In a lot of ways, the bankers and the real estate agent are working for their own interests. A realtor makes money whether you pay 300k or 400k for a condo. Both the banks and the realtors make more money when you shell out more for a place. Your realtor will protect you from some bad properties and bad deals and will explain what you're signing. My realtor did try to upsell me to the most expensive stuff when I bought. It's up to you to know what you can afford now, and what you can afford 5 years from now in case rates go up.

If you have savings, you may have a financial advisor who sells you mutual funds who tries to get you to max out mutual funds with his company. a proper financial advisor will also point out that you're putting all your investments in one basket - a house. A good advisor will tell you what you can really afford for a mortgage.
Let that guy tell you what your maximum mortgage can be, and whether you can afford it when the interest rates go back up to 7 percent. Use a mortgage calculator to see what the payments are like at 7 pct. Paying down a mortgage aggressively in the first 5 years will save you the most interest and payments in the long term. It also puts you in a position to afford your mortgage payments when you refinance in 5 years. because you'll be renegotiating payments on 160k mortgage instead of a 200k mortgage. my advice is to take advantage of the first time home buyer's plan to use your savings tax free on your downpayment

What is the next process?

Decide on which neighbourhood you want to live in.
Are you prepared to stay in the neibhbourhood for 5 to 10 years. Are you prepared for a roller coaster ride in appraised value. Are you prepared to pay for a 20,000 dollar new balcony over 4 years on top of your mortgage.

should I be seeking assistance from a realtor?

yes.

how do you pick a realtor?

pick an established agency with experience. Re/Max, Sutton

when you pick one, do you make an offer ASAP?

no. An agent will show you around to some listings and explain that you'll need to inspect the place with a proper inspector.

how long does the offer stand?

your realtor can answer that.

what is the process for after the offer?


Lawyer fees, appraisal fees? moving fees?

1000 or so. I think you mean inspection. 500-1000 for a small starter condo sized place to move across town.

ps. new families tend to buy in May every year. It's the nesting effect. You're paying a premium for a place if you buy it in May.