Buy a home with
$0 saved.
If you have great credit and steady income, you may qualify for our flagship Skip the Down Payment program. Stop renting. Stop saving. Start owning.
- BBB Accredited
- No fees, ever
- Licensed Alberta brokers
Get Your Free Estimate
A specialist will review your numbers and email your estimate within 5–10 minutes.
We never pull your credit for this estimate. Your information is never shared or sold. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Tell us a bit more
This helps us understand where you're at so we can match you with the right options.
What's your down payment situation?
Choose the option that best matches what you have saved or available.
We never pull your credit for this estimate. Your information is never shared or sold. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
When are you looking to buy?
This helps us tailor our follow-up to your timeline.
We never pull your credit for this estimate. Your information is never shared or sold. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Your Income & Debts
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We never pull your credit for this estimate. Your information is never shared or sold. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
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We DO NOT pull your credit. Your information is used only to reach out to you. No portion is shared with any third party. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
We'll be in touch shortly to discuss your options. Check your email for a copy of your results.
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We've received your information and will be in touch shortly to discuss your skip the down payment options.
The Skip the Down Payment program — and any mortgage with less than 20% down — requires solid credit history. Here's what good credit looks like and how to build it.
If you don't have any credit history yet, start with secured Visas from Scotia Bank and Home Trust — they're easier to approve for and a great first step. You can track your score for free at www.equifax.ca.
Down payment ranges and what credit you'll need
- 0–4% down: excellent credit, score above 680
- 5–9% down: score of 620+, no late payments or collections in the last 2 years
- 10–19% down: score of 580+, no recent late payments or collections
- 20%+ down: multiple lenders available depending on your interest rate tolerance
Tips to bump up your credit score
- If you've missed payments, try to open or maintain three credit accounts with perfect repayment going forward. (Student loans don't count.)
- Re-establishing payment history typically takes:
- ~12 months for one missed payment
- 2–3 years for 60- or 90-day late payments
- 3+ years for written-off debts (excluding minor collections like cell phone bills)
- Consumer proposals and orderly payment of debt are treated like a bankruptcy for mortgage purposes — wait times are significantly longer.
- Keep credit utilization low. Utilization is the ratio of balance to total credit limit. 30% or under is ideal.
- If you plan to purchase a home within 24 months, do not finance a vehicle purchase — the high utilization of that debt will reduce your score and your mortgage approval chances.
Why closing cards can hurt you
Say you have these accounts:
| Account | Limit | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Card A | $15,000 | $0 |
| Credit Card B | $10,000 | $0 |
| Credit Card C | $5,000 | $4,000 |
| Loan (orig. $20,000) | $20,000 | $17,000 |
Total utilization: $21,000 balance ÷ $50,000 total limit = 42% — that's healthy.
Now close Cards A and B (because you don't use them). New utilization: $21,000 ÷ $25,000 = 84% — that's bad. Your credit score could drop 50 points overnight.
The federal program almost no one talks about
Most Canadians believe they need a 5% down payment minimum to buy a home. That belief costs years of forced savings and lost equity. The reality is more nuanced: there is one federally-sanctioned program that allows qualified borrowers to purchase a home with $0 saved.
We specialize in this program. If you have a strong credit profile, stable employment, and the income to carry the mortgage, our Skip the Down Payment program may have you in your own home in 30-45 days — not 3-5 years from now.
Right fit checklist
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Credit score 680+. This program requires a strong credit profile. Lenders look closely at credit history quality, not just the score number.
-
Stable employment. Two years in your current field is the typical benchmark. Self-employed applicants need 2 years of business filings.
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Adequate income. Your income needs to support the mortgage on the federal stress-test rate. Use our calculator for an instant estimate.
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Closing-cost savings. While the down payment can be zero, you still need ~1.5% of purchase price for legal fees, inspection, and title insurance.
Three steps to a quote
Quick qualification check
Our calculator gives you an instant estimate of your eligibility — no credit pull, no commitment.
Program-specific underwriting
Skip the Down Payment goes to specific lenders. We package your file the way they expect it, maximizing approval odds.
Move in
Closing typically happens 30-45 days after offer acceptance. You're in your home with $0 of down-payment money out of pocket.
It's about who you are, not what you have
Stop the savings treadmill
The average Canadian household saves $5,000-$10,000 per year toward a down payment. Meanwhile housing prices keep moving. You may never catch up.
Start building equity now
Every mortgage payment is partly principal — money going into your asset. Every rent payment is gone forever.
Lock in your housing cost
Rents move with the market. A fixed-rate mortgage locks in your housing cost for years.
Tax benefits
Capital gains on your principal residence are tax-free in Canada. Renters can't claim that — homeowners do.