You Never Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Negotiate

Obtaining a Mortgage

It is best in our current marketplace to get pre-approval for a mortgage. You can go to your bank and speak to them about your options, or you can contact a mobile mortgage specialist who will help you with all of your needs. I have a few different specialists that I can recommend who will help you get the highest mortgage possible but with payments that you are comfortable with.

Mortgage Types/Options
It is best to speak with a professional in the mortgage industry, but some options for younger buyers are: 40 year mortgages, 35 year mortgages, 0% down, etc. But don’t let 0% down fool you, as you will need some money up front for your deposit (this goes to the seller of the house but the bank should reimburse this money if you have a 100%mortgage-0% down), so you will need to have a line of credit that is ready to go.

Ever hear of a 5% Down Payment?
The following is an excerpt from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation website under the topic of "Mortgage Loan Insurance":
Get into your home sooner. Mortgage Loan Insurance helps you do it. Put as little as 5% down.

When you need a mortgage loan that is more than 75% of the purchase price of your home, mortgage loan insurance is required. It protects the lender and, by law, most Canadian lending institutions require it.

Having mortgage loan insurance means that if you, the borrower, default on your mortgage, the lender is paid back by the insurer – CMHC or a private company. With the risk of losing their money removed, lenders have the confidence to make mortgage loans of up to 95% of the purchase price of the home (subject to price ceilings).

That means your down payment can be as little as 5% of the house price. With mortgage loan insurance, many Canadians who might be unable to obtain a 25% down payment can still buy a home.

What does mortgage loan insurance cost?
There are two components: an application fee and an insurance premium.The application fee typically ranges from $75.00 to $235.00, and mortgage loan insurance premiums range from 0.5%-3.75% of the amount of your loan (additional charges may apply), depending on the size of the loan and the value of your home. The premium can be added to your mortgage loan and paid off as part of your regular mortgage payments, or paid off in a lump sum at the time of purchase to save interest charges on the premium itself.

Where can you apply for mortgage loan insurance?
See your lender, who can obtain mortgage loan insurance from CMHC or a private insurer.

CMHC will insure mortgages of up to 95% of the home's purchase price or the market value of the property, whichever is less. (Restrictions may apply. Contact your local lender.)

Both new and resale homes are eligible. Here are some of the criteria that must be met:

  • The home must be in Canada and must be your principal residence. Housing payments – including principal, interest, property taxes, heating (P.I.T.H.), the annual site lease in the case of lease hold tenure, and 50% of applicable condominium fees – can't be more than 32% of your gross household income (GDS ratio).
  • Your total debt load can't be more than 40% of your gross household income (TDS ratio).
  • Other criteria apply and are subject to change. For details, please contact CMHC or your local lender such as  fisgardmortgage.com.


Right now, 3 million Canadians own homes with insured mortgages.