First-time buyers: Angela Hamilton, 29, and Joshua Hamilton, 31

What kind of time and money does it take to land a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house at Coxwell and Danforth? We found out.

BY: Denise Balkissoon

Budget: $550,000.

What they wanted: A three-bedroom house in the east end. Being within walking distance of the subway was a must for Angela, who works as a librarian at U of T Scarborough. Cosmetic fixes were okay, but they didn’t want to take on a full renovation.

How long it took: Two-and-a-half months.

Number of houses bid on: Four. “You have to get emotionally invested enough to put in an offer, but that makes it hard to lose it,” says Angela. “It’s a lot harder to be rational about the math,” says Joshua, who works as a web developer downtown.

What they got: A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house at Coxwell and Danforth, with original woodwork, a partially finished basement, and a huge front porch and back deck. It was listed at $499,000. The Hamiltons went up against one other bidder, and eventually paid $541,000.

What they learned: “Look for staging tricks designed to hide flaws,” says Joshua. “And work with realtors, brokers, lawyers, and inspectors you get along with and trust. Referrals from friends are key.”