NSF Service fees
$10 NSF fee beginning Sept 1, 2026: We've lowered our personal Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) fee from $45 to $10.
Learn moreIf you’re set on buying a certain home, you may find yourself caught up in a bidding war. And if it’s your first time buying a home, the prospect of a bidding war can be daunting.
There's nothing more frustrating than finding the perfect home, only to lose it to another buyer!
Realtors often suggest to have the following to win a bidding war:
Today, we’re taking a look at the real estate market in Winnipeg and the different ways you can make your offer stand out.
According to the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board, in August 2026:
With that in mind, follow these seven steps to improve your chances of winning a bidding war:
Before house hunting, take a close look at your finances and prepare a monthly budget you can comfortably afford.
Be sure to include the new expenses associated with owning a home (including property taxes, utilities, mortgage payments, and ongoing maintenance of the home).
This will ensure you don't stretch your budget too thin between your mortgage payments and other household expenses.
Cambrian's Mortgage Affordability Calculator can help you estimate how much home you can afford to buy. Take two minutes to complete our Cambrian Mortgage Affordability Calculator today! Using our calculator will not affect your credit rating.
It is highly recommended and almost essential to be pre-approved for a mortgage by your financial institution before house hunting.
Getting pre-approved for a mortgage establishes you as a serious homebuyer. You’ll know exactly how much you can afford so that you can move quickly when a house you want comes on the market.
Give the seller the possession date that they want, and note in the offer that the possession date is flexible. This indicates to the seller that you are easy to work with.
The better you can align your offer with what the seller is looking for, the greater the chances they may accept it even if it's not the highest offer.
What is a deposit? When making an offer, a deposit can be included as part of it. It’s a sum of money you put down to show your commitment to purchasing the home. If the sellers accept your offer, they will hold the deposit until the sale is finalized. The deposit goes towards the price of your home.
A deposit shows the seller that you are serious about the home and your financial situation is stable.
Consider including a large deposit as part of your offer – at least 5 per cent of the purchase price – to position your offer more favourably.
Speak to your realtor and read the Agreement of Purchase and Sale carefully to understand the conditions for refunding your deposit should the sale not go through for reasons on the part of the seller or the buyer.
If you've fallen in love with a home, you can write a letter and include it with your offer. In the letter, you can write about what the house means to you.
For example, is this the community you're hoping to raise a family in? Or are you looking to make this your very first home?
Some sellers may want their family home to go to another family who would appreciate it the way they have. A personal letter may give your offer an edge over other buyers.
Getting a home inspection can save you a lot of money in the long run if the home inspector discovers a major issue. It's also worthwhile to understand what repairs you should be budgeting for should you purchase the home.
However, in some cases, including a home inspection as a condition of the offer can be enough to take your offer out of the running. Your relator may suggest doing a home inspection before writing an offer and not making it a condition.
If this is not possible, keep the home inspection timeframe short so the seller can move on quickly if you are not going to move forward with the purchase.
Choose your home inspector before starting to house hunt so that they’ll be available at short notice.
House hunting can be an emotional process. To avoid overbidding, ensure you understand the typical price per square foot of similar homes in the area and quantify the value each unique feature holds for you. Then, you can put together an offer that reflects that value.
Although it may feel like a long process, realtors encourage potential buyers to stick it out and stay focused on what you can afford, and you will find a home in time.
For more tips for house hunting tips, explore our Guides to Buying a Home in Winnipeg or Selkirk. Happy house hunting!
We would be happy to discuss your unique situation with you.
Our goal is to make complex topics like this one, simple.
