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

Can you really buy a home in Saskatoon with $0 down?

No. Federal mortgage insurance rules require a minimum down payment on every insured purchase in Saskatoon, 5 percent on the first $500,000 of the price and 10 percent on any amount above that, so a true zero-down purchase is not available through a standard CMHC, Sagen or Canada Guaranty insured mortgage.

What looks like $0 down in advertising is usually borrowed money layered under the mortgage rather than a waived requirement. A cash gift from family, a Home Buyers' Plan withdrawal from an RRSP up to $60,000, or a First Home Savings Account contribution up to $8,000 a year can supply the down payment funds, but the lender still requires that money to show up in the account before closing.

A borrowed down payment from an unsecured line of credit or a second mortgage is generally not accepted by insured lenders, because it raises the buyer's total debt load beyond what the insurer will underwrite. Sellers occasionally offer a vendor take-back arrangement instead, though that is rare in Saskatoon and depends entirely on the seller's own financial position.

The realistic path for a buyer with little saved is stacking legitimate sources, gift funds, a First Home Savings Account and the Home Buyers' Plan, against a home priced near the Saskatoon benchmark of $444,700. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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