First-Time Home Buyer Incentive of the Government of Canada and broker’s role
Are you thinking of buying and financing a first new or used residential property? The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive program may help you reduce your mortgage payments without additional outlays for the down payment if you meet certain criteria. This program enables qualified buyers to purchase a first home by reducing their monthly mortgage payments. The Incentive’s value is 5 % or 10 % of the property value, depending on whether it is a new or used property.
To see if you qualify and learn about the terms and conditions of this insurable loans program, CMHC offers several resources, including:
- A page explaining all the steps;
- Eligibility Calculator;
- Information sheet: First-Time Home Buyer Incentive Program - Highlights (PDF);
- Online training sessions.
What are my real estate broker’s duties?
Are you interested in the Government Incentive? Under his duty to inform, your broker must inform you about the existence of this program and its obligations. The broker is subject to ethical rules set by the Real Estate Brokerage Act and applied by the OACIQ for your protection.
Among other things, your broker must inform you that the Incentive is an interest-free second mortgage on the property, which is refundable and calculated based on the property market value upon resale.
Your broker is acting on behalf of an agency? Its executive officer is responsible for ensuring that agency brokers meet these requirements. He is a resource person to contact, if necessary.
Questions?
An agent from the information centre Info OACIQ will be glad to answer them.