Richmond Hill is a city in York Region, the upper-tier municipality north of Toronto. Vaughan sits to the west, Markham to the east, Aurora to the north, and Thornhill and Toronto to the south. Yonge Street runs the length of it and is the spine of the city in every sense.

It is suburban rather than urban, but it is not a bedroom community. There is a real downtown around the Mill Pond area, a performing arts centre, a hospital, extensive parks, and a population diverse enough that most newcomers find their own community here within months.

The Oak Ridges Moraine runs across the northern part of the city, which is why the north is noticeably greener and hillier than the south, and why there is so much protected land and trail network for a place this close to Toronto.

If you want to walk places: Mill Pond, and it is not close. Nowhere else in the city genuinely works without a car for daily errands.

If the commute downtown is the priority: Langstaff, at the southern edge, with the GO connection to Union Station.

If schools decide everything: Bayview Hill, Jefferson or Rouge Woods, depending on budget and which catchment you are targeting. Confirm the catchment with the school board for the specific address, because boundaries change.

If you want newer construction and trails: Jefferson, or Oak Ridges if you want Lake Wilcox and the moraine on your doorstep.

If you want the most house and land per dollar: Crosby, usually with work to do, or Devonsleigh for something newer and quieter.

Each of these is covered in detail in our guide to the best neighbourhoods in Richmond Hill, including price ranges and what each one is actually like.

Buyers in the City of Toronto pay the Ontario provincial land transfer tax and Toronto's own municipal land transfer tax on top, which roughly doubles that cost. Richmond Hill has no municipal land transfer tax. You pay the provincial one only.

On any purchase that is a real saving, and it is one that almost never appears in the back-of-envelope comparison people make between a Toronto condo and a Richmond Hill house. Eligible first-time buyers may also qualify for a provincial refund, covered in our first-time buyer guide.

Against that, set the running costs of a larger property: heating and cooling more square footage, property tax on a higher assessed value, lawn care and snow clearing, and the second car. Houses cost more to run than condos do, and relocating buyers often compare purchase prices without comparing the monthly reality.

1. Sort the financing before you shop. Lending requirements differ considerably if your income or credit history is from outside Canada. Speak to a mortgage broker early, because this determines your budget and sometimes your timeline.

2. Visit, and visit at the wrong time. A Saturday afternoon flatters every neighbourhood. See your commute at rush hour and the street on a weekday evening.

3. Consider renting for a few months first. Unglamorous advice, and often the right advice. A short rental lets you learn the city before committing to a neighbourhood you chose from a map.

4. Have a lawyer in place before you offer. Not after. Closings in Ontario move quickly once an offer is firm.

5. Expect competition from people who know the area. Local move-up buyers decide fast because they already know the streets. If you are deciding from a distance, having someone on the ground who can view quickly and tell you honestly whether a listing is worth your attention matters more than it would at home.