First-time buyer guides for Ontario

Every rule the calculator uses, explained in plain language. No jargon left undefined, no numbers without a source.

• How much house can you afford in the GTA?

  Three separate ceilings decide it: your cash, your monthly comfort, and what a bank will approve. The lowest one wins.

• Cash to close in Ontario: the full list

  Down payment, land transfer tax after the first-time refund, the tax on mortgage insurance, and the fees nobody mentions.

• CMHC insurance: tiers, the 30-year surcharge and Ontario RST

  What mortgage default insurance costs, why 5% and 9.99% down cost the same, and which part must be paid in cash.

• The stress test, GDS and TDS explained

  Why the bank approves less than the calculators promised, and which lever actually moves your approval.

• Condo vs townhouse vs detached: true monthly costs

  Fees, utilities, insurance and the repairs fund nobody budgets, across five GTA property types.

• Cash-back mortgages and realtor rebates: the real math

  One gives you money on closing day and quietly charges you for it. The other is nearly free. Here is the difference.