cap rate, hold period, leverage strategy, and minimum/maximum deal size. Get pre-qualified with a commercial lender — typically 30-40% down required.
- 02
Source + tour qualified properties
Most GTA commercial deals trade off-market or through broker network. Tour shortlisted properties, often staged in 3-5 day windows. Sign NDA before reviewing full Information Memorandum + rent roll.
- 03
Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI)
Non-binding LOI outlines price, deposit, conditions, due diligence period (30-90 days), and close date. Negotiate the LOI before drafting full Purchase + Sale Agreement (PSA) — saves legal fees if you can't agree on principles.
- 04
Execute the PSA + start due diligence
Full PSA signed, deposit goes into escrow. Due diligence begins immediately: Phase I Environmental, Property Condition Assessment, zoning + permit certificate, rent roll + estoppels, tenant interviews, financial review.
- 05
Resolve conditions or walk
If due diligence surfaces material issues, you can negotiate price reduction, vendor remediation, or walk with deposit returned. Deposit is at risk only after all conditions are waived. Common reductions: environmental, deferred capex, tenant covenant downgrades.
- 06
Finalize financing
Lender appraisal, term sheet, commitment letter, then funding. Commercial mortgages typically amortize over 20-25 years with 5-year terms. Interest typically prime + 1.0-1.5%. Insurance and corporate guarantees finalized in parallel.
- 07
Closing
Lawyer handles title transfer, mortgage registration, tenant notice (assignment of leases), and assignment of contracts. HST clearance certificate from CRA. Lease assignment estoppels signed by major tenants. Keys + final documents change hands.
FAQ
Common commercial-buying questions
Direct answers to the questions buyers and sellers ask most often. Specific to Ontario regulations + 2026 GTA market.
How do I evaluate a commercial property's cap rate?
Cap rate = stabilized net operating income (NOI) ÷ purchase price. Calculate NOI by taking gross rental income, subtracting vacancy allowance (5-10%), operating expenses, property tax, and management fee — but NOT mortgage payments. Compare to current market cap for the property class + submarket. A property at 6.5% cap in a 5.5% market is either a deal or has hidden issues — investigate.
What financing is available for commercial real estate in Canada?
Standard commercial mortgage requires 30-40% down and amortizes over 20-25 years (vs. 25-30 on residential). Interest rates run 1.0-1.5% above 5-year GIC. CMHC-insured loans available on multi-family 5+ units — down to 15% down with insurance premium added. Vendor takeback (VTB) financing is common on $5M+ deals where the seller carries a second mortgage for 5-10 years.
What's the typical due diligence process for commercial?
30-90 day due diligence with conditions. Standard package: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, property condition assessment (PCA), zoning certificate, rent roll + estoppels, tenant interviews (covenant strength), historical financials (3 years), Tenant + Service contract assignments, lease assignments. For industrial: add Phase II Environmental + soil testing. For multi-family: add LTB filing search. Budget $15-50k in third-party reports.
Should I structure my commercial purchase through a corporation?
Almost always yes for investment properties. Corp ownership provides: liability shielding, easier financing for additional purchases, more tax flexibility (income splitting via dividends, lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying transactions), and cleaner succession planning. Discuss with an accountant first — owner-occupied corporate-owned real estate has different rules than investment-held real estate.
How does commercial differ from residential when negotiating?
Commercial deals close on documented numbers + future income potential, not emotion. Common negotiation levers: vendor financing terms, environmental remediation reimbursement, lease assignment + tenant consent timing, capital improvement reserve transfer, holdback for outstanding LTB hearings, and contingent purchase price (earnout) when the rent roll has uncertainty. Expect 30-60 day negotiation cycle vs. 1-2 weeks on residential.
Step 7 · Start
Pick a property category — or skip ahead and book a call.