Congratulations on taking the first step to your new home. Whether you are a first time buyer, or a move-up buyer, we have services that can help reduce the stress of finding your next home.

From Home Warranty programs to protect your your investment, to home insurance and even discounts to buy new furniture and appliances and more.

Homebuying Step by Step

  • Walk through the home buying process step-by-step.
  • Obtain professional and practical information.
  • Use the handy tips, illustrative stories, charts, graphs and hands-on work sheets.

The 8 Steps Ahead:

Step 1
Determining Your Housing Requirements
CMHC provides helpful information and practical worksheets to assist you in determining your precise requirements in a home and for choosing your desired location.

Step 2
Understanding Your Local Housing Market
Everything that happens in the housing market can have an impact on your home purchase. We help you track trends in mortgage rates, local housing prices and other key indicators to assist you in determining the best time to buy.

Step 3
Calculate Your Costs
Can you afford the type of home you have chosen? CMHC has practical work sheets and tools to help you calculate how much you can afford to spend.

Step 4
Choosing Your Team
There are a lot of people involved when you buy a home. Here's a guide to who they are and what they do. We provide work sheets to help you choose the right people to meet your home buying needs.

Step 5
Arranging Your Mortgage
How do you get the best mortgage for you and at the best rates? Learn more about the range of mortgage options before you make your final decision.

Step 6
CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance
Don't let a down payment come between you and your home. Find out how you could qualify to buy your home with as little as 5% down with help from CMHC.

Step 7
Preparing an Offer
Before making your final offer, find out what to include in your Offer to Purchase and what to expect once an offer has been made.

Step 8
Closing the Deal and Moving
There are many small steps when it's time to close the deal. Here's information to help make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Also, tips to make moving day a smooth experience.

Glossary
Simple jargon-free homebuying definitions
 This online version differs slightly from the print version of Home Buying Step by Step: A Consumer Guide and Workbook. Additional information adapted from Bringing Home Ownership Within Reach is also included.