What is a Down Payment? A down payment is a lump sum that a homebuyer pays up front when purchasing their house. It represents a portion of the home’s total purchase price. The homebuyer will often take out a mortgage from a bank or another financial institution to finance the remainder of the house purchase price. The higher the down payment, the less the buyer will need to borrow to finance the rest of the house, resulting in lower monthly payments and less interest paid. Is a... [read more]

You’ve assessed your finances and the housing market, and researched the various financial options open to you and your household. Then, you took the leap in applying for a mortgage – quite possibly the most significant money-related decision of your life. Now you play the waiting game. This waiting period is perhaps one of the hardest parts of the home-buying process, determining if you have been approved or rejected for a home loan. While it can be challenging, especially in... [read more]

So, how much is a down payment on a house, anyway? The purchasing process usually starts years before the actual purchase, because that’s how long it can take to save up for a down payment, depending on where you’re planning to buy a home, your income and expenses, and of course, the home price. In Canada, when the purchase price is $500,000 or less, the minimum down payment is 5%. For homes priced over $500,000, the minimum down payment is 5% for the first $500,000 and 10% for... [read more]

Saving a down payment for a house can be a daunting task. In this day and age, it can take years to save up enough money to afford a home, depending on various personal and economic factors. However, the Canadian government has created a Home Buyers’ Plan program, which allows first-time homebuyers to withdraw up to $35,000 from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to increase their down payment. If you’re buying with someone who also qualifies for the program, that... [read more]

How hot is the Canadian real estate market right now? It is skyrocketing so much that the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is projecting that the housing market is poised to post record highs again this year. According to the association, more than 700,000 properties will change hands in 2021, up from 551,262 last year. The national average home price will surge by an annualised rate of 16.5 per cent to $665,000 this year. All this is because demand is exceeding... [read more]