Everything You Should Know Before Buying a Home

Tonia Jacobsen • October 15, 2025

Thinking About Buying a Home? Here’s What to Know Before You Start


Whether you're buying your very first home or preparing for your next move, the process can feel overwhelming—especially with so many unknowns. But it doesn’t have to be. With the right guidance and preparation, you can approach your home purchase with clarity and confidence.


This article will walk you through a high-level overview of what lenders look for and what you’ll need to consider in the early stages of buying a home. Once you’re ready to move forward with a pre-approval, we’ll dive into the details together.


1. Are You Credit-Ready?

One of the first things a lender will evaluate is your credit history. Your credit profile helps determine your risk level—and whether you're likely to repay your mortgage as agreed.


To be considered “established,” you’ll need:

  • At least two active credit accounts (like credit cards, loans, or lines of credit)
  • Each with a minimum limit of $2,500
  • Reporting for at least two years


Just as important: your repayment history. Make all your payments on time, every time. A missed payment won’t usually impact your credit unless you’re 30 days or more past due—but even one slip can lower your score.


2. Is Your Income Reliable?

Lenders are trusting you with hundreds of thousands of dollars, so they want to be confident that your income is stable enough to support regular mortgage payments.

  • Salaried employees in permanent positions generally have the easiest time qualifying.
  • If you’re self-employed, or your income includes commission, overtime, or bonuses, expect to provide at least two years’ worth of income documentation.


The more predictable your income, the easier it is to qualify.


3. What’s Your Down Payment Plan?

Every mortgage requires some amount of money upfront. In Canada, the minimum down payment is:

  • 5% on the first $500,000 of the purchase price
  • 10% on the portion above $500,000
  • 20% for homes over $1 million


You’ll also need to show proof of at least 1.5% of the purchase price for closing costs (think legal fees, appraisals, and taxes).


The best source of a down payment is your own savings, supported by a 90-day history in your bank account. But gifted funds from immediate family and proceeds from a property sale are also acceptable.


4. How Much Can You Actually Afford?

There’s a big difference between what you feel you can afford and what you can prove you can afford. Lenders base your approval on verifiable documentation—not assumptions.


Your approval amount depends on a variety of factors, including:

  • Income and employment history
  • Existing debts
  • Credit score
  • Down payment amount
  • Property taxes and heating costs for the home


All of these factors are used to calculate your debt service ratios—a key indicator of whether your mortgage is affordable.


Start Early, Plan Smart


Even if you’re months (or more) away from buying, the best time to start planning is now. When you work with an independent mortgage professional, you get access to expert advice at no cost to you.


We can:

  • Review your credit profile
  • Help you understand how lenders view your income
  • Guide your down payment planning
  • Determine how much you can qualify to borrow
  • Build a roadmap if your finances need some fine-tuning


If you're ready to start mapping out your home buying plan or want to know where you stand today, let’s talk. It would be a pleasure to help you get mortgage-ready.


Tonia Jacobsen

Mortgage Expert

GET STARTED
By Tonia Jacobsen October 8, 2025
Can You Get a Mortgage If You Have Collections on Your Credit Report? Short answer? Not easily. Long answer? It depends—and it’s more common (and fixable) than you might think. When it comes to applying for a mortgage, your credit report tells lenders a story. Collections—debts that have been passed to a collection agency because they weren’t paid on time—are big red flags in that story. Regardless of how or why they got there, open collections are going to hurt your chances of getting approved. Let’s break this down. What Exactly Is a Collection? A collection appears on your credit report when a bill goes unpaid for long enough that the lender decides to stop chasing you—and hires a collection agency to do it instead. It doesn’t matter whether it was an unpaid phone bill, a forgotten credit card, or a disputed fine: to a lender, it signals risk. And lenders don’t like risk. Why It Matters to Mortgage Lenders? Lenders use your credit report to gauge how trustworthy you are with borrowed money. If they see you haven’t paid a past debt, especially recently, it suggests you might do the same with a new mortgage—and that’s enough to get your application denied. Even small collections can cause problems. A $32 unpaid utility bill might seem insignificant to you, but to a lender, it’s a red flag waving loudly. But What If I Didn’t Know About the Collection? It happens all the time. You move provinces and miss a final utility charge. Your cell provider sends a bill to an old address. Or maybe the collection is showing in error—credit reports aren’t perfect, and mistakes do happen. Regardless of the reason, the responsibility to resolve it still falls on you. Even if it’s an honest oversight or an error, lenders will expect you to clear it up or prove it’s been paid. And What If I Chose Not to Pay It? Some people intentionally leave certain collections unpaid—maybe they disagree with a charge, or feel a fine is unfair. Here are a few common “moral stand” collections: Disputed phone bills COVID-related fines Traffic tickets Unpaid spousal or child support While you might feel justified, lenders don’t take sides. They’re not interested in why a collection exists—only that it hasn’t been dealt with. And if it’s still active, that could be enough to derail your mortgage application. How Can You Find Out What’s On Your Report? Easy. You can check it yourself through services like Equifax or TransUnion, or you can work with a mortgage advisor to go through a full pre-approval. A pre-approval will quickly uncover any credit issues, including collections—giving you a chance to fix them before you apply for a mortgage. What To Do If You Have Collections Verify: Make sure the collection is accurate. Pay or Dispute: Settle the debt or begin a dispute process if it’s an error. Get Proof: Even if your credit report hasn’t updated yet, documentation showing the debt is paid can be enough for some lenders. Work With a Pro: A mortgage advisor can help you build a strategy and connect you with lenders who offer flexible solutions. Collections are common, but they can absolutely block your path to mortgage financing. Whether you knew about them or not, the best approach is to take action early. If you’d like to find out where you stand—or need help navigating your credit report—I’d be happy to help. Let’s make sure your next mortgage application has the best possible chance of approval.
By Tonia Jacobsen October 1, 2025
Why the Cheapest Mortgage Isn’t Always the Smartest Move Some things are fine to buy on the cheap. Generic cereal? Sure. Basic airline seat? No problem. A car with roll-down windows? If it gets you where you're going, great. But when it comes to choosing a mortgage? That’s not the time to cut corners. A “no-frills” mortgage might sound appealing with its rock-bottom interest rate, but what’s stripped away to get you that rate can end up costing you far more in the long run. These mortgages often come with severe limitations—restrictions that could hit your wallet hard if life throws you a curveball. Let’s break it down. A typical no-frills mortgage might offer a slightly lower interest rate—maybe 0.10% to 0.20% less. That could save you a few hundred dollars over a few years. But that small upfront saving comes at the cost of flexibility: Breaking your mortgage early? Expect a massive penalty. Want to make extra payments? Often not allowed—or severely restricted. Need to move and take your mortgage with you? Not likely. Thinking about refinancing? Good luck doing that without a financial hit. Most people don’t plan on breaking their mortgage early—but roughly two-thirds of Canadians do, often due to job changes, separations, relocations, or expanding families. That’s why flexibility matters. So why do lenders even offer no-frills mortgages? Because they know the stats. And they know many borrowers chase the lowest rate without asking what’s behind it. Some banks count on that. Their job is to maximize profits. Ours? To help you make an informed, strategic choice. As independent mortgage professionals, we work for you—not a single lender. That means we can compare multiple products from various financial institutions to find the one that actually suits your goals and protects your long-term financial health. Bottom line: Don’t let a shiny low rate distract you from what really matters. A mortgage should fit your life—not the other way around. Have questions? Want to look at your options? I’d be happy to help. Let’s chat.