The Canadian home-buying playbook.
Ten chapters. Every number, every document, every step — written for Canadians, by the team that writes the rebate cheques.
Real numbers. Real process.
ON, BC, AB, QC & every province
10
Chapters
5%
Min. down <$500K
1.5%
HOMEH Cashback Rebate
120
Day rate hold
30+
Lenders shopped
Ten chapters. From save to sign.
Skim the map, then dive into the one you need next.
Budget
The two numbers that decide what you can actually afford: GDS ≤ 39% and TDS ≤ 44%.
ReadFind your best rate
A 5-minute intake that turns into a rate hold and a lender certificate — without touching your credit.
ReadFind an agent
Why the agent you pick matters more than the portal you pick. What HOMEH does differently.
ReadShop
MLS, off-market, private listings. How to tour efficiently and spot the red flags.
ReadOffer
Price, conditions, deposit, irrevocable. Every clause that goes in the offer and why.
ReadInspect
What a good inspector actually checks. Which issues to negotiate and which to walk from.
ReadFinance
Moving from Pre-Qualification to final approval: appraisal, employment re-verification, commitment letter.
ReadClose
Closing costs, land transfer tax, title insurance, final walk-through, keys.
ReadFirst-time incentives
FHSA, HBP, first-time LTT rebate, GST/HST new-housing rebate — stacked correctly.
ReadHOMEH rebate
The industry's highest Cashback Rebate — as cash after closing or redirected as a down-payment boost before.
ReadThe Cashback Rebate, in plain numbers
1.5% of the price, back to you.
Buy through a licensed HOMEH agent and you receive 1.5% of the purchase price — as a Cashback Rebate after closing, or redirected as a down-payment boost before it. The rebate is a share of the buyer-side commission the seller already pays, subject to eligibility and your buyer agreement. Nothing is added to your price or your closing costs.
Purchase price
$600,000
1.5% Cashback Rebate
$9,000
Purchase price
$900,000
1.5% Cashback Rebate
$13,500
Purchase price
$1,400,000
1.5% Cashback Rebate
$21,000
Illustrative only. The rebate is 1.5% of the purchase price, paid at closing, subject to eligibility and your buyer agreement, on a home bought through a HOMEH agent. Your exact rebate is confirmed in writing before you make an offer.
“We read the HOMEH guide the week before our first offer. It told us exactly which conditions we could drop and which we absolutely could not. Saved us from a $30,000 mistake.”
— Deepa & Raj
First-time home buyers, Vaughan
1.5%
Of the purchase price back to you
30+
Lenders shopped for your file
Key numbers
you should know.
The four figures every Canadian buyer should commit to memory before shopping.
Minimum down payment
5%
On homes under $500,000. 5% on the first $500K + 10% on the balance up to $1.5M. 20% minimum at $1.5M+.
Stress test qualifying rate
+2%
Lenders qualify you at the greater of your contract rate plus 2% or 5.25%. Makes sure you could still pay if rates rise.
CMHC premium range
2.8% – 4.0%
Of the insured amount, applied when your down payment is under 20%. Rolled into your mortgage — not paid up front.
First-time LTT rebate (ON)
up to $4,000
Ontario first-time buyer rebate on provincial Land Transfer Tax. Toronto adds another rebate up to $4,475.
Glossary.
In plain English.
Every acronym and term a Canadian buyer actually needs — defined clearly, with no jargon.
15 terms · reviewed monthly
See your best
mortgage rate.
The playbook becomes real numbers the minute you complete the 5-minute intake.
Make your dreams come home!
Book a free consultation to see how we make homeownership affordable and easy for you.
The Canadian buyer's playbook.