First-Time Home Buyer Mortgages in BC | Sydney Young
First-Time Buyers

Your First Home Mortgage, Minus the Guesswork

Nobody teaches you this in school. From "can I even afford this?" to keys in hand, I walk you through every step, then take your one application to 50+ lenders.

Book Mortgage Consultation or start your free mortgage assessment
Pre-approval snapshot
Purchase price$525,000
Down payment (5.5%)$28,750
Est. payment$2,940 / mo
Rate held 120 days while you shop
How it goes

Four Steps to the Front Door

1
The Chat

A relaxed first conversation where we figure out your budget and what's realistic.

2
Pre-Approval

One application, then you shop with real confidence.

3
The Hunt

You find the place. I lock your rate and handle the lender back-and-forth.

4
Keys

Sign, celebrate, move in. I'm still one text away after closing.

The misread number

How Much You Actually Need Down

It's not a flat 20%. In Canada the minimum steps up with the price, and for most first homes it starts at just 5%.

Up to $500k
$500k – $1.5M
$1.5M +
5%
On homes up to $500,000

A $450,000 home needs $22,500 down.

5 + 10%
From $500k to $1.5M

5% on the first $500k, 10% on the rest. A $700,000 home needs $45,000.

20%
At $1.5M and above

A $1.6M home needs $320,000 down.

Under 20% down, your mortgage is insured, which adds a premium to your loan. It also usually means a lower rate. I show you both paths so the trade-off is clear. Figures are BC guides and can change, we confirm what applies to you.

Programs you can use

The Incentives Working in Your Favour

$40k
lifetime

First Home Savings Account

Save up to $8,000 a year. Tax-deductible going in, tax-free coming out toward your first home. The best of an RRSP and a TFSA in one.

$60k
per person

Home Buyers' Plan

Borrow up to $60,000 from your own RRSP for your down payment, tax-free, and pay it back to yourself over time. A couple can combine for $120,000.

$0
up to $500k

BC Property Transfer Tax Exemption

First-time buyers pay no property transfer tax on a home valued up to $500,000, with partial relief up to roughly $835,000. That can save you thousands at closing.

30 yr
amortization

30-Year Amortization

First-time buyers and new builds can now stretch to a 30-year amortization, which lowers your monthly payment and can help you qualify for more.

Rule of thumb
1.5 – 4% extra
The other costs

The Closing Costs to Budget For

A handful of one-time costs land around closing day. None are surprises when you know them early, so here's the full list up front.

Property transfer tax
Legal / notary fees
Home inspection
Appraisal
Title insurance
Mortgage insurance premium
Free calculator

See What You Can Actually Afford

Two minutes with your real income and down-payment numbers, and you walk away with a clearer picture.

Open the Calculator →
Still have questions?

Down Payments, Incentives, Timing, and More

I keep honest, jargon-free answers to the questions first-time buyers ask most over on the main FAQ page.

Browse the FAQ →
Here we go

Let's Find Out What's Possible

Start the application whenever you're ready, or just send me your questions. Working with me is free for residential mortgages, the lender pays me when your mortgage funds.

Book Mortgage Consultation or start your free mortgage assessment