Homebuyer Journey

    New to buying? Go step by step. Enter your numbers once and we'll carry them through — from whether you qualify, to your payment, down payment plan, and closing costs.

    Step 1 of 4: Can you qualify?

    Can you qualify?

    Start here: your income and target price show whether you pass the mortgage stress test.

    Your credit score matters too

    For an insured mortgage (under 20% down), CMHC generally wants at least one borrower around 600+. Other insurers and lenders set their own minimums, and alternative lenders may go lower at higher rates. You can get your credit report free at myequifax.ca. Educational guidance only — not a lender decision.

    Your Income

    $

    Property & Mortgage

    $
    $
    20.0% of purchase price
    %
    Stress test rate: 6.99%

    Monthly Housing Costs

    $
    $
    $

    Enter 0 if not a condo

    Your Other Debts

    $

    These only affect your TDS. Get your GDS working first — if the home fits your income before debt, then we add debt to check TDS.

    You Don't Qualify at This Price

    At the stress test rate of 6.99%, your ratios exceed lender limits.

    Here's how to qualify:

    Option A: Reduce Home Price

    Lower your target price by:

    $97,747

    New target: $502,253

    or

    Option B: Increase Your Income

    You need more annual income to qualify:

    +$21,047/yr

    Combined income needed: $121,047

    Qualification Ratios

    GDS

    Housing Costs / Income

    47.21%
    32%39% max
    Stress Test Contract Rate

    $3,934 housing / $8,333 income

    TDS

    All Debts / Income

    Not evaluated yet

    Add your monthly debts below to evaluate TDS.

    39% GDS / 44% TDS are the CMHC insured maximums and the standard benchmark — not a hard cap for every lender. Some uninsured or alternative ("B") lenders accept higher ratios with strong credit or more down. This is a ratio screen, not a lender approval: credit, income verification, and property still apply.

    Payment Comparison

    At Contract Rate (4.99%)$2,789/mo
    At Stress Test Rate (6.99%)$3,359/mo
    +$570/mo more

    The monthly buffer the stress test protects against: $570/month (difference between your contract payment and the payment at the OSFI qualifying rate of 6.99%).

    Max Home Price You Qualify For$502,253

    (at stress test rate)

    0% complete

    Frequently Asked Questions

    It's a guided, four-step flow that chains HomeCalc's stress test, mortgage payment, down payment, and closing cost calculators together. You enter your numbers once and they carry forward automatically through each step, instead of re-entering them into separate tools.

    No — you can jump to any step using the stepper at the top. The steps are ordered to match how most buyers plan (qualify, then payment, then down payment, then closing costs), but nothing is locked.

    Your numbers stay in the browser tab for the session, and you can email yourself a summary or copy a shareable link at the end to pick up where you left off. HomeCalc doesn't require an account and doesn't store your financial inputs on a server.

    No. It's an educational planning tool, not a mortgage application or pre-approval. It shows you estimates using the same GDS/TDS and stress test rules lenders use, but an actual pre-approval requires a lender to verify your income, credit, and documents.

    Yes, it's free with no sign-up required, the same as every calculator on HomeCalc.

    Stay Ahead of the Market

    Get weekly insights on rates, market trends, and smarter homebuying decisions.

    No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.