New Investor looking to start in the Barrie, Ont area

[Kyle Albert]

Hi All, I'm a new investor and looking to begin the journey in the Barrie,Ont area. I'm from Newmarket but have lots of family in Barrie and know the area quite well. My goal is to buy & hold and start with small duplexes or SFH with a basement apartment. The question I have is how much time, money and effort does it take to 'legalize' a basement apartment. I've found multiple deals with basements but most are not approved by the town. My agent is telling me to stay away and wait for one that has all coding and permits already approved by the city. What would it take to do this? And is it worth it seeing as how the market in Barrie is quite appealing. Thanks, Kyle Albert