Impact of new mortgage rules on Calgary housing market remains uncertain entering 2018

A new Canada-wide stress test for people applying for uninsured mortgages is leading to uncertainty among experts about the possible effects on the Calgary real estate market in 2018.

The federal government's new B-20 guidelines, introduced on Jan. 1, set out a new minimum qualifying rate or "stress test" for mortgages. Borrowers must qualify using the five-year benchmark rate published by the Bank of Canada, or the contractual mortgage rate plus two per cent – whichever is greater.

The complicated relationship between millennials and the housing market

When Juliet Burgess, 29, bought her 110-year-old home in Inglewood for the above-list price of $350,000, she says she became the first among her circle of millennial friends to become a homeowner.

"I personally don't know anyone in my age group who owns property," said Burgess, who works in the not-for-profit sector. "We're super lucky to be able to afford to buy.

"I've been saving my whole life, since I was 14. Even with that, my partner's savings and our parents giving us a little bit, we could only put down the minimum for a down payment."

Making the right decisions during this crucial part of buying a house can set you up for long-term financial success

For anyone buying real estate, arranging a mortgage is a sure sign that you're about to make your dream home a reality.

But with the all the options that are available, how do you find the mortgage that's right for you?

Greg Miller, a mortgage professional with SmartCap Inc. in Calgary, says step one for him is "finding out what are the client's short-term needs and long-term needs, their goals, and what does their budget allow for in terms of a payment?

"After that you can tweak a mortgage to cater it to them."

First-time Home Buyers' Plan offers a path to ownership

A house can be a great investment, but saving enough for a down payment can be difficult. The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP), offered by the Government of Canada, is a program that aids the purchase of a first home by allowing part of a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) to be withdrawn as a tax-free down payment in cash.

"This is about the only program that is available now through the federal government," said David P. Brown, president of CREB®.