So your rent keeps going up every year, your place needs repair but the landlord keeps putting you off, and you can’t do anything to make your apartment your own…

Maybe you’re starting a family or you’ve worked hard to pay off your student loans and you’re ready to start on a new adventure: home ownership!

Making the transition from tenant to homeowner can be scary, but it can also be exciting!

In this article we take some of the scare out of first-time home ownership by introducing you to 23 first time home buyer grants for Ontariofor this year…

We also give you 5 important tips to keep in mind when buying your first home (based on our extensive experience)…

Let’s get started!

Federal Government First Time Home Buyer Programs

1. RRSP HOME BUYERS’ PLAN

This program allows you to withdraw up to $25,000 from your RRSP to buy or build a new home.

You can also use it to buy or build a home for yourself or someone you know with a disability.

2. HOME BUYERS’ TAX CREDIT

The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit that helps homeowners recover closing costs such as legal expenses and inspections. First-time buyers can claim up to $5,000 for the purchase of a qualifying home on their personal tax return on the year of purchase. You could net up to $750! However, you cannot have lived in another home you or your partner owned in the previous 4 years.

If you have a disability (i.e., you are eligible for the disability tax credit) or if you bought the house to improve accessibility for someone who is disabled, you do not have to be a first-time home buyer.

3. GST/HST NEW HOUSING REBATE

The GST/HST new housing rebate gives back some of the GST or the federal part of the HST you paid—up to $1,500—for a new or substantially renovated house that is your primary place of residence provided you meet all the eligibility requirements.

4. CMHC GREEN HOME

If you buy, build, or renovate for energy efficiency using CMHC-insured financing, you could receive a 15% rebate for building a home to ENERGY STAR® standards or up to 25% for building a home to R-2000 building standards.

5. GENWORTH CANADA ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOUSING PROGRAM

Receive a 25% rebate when you build a home through one of Genworth Canada’s qualifying energy-efficient building programs or meet the prescribed minimum Natural Resources Canada EnerGuide requirements and fund it through a Genworth Canada insured mortgage.

So not only can you find some money to help you achieve your home ownership dream from the federal government, you even get some back after you’ve achieved that dream!

Now for the incentives available from the Ontario government:

Ontario Government First Time Home Buyer Programs

6. LAND TRANSFER TAX REFUNDS FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS

Under this program, if you’ve never owned a home anywhere before—ever—you could qualify to receive a refund of the land transfer tax for the first $368,000 of the value of the home. The maximum amount of the refund is $4,000.

The biggest hurdle in qualifying for the maximum amount of this program is that all purchasers of the home must be first-time homebuyers. If one or more purchasers has owned a home anywhere in the world previously, the amount will be reduced.

7. ONTARIO ENERGY AND PROPERTY TAX CREDIT

Non-seniors can receive up to $1,043 while seniors can receive up to $1,187. Even students can receive a credit of $25 if any of their costs were related to energy costs, and if you live on a reserve or in a public long-term care home, you can receive up to $232.

8. NORTHERN LOCATIONS ENERGY CREDIT

Those living in a qualifying location can take advantage of the Northern Ontario Energy Credit. This tax credit allows single people to receive a credit on their taxes of up to $151 and allows families (including single parents) to receive up to $232.

The purpose of this program is to help Northern Ontario residents with the higher energy costs they face living in the north.

Many programs that help those working to become first-time home buyers are funded by municipalities, so let’s take a glance at the municipal programs we found that could help you:

Toronto First Time Home Buyer Programs

9. OPTIONS FOR HOMES

If you are looking to purchase a new condominium, this is a non-profit group that offers different ways of paying for a condominium, including loans and discounts, and offers down payment support.

They also offer a Condo 101 class that explains what someone should look for when they purchase a new condominium.

10. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

You can be a homeowner! Get out of the rent rut with Habitat for Humanity. This group helps low-income families build and buy simple, decent quality, affordable homes through a no-interest mortgage with payments set at less than 30% of gross income. Instead of a down payment, families contribute their sweat equity.

11. DANIELS FIRSTHOME BOOST PROGRAM

Daniels FirstHome has an innovative payment plan that is much more flexible and achievable in the midst of today’s fluctuating new mortgage rules. With locations throughout the Toronto area, this builder offers condos and townhomes in attractive neighbourhoods aimed at first-time home buyers.

The program offers an interest-free, 20-year forgivable loan for 10% of the down payment that, when added to the 5% that you need to put down, “boosts” your down payment to 15%. On top of that, you could also qualify for an additional $25,000 in financing. And wait, I’m not done yet. You don’t even have to have the whole 5% up front. All you need to get started is $3,500 when you sign the Agreement to Purchase and Sale, and then you can pay $1,000 a month after that until you reach the required 5%!

Look for one of their seminars to learn more, or visit their website to register.

12. MUNICIPAL LAND TRANSFER TAX REBATE PROGRAM

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in Toronto and you’re ready to buy your first home, don’t forget to register for the land transfer tax rebate. In conjunction with the provincial tax credit, you can get up to $4,475.00 back from the land transfer tax you pay when you buy your home.

Both new and existing homes qualify, but neither you and/nor your spouse can ever have owned a home before at any time anywhere in the world. Don’t delay, because to receive the entire rebate, you application has to be received by the City of Toronto before the 10-day deadline is up!

Waterloo First Time Home Buyer Programs

13. AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

The Region of Waterloo wants to help renters become home owners, so they created this program that gives qualifying hopefuls a 5% loan to put towards their down payment. This loan is interest free and fully forgivable if you stay in your home for 20 years.

If you’re over 18 and renting, have a combined household income of less than $90,500, and want to buy a house worth less than $386,000 in the Waterloo region, you probably qualify!

There are only a few other existing qualifications:

• You must qualify for a mortgage (apply at your bank or mortgage lender).
• You must not own or have an interest in a home.
• You must be a legal resident of Canada.
• You must intend to have this home as your one and only residence.  (you cannot transfer or lease it to someone else).
• You must not owe money to a community housing landlord.

Should you choose to apply for this program, make sure you have all your supporting documents. Both newly constructed and existing homes qualify for purchase, provided they are under the value threshold, but if you buy an existing home, it must undergo an inspection and you must pay for it. Mobile homes also qualify, but title to the land must be included in the purchase.

You must also complete a home ownership training session before the purchase of your home is finalized. Anyone living in the region of Waterloo can participate in this program, including the City of Cambridge, the City of Kitchener, the City of Waterloo, and the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesly, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

Windsor & Essex County First Time Home Buyer Programs

14. HOME OWNERSHIP DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Windsor down payment assistance program traditionally offered a 20-year forgivable loan for 10% of the down payment on a house, but it is currently under review (but coming back!) for this year, so check their website if you’re interested in this program.

Simcoe County First Time Home Buyer Programs

15. HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

The County of Simcoe also offers a down payment assistance program aimed at helping low- to moderate-income renters purchase a home of their own and get out of the rental market and free up rental units.

This program also offers a 20-year forgivable loan of 10% of the down payment needed on a qualifying home valued at less than $462,645. As with other programs, the loan is interest free and does not need to be paid back unless you move out of the home before the 20 years is up. Some of the funding is put aside for Aboriginal renters under a twin program, but you must choose one program or the other.

If you are a renter in Simcoe County, including Barrie and Orillia, you may qualify if you meet these basic requirements:

• You must qualify for a mortgage (apply at your bank or mortgage lender).
• You must be a renter (Boarding and/or living with family does not qualify as a renter unless you are staying in a separate rental unit within the home that can be rented out upon your departure.).
• You cannot currently own a home or have any vested interest in a residence/land.
• You must have a combined gross household income at or below $75,100.
• You must have no outstanding arrears with Social Housing in Ontario.
• Your personal assets, including any gifting amounts from friends or family, savings, GICs, etc., cannot exceed $20,000. RRSPs of first-time home buyers count towards personal contributions, as they can be accessed for home purchases.?
• You must be at least 18 years of age, a Canadian citizen, a landed immigrant, or have Refugee Claimant status.
• You must supply photo identification and a birth certificate.

Kingston First Time Home Buyer Programs

16. HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

Low- to moderate-income renters in Kingston and elsewhere in the County of Frontenac could be eligible to take advantage of this program that offers a 20-year forgivable loan for 5% of the down payment on a home, up to a maximum amount of $15,000.

There are only 10 spots available for this year, so if you are a renter over 18 with a household income of less than $84,800 and would like to purchase a home priced at $300,000 or less, apply quickly! Be aware, though, that unlike similar programs, mobile homes do not qualify under this program.

Here are the basic qualifications for this program:

• You must cover the rest of the costs associated with buying a house.
• You must have the home inspected.
• You must confirm that you continue to live in the home every year.
• Your household assets must be less than $10,000.
• You must be Canadian citizens, landed immigrants or have refugee claimant status.
• You must qualify for a mortgage.

So if you’re interested in applying for this program, as with all programs, make sure you do your homework and keep all your supporting documents up to date and submit them all with your application to ensure you are not eliminated because of an incomplete application.

Lambton County First Time Home Buyer Programs

17. HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

And would you believe it? The County of Lambton also offers a down payment assistance program. This one is again a 20-year forgivable loan for 10% of the down payment on a house valued at less than $215,000.

If you’re over 18, a renter in the County of Lambton with a household income of less than $84,100, and qualify for a mortgage, you could qualify!

Again, you need to have a home inspection done and you must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, landed immigrant, or a refugee living in the County of Lambton. Mobile homes don’t count for this program either.

Chatham-Kent First Time Home Buyer Programs

18. AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

The Region of Waterloo wants to help renters become home owners, so they created this program that gives qualifying hopefuls a 5% loan to put towards their down payment. This loan is interest free and fully forgivable if you stay in your home for 20 years.

If you’re over 18 and renting, have a combined household income of less than $90,500, and want to buy a house worth less than $386,000 in the Waterloo region, you probably qualify!

There are only a few other existing qualifications:

• You must qualify for a mortgage (apply at your bank or mortgage lender).
• You must not own or have an interest in a home.
• You must not owe money to a community housing landlord.
• You must be a legal resident of Canada.
• You must intend to have this home as your one and only residence (you cannot transfer or lease it to someone else).

Should you choose to apply for this program, make sure you have all your supporting documents. Both newly constructed and existing homes qualify for purchase, provided they are under the value threshold, but if you buy an existing home, it must undergo an inspection and you must pay for it. Mobile homes also qualify, but title to the land must be included in the purchase.

You must also complete a home ownership training session before the purchase of your home is finalized. Anyone living in the region of Waterloo can participate in this program, including the City of Cambridge, the City of Kitchener, the City of Waterloo, and the Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesly, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

Peel First Time Home Buyer Programs

19. HOME IN PEEL AFFORDABLE OWNERSHIP HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

Aspiring first-time home buyers that live in the Region of Peel, including Brampton, Caledon, or Mississauga, can apply for this program to help them achieve their goal. It offers a 20-year, interest-free, forgivable loan for 10% (up to $20,000) of the down payment on a home. In this program though, only existing homes qualify for down-payment assistance.

Take a look at the qualifications required to apply for this program:

• You must have a total gross household income less than $88,900.
• The maximum house price is $330,000.
• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must attend a mandatory information session.
• You must be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status.
• You must not own or have an interest in another residential property in Canada or elsewhere.
• The home must be the sole and principal residence of the purchaser.
• You must currently be renting in Peel and looking to buy a sole and principal residence.
• You must be able to obtain a mortgage pre-approval from a bank/lender that is approved and insured by a mortgage default insurer such as Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and must submit it with your application.
• You must be able to pay all additional closing costs.
• You must supply all necessary documentation to the Region of Peel within the required timeframe.

To apply for this program, you must attend a mandatory information session. A home inspection for the home—that you have to pay for—is also mandatory.

Muskoka First Time Home Buyer Programs

20. MUSKOKA & GATEWAY HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS

Do you think you’ll never be able to own a home because the down payment is just too far out of your reach?

The District Municipality of Muskoka, which includes the Townships of Georgian Bay, Lake of Bays, and Muskoka Lakes and the Towns of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville, has your answer then. They offer TWO programs to help you reach your down-payment goals.

The first, the Muskoka Home Ownership program hasn’t opened up for applicants yet, but will before summer in this year, so check the website often for updates. The 2017 eligibility requirements are listed below, however.

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Total 2016 household income level must be below $81,100?
• Household assets level must be less than $20,000 (includes: savings, GICs, RRSPs, gifts, and property or land but does not include RESPs or personal vehicles)?
• Purchase price of the home can’t exceed at $295,000.00?
• Can’t currently own or have a vested interest in land or property
• Home must be the sole and principal residences of all applicants?

The second program, Gateway Muskoka, is a program developed as a legacy gift by a local couple who saw that modest-income folk could use a bit of help with the down payment on a home in the Muskoka area.

In this case, down payment assistance loans of up to $20,000.00 are available. The maximum purchase price of a home is $295,000.00. There are a limited number of loans available, so apply quickly!

You are expected to pay all closing costs—not with the down-payment loan—and a home inspection is required. You can find the eligibility requirements below:

• Must be a household buying a sole and principal residence
• Must provide proof of total household income at or below $80,100?
• Must provide proof of total household asset level at or below $20,000 (includes savings, GICs, RRSPs for first-time home buyers, gifts, and property or land but does not include RESPs or items such as vehicles)
• Can’t currently own a home or have any vested interest in a residence/land?
• Must be at least 18, a Canadian citizen, landed immigrant, or have refugee claimant status
• Must provide documentation showing mortgage pre-approval at time of application

Lanark County First Time Home Buyer Programs

21. HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

Lanark County also offers a program to give low- to modest-income aspiring home owners the opportunity to own their own home.

If you are over 18, a renter in Lanark County or The Town of Smith Falls, have a household income less than $87,800, qualify for a mortgage, and would like to buy a newly constructed or resale home less than $301,819 in Lanark County or the Town of Smiths Falls, you could take advantage of this program!

Funding is limited however, so applications are limited.

Dufferin County First Time Home Buyer Programs

22. HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM

Prospective first-time home buyers in the County of Dufferin should jump on this program! It offers interest-free 10% down-payment assistance, up to $45,000, to eligible modest-income renters to help them buy a home.

This could be just what you need to see your home ownership dreams come true, as long as you meet these criteria:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must be renter households
• Must be eligible for financing from a financial institution for the first mortgage
• Home must be at or below $455,000
• Home must be within the county of Dufferin
• Home must be the sole residence and not used for rental income
• Must have a gross current household income at or below $90,500

B Home First Time Home Buyer Programs

23. B-Home Downpayment Assistance

Homebuyers have an opportunity to qualify for a 20-year forgivable loan for up to 5% of the purchase price. The maximum is $16,710.

5 Important Tips for First Time Home Buyers

Navigating the world of mortgages and real estate for the first time can be daunting, intimidating, and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. If you do your research, stay organized, and enjoy the process, it’ll all come together before you know it.

Taking advice and getting help from others helps too, so here are some tips to help you on your journey to home ownership:

Stay on top of changing mortgage rules

Mortgage rules are constantly changing in Canada, so staying on top of these changes will keep you from any nasty surprises. In the last decade, mortgage rules have changed 7 times!

The last change made it much harder to qualify for a mortgage: even borrowers with a down payment of 20% or more will now face a stress test, as has been the case since January 2017 for applicants with smaller down payments who require mortgage insurance.

Basically, this means that in the end, you will only qualify for a mortgage that’s 20% cheaper than what you previously thought you could afford, regardless of the size of your down payment.

Use all the tools available to reduce the cost

If you do your homework and take advantage of all the possible programs listed in this article, your dream of home ownership could come a lot faster than you thought it would.

By combining such options as participating in the national RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan, the CMHC Green Plan, and a municipal down payment assistance program, you can end up with sizable down payment with almost no effort in no time at all.

Top it off the all the tax credit programs available to first-time home buyers, and you even end up covering the little odds and ends at the end of the buying process, such as closing costs, lawyer’s fees, and home inspections.

Ensure you qualify for a mortgage before you start hunting

Too many people make the mistake of house hunting before pre-qualifying for a mortgage and then their excited, hopeful bubble bursts when they find out they can’t afford what they want, or worse yet, don’t yet qualify for a mortgage at all.

To make sure you’re prepared, pay off as much debt as you can first, put aside as much money as you can by reducing every possible cost (hint: have coffee and lunch from home), get yourself a side gig (dog walking anyone?), and hunt around for institutions offering the best rates and terms.

Even if it takes you a year or two, you’ll be surprised at how fast it goes, and really, what’s another year in the grand scheme of things?

Don’t get discouraged by soaring house prices

Housing prices can seem completely unattainable to average, middle-class renters. This is one big reason why many renters keep renting. But when you do a little research, such as combing through this article, you can find many programs designed to do everything they can to help low- to modest-income renters buy their first home.

And when you break the total cost down into monthly payments, quite often your mortgage ends up costing you the same or less each month than your rent.

So unless you’re the type who prefers not to worry about maintenance or you’re a bit of a nomad, it’s worth it to get out of the rental market, own your own little corner of the world, and possess a sizable asset.

Have reasonable expectations

Scouring through online listings and touring open houses can unwittingly give you some unrealistic expectations. If you’re just starting out, you probably don’t have the resources for that 4-bedroom house with the large backyard, open concept main floor, and high-end finishes in that lovely neighbourhood you covet.

But don’t be discouraged! If you look at your list and cross off all but that which is the absolute most important to you, your search will actually end up being that much more fulfilling because you won’t be looking at that which you can’t have, and you’ll end up with that which you really need.

Besides, this is just the first step, so someday you’ll probably end up achieving that lofty goal. 

Remember this handy piece of advice: always choose the smallest house in the best neighbourhood!

Hopefully the information and tips in this article encourage or help you on your path to home ownership. It’s a dream that’s more doable than you think if you go slowly and methodically, stay organized and knowledgeable, and work hard.

Start young if you can, take advantage of every program and opportunity available to you, and keep reminding yourself of why you want to be a home owner.

Remember too, that everyone who buys a home opens up a space in the rental market so everyone can have access to housing they can afford.