You don't want an owner taking away time and energy from other owners who would have committed to you as a buyer.It's a  cat and mouse game and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but there are more properties in the future on the market and off the market to consider.

Once I commit I pretty much have all the scenarios worked out-- best and worst. 

Google SEO is amazing and truly committing to grow your social media is the best thing that you can do.This is completely inaccurate.

Have you also received from the broker a pre-title commitment for your review?

If you are looking for deals in the greater Montreal, get in touch with @Olivier LePage above, as his team is 100% committed to finding off-market deals, and as you know, this is where the money is in the small plex market.If you are looking for syndication type investment (where the pool of money from different investors will buy a property valued in the $1-3 million valuations in the Montreal area), where your capital will earn a good return on investment, I can connect you to some people I know in case you want to go that way.

Just because nobody wants to commit to 4 or 6 months, does not mean they won't still be there in that time. 

Further, the attorney can make sure that all the exceptions on the title commitment are cleared.I do agree with you that it is advantageous to have an active attorney represent you in the closing and one that makes you feel that your transaction is a priority.Best,Johnetta G.

And if the property doesn't stay my primary residence, the last thing i would want to commit is mortgage fraud!

You are not required to live in the property for a year but if you knew from the get go that it was not going to happen then you are technically committing fraud.

@Julie Hill What option(s) you decide to take will be dependent on: Balance sheet  - how many $ are you willing to invest, how quickly and for how long;Time commitment;Risk/return expectations - newbie investor only look @ returns, whereas they should be focusing on understanding riskLiquidity and risk tolerance - closely linked with the earlier point on risk/return expectations.I would focus on picking a niche and taking a deep-dive.