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How much can I afford?

A starting estimate based on your income, debts, and down payment.

Car loans, credit cards, lines of credit, support payments.
CMHC-insured deals use 39/44. Conventional and alternative (B) lenders set their own ratios, often higher. We confirm the right fit.
Estimated maximum purchase price
$0
Maximum mortgage$0
Plus your down payment$0
Limited byGDS
Qualifying (stress-test) rate0%
Implied monthly payment at qualifying rate$0
Lenders test you at a qualifying rate, the higher of your rate plus 2% or 5.25%, not your actual rate.
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For illustration only and not a pre-approval, an offer of financing, or a guarantee of qualification. This estimate uses CMHC-insured GDS 39% and TDS 44% guidelines by default, or higher illustrative ratios for the conventional and alternative option (lenders set their own), and a qualifying rate of the higher of your rate plus 2% or 5.25%; it assumes a fixed rate and Canadian semi-annual compounding, and excludes mortgage default insurance premiums, condo fees, and other costs. Your actual qualification depends on credit, income verification, the property, the lender, and whether the mortgage is insured or conventional. Speak with us for figures specific to you. TMG HarbourTown Mortgage Inc., Licence #3000145.

What these numbers mean

Plain-language definitions and the typical ranges, so you can play with the inputs with confidence.

Annual household income
Gross income before tax for everyone on the application. Lenders verify it, and self-employed income is often averaged over two years.
Typical: the verifiable, provable figure, not your best year.
Monthly debt payments
Car loans, credit cards, lines of credit, and support payments. These feed your TDS ratio and reduce what is left for housing.
Typical: lenders count roughly 3 percent of a credit card or unsecured line balance as a monthly payment.
Down payment available
Cash you can put toward the purchase. Under 20 percent makes the mortgage insured; 20 percent or more is conventional.
Typical: minimum 5 percent on the first $500,000, 10 percent on the portion from $500,000 to $1.5 million.
Qualifying guideline
Which ratio set applies. CMHC-insured deals use GDS 39 percent and TDS 44 percent; conventional and alternative lenders set their own, often higher.
Typical: insured 39/44; conventional and B lenders vary.
Interest rate and amortization
A rate to estimate with and the years to repay. A longer amortization stretches the payment and can raise your borrowing room.
Typical: 25 years standard; 30 years on insured first-time and new-build deals, and on conventional.
Property tax and heat
Housing costs that count in GDS and TDS alongside your mortgage payment. Condo fees, where they apply, are partly counted too.
Typical: lenders use real or estimated figures for the property.
Qualifying (stress-test) rate
You are tested at a higher rate than your contract rate, so a payment shock would not break you.
Standard: the greater of your contract rate plus 2 percent, or 5.25 percent.
GDS and TDS
GDS is housing costs as a share of income; TDS adds all your other debts. Whichever binds first caps your purchase price.
Typical: insured GDS up to 39 percent, TDS up to 44 percent.
Estimated maximum purchase price
The most you could likely buy at the qualifying rate, given your income, debts, and down payment. It excludes the insurance premium and closing costs.
Typical: a planning ceiling, not a pre-approval.
These are general ranges, not your numbers. The right figure depends on your situation, the property, and the lender. Talk to us and we will pin it down.

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