“In the beginning, when I was looking for a place, it was difficult.”
Quickly, the home search became rather daunting.
Marcel knew his family would be happiest living close to the waterfront downtown, but he quickly became frustrated by the lack of affordable options. High home prices meant a higher down payment, so he put a pause on looking.
But, the clock was still ticking to find a home. Looking back, Marcel recalls, “Prices were going up by the day, so I knew the sooner I got one, the better.”
“This could actually help me purchase the home I really want.”
While scrolling on Instagram one night, Marcel came across a post about Ourboro. Intrigued, he visited the Ourboro website to learn more.
“I was totally amazed at the amount of information I found about Ourboro and their co-ownership model. It was so easy to get to know them.” Marcel said.
Always a fan of reviewing the numbers behind an idea, he found the examples especially helpful when understanding how Ourboro’s co-ownership model works. He did some of the math himself and remembers thinking “This could actually help me purchase the home I really want.”
“They’re really experts, they provide excellent service and I just enjoyed the entire process.”
From his first conversation with Ourboro, Marcel says he felt valued. And, after a 20-minute discovery call with Jackie, he was convinced that co-ownership was the right model for him.
Marcel also attended Ourboro’s Open House in September 2023 and, after speaking with more Ourboro team members, referral partners, and co-buyers, felt that the event had the atmosphere of a big family.
“Feeling that way is such an important thing,” He adds, “because you think buying a home is just a purchase where you need monetary support. But no, it’s actually much more than that. It’s the service that Ourboro provides, it’s how well they treat you, it’s how well they answer your questions and make you feel comfortable.”
Once Marcel was ready to get back into the house hunt, he was introduced to Jin Han, a realtor with seven years of experience in the GTA. Marcel wanted to ensure his realtor had an exceptional knowledge of both downtown condos and the Ourboro process, and Jin, after already closing multiple deals with Ourboro, was the perfect fit.
Eager to get started, the two met and began viewing properties as soon as they could. This was Marcel’s first home so he was, understandably, overwhelmed by all the various options. But, by working with Jin, they were able to narrow down the search.
“Working with Jin was really, absolutely, great.” Marcel said, “At every step in the process he’s guided me through and answered my questions.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it without Ourboro.”
Being able to co-buy his home with Ourboro was an enormous benefit to Marcel and his spouse. “[Ourboro is] always there, not just during the homebuying process, but once everything is finalized and you’re living in home.” says Marcel.
Now that he is living in his home, he feels a real sense of accomplishment. “I feel a lot of freedom because I do own this home…. I’m able to personalize my home the way I want it to be.”
If Marcel hadn’t come across Ourboro on Instagram that day, he says his life would look very different. He says he may have explored co-buying a property with a group of friends, but thinks that would have likely been full of privacy issues, and put friendships at risk. Alternatively, he could have continued to rent in a less ideal area, but that wouldn’t have allowed him to build the home that he wanted with his spouse. Marcel puts it simply, “I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish it without Ourboro.”
