First-time buyer programs
There are programs that save you thousands on closing day. Most first-time buyers do not claim them all. This page explains what exists. The interactive PTT and rebates lessons walk you through exactly what applies to you.
Is this your first home in Canada?
Have you used your RRSP Home Buyers' Plan before?
Is your expected purchase price under $500K?
Each program is broken down in the interactive lessons. Here is the summary so you know what you are working with.
Advisory focus
The programs worth knowing about
The FHSA shelters up to $40,000 tax-free. The First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit returns up to $1,500 after closing. BC's PTT exemption eliminates transfer tax on qualifying purchases under $835,000. Real dollars, real eligibility hoops. My interactive lesson walks you through which ones apply to your situation.
Advisory focus
How to check what you actually qualify for
Most buyers overestimate what applies to them. Residency history, prior ownership, purchase price thresholds, timing conflicts between programs. The net impact is often smaller than advertised. The PTT lesson includes a quiz that checks your eligibility on each one.
Advisory focus
What these programs cannot fix
A $1,500 tax credit does not fix an over-budget purchase. A PTT exemption does not offset a building with deferred maintenance. These programs reduce friction at the margins. They do not change whether the property or the price makes sense. This distinction is covered clearly in the lesson.
These pages are designed to reduce decision fatigue by giving you a clearer frame before acting.
Grants and rebates land after a lender says yes. Start with Getting pre-approved as a first-time buyer.
No. Use the sections that solve your immediate question, then move into a more direct conversation when the next step becomes clear.
No. The frameworks are especially helpful for first-time buyers, but they also work for anyone who wants a more rational decision process.
That is normal. Start with the page closest to your main decision, then use the related routes to compare trade-offs.