Joel DyckReal Broker SK Ltd.
Saskatoon · From the topic map

Can I roll closing costs into my mortgage?

Generally no, not directly. A Canadian mortgage is sized against the purchase price, and lenders do not typically add legal fees or a home inspection onto the loan itself, though the provincial sales tax on a mortgage default insurance premium, when one applies, is one of the few closing costs that can sometimes be financed rather than paid in cash.

Legal fees, typically $800 to $1,500 through a Law Society of Saskatchewan member, and a home inspection, typically $400 to $600, are paid out of pocket before or at possession, separate from the mortgage advance, because they are services rendered rather than part of the home's value the lender is securing against.

Mortgage default insurance itself, required when the down payment is under 20 percent, is different: CMHC, Sagen and Canada Guaranty allow the insurance premium to be added to the loan amount, which is why the provincial sales tax charged on that premium in Saskatchewan is the one piece of the file often confused with the premium itself.

Budget the legal and inspection fees as cash needed at possession, and check with your lender specifically about how the insurance premium and its tax are being handled. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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