The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive helps qualified first-time homebuyers to reduce their monthly mortgage payments without adding to their financial burdens.
The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive is a shared-equity mortgage with the Government of Canada. It offers:
- 5% or 10% for a first-time buyer’s purchase of a newly constructed home
- 5% for a first-time buyer’s purchase of a resale (existing) home
- 5% for a first-time buyer’s purchase of a new or resale mobile/manufactured home
The Incentive’s shared-equity mortgage is one where the government has a shared investment in the home. As a result, the government shares both the upside and downside of the property value.
By obtaining the Incentive, the borrower may not have to save as much of a down payment to be able to afford the payments associated with the mortgage. The effect of the larger down payment is a smaller mortgage, and, ultimately, lower monthly costs.
The homebuyer will have to repay the Incentive based on the property’s fair market value at the time of repayment. If a homebuyer received a 5% Incentive, they would repay 5% of the home’s value at repayment. If a homebuyer received a 10% Incentive, they would repay 10% of the home’s value at repayment.
The homebuyer must repay the Incentive after 25 years, or when the property is sold, whichever comes first. The homebuyer can also repay the Incentive in full any time before, without a pre-payment penalty.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER INCENTIVE
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Knowing what to expect throughout the entire home-buying process can lead to more well-informed decisions and a better home-buying experience overall.
Check out CMHC’s homebuying tools and resources to help you confidently make your home-buying decisions.
Guides
- Homebuying Step-by-Step Guide and Workbook – Find everything you need to help you buy a home in Canada, including worksheets, calculators and checklists.
- Condominium Buyer’s Guide – Get detailed information on buying a condominium.
- Newcomers’ Buying Guides – Read homebuying information in 8 different languages!
Calculators
- Affordability Calculator – Estimate how much mortgage you can afford.
- Debt Service Calculator – Compare monthly debt payments and expenses to income.
- Mortgage Calculator – Explore rates, payment frequency, amortization options and more.
Other useful information
- Your Credit Report – Learn more about the simple steps to maintain a good credit history and improve your chances of being approved for a mortgage.
- Mortgage Planning Tips – See how planning your mortgage in advance can help you save money in the long run.
- Mortgage Fraud – Read these valuable insights that can help protect you from mortgage fraud.
Who qualifies for first-time home buyer Canada?
be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or non-permanent resident authorized to work in Canada, earn less than $120,000, have the minimum qualifying down payment, and. the total borrowing amount is limited to 4 times the qualifying income.
How much do first-time home buyers have to put down in Canada?
The minimum down payment is 5% of the first $500,000 of the home’s purchase price, and 10% for any amount above that. However, the total amount you put down (including the FTHBI amount) must be less than 20% of the home’s purchase price.