With rising inflation, competitive bidding wars, and sky-high prices, navigating Toronto's housing market as a first time buyer can be a headache. 

While it's always a good idea to consult real estate agents and financial advisors before making the big move, I decided to ask an unconventional source for real estate advice. 

ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a chatbot launched by San Francisco-based OpenAI in November 2022. 

The chatbot can be used for natural language processing tasks such as text generation and language translation. It also has the ability to generate human-like text responses and interacts with you in a "conversational way." 

Known for its detailed responses across many areas of knowledge, ChatGPT has gained lots of attention and is frequently unavailable for use due to its high demand. 

The dialogue format makes it possible for the chatbot to answer follow-up questions, admit its own mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and even reject inappropriate requests. 

I previously asked ChatGPT to name some of the best and worst things about Toronto, and decided to switch gears and get some real estate advice this time around. 

ChatGPT only has access to information up to 2021, so it's worth noting that the real estate advice it gives might not be truly reflective of current and ongoing market trends. 

The first question I asked the chatbot was if now was a good time to buy a home in Toronto. 

ChatGPT said the answer to this question depends on your individual circumstances, as the market is constantly subject to fluctuations. The chatbot recommended speaking to a real estate agent and a financial advisor before making a final decision. 

Next, I posed the question, "where in Toronto is a good place to buy a home?" 

ChatGPT highlighted several neighbourhoods in the city, namely The Annex, The Beaches, Leaside, Rosedale and Leslieville. The chatbot said these communities are known for being family-friendly, amenity-rich, and charming.

Next I got down to the nitty-gritty and asked, "how can you afford a home in Toronto?" 

ChatGPT recommended several ways to afford a home in Toronto, which included saving for a down payment, considering a co-signer, researching government programs, as well as considering alternative options.

Then, I asked the highly-debated question of "is it better to rent or buy a home in Toronto?" 

ChatGPT said the answer to this question depends on your individual circumstances. To help with your decision, it recommended considering several factors including affordability, flexibility, cost of living, investment, and emotional/social aspects.

Lastly, I asked the chatbot how Toronto's real estate market compares to other cities in North America. 

ChatGPT said that Toronto's real estate market is considered one of the most active, expensive, and competitive in the continent. It also noted the market's supply and demand, steady growth, and relevant taxes. 

Above all else, ChatGPT recommended consulting a real estate agent and/or financial advisor before making any final decisions. 

BlogTO(Kimia Afshar Mehrabi, January 23,2023)