Mortgages Halifax, Nova Scotia

The Canadian Mortgage Stress Test in 2024

📅 Last Updated: February 15, 2024

✏️ Written By Lisa Rennie

🕵️ Fact-Checked by Caitlin Wood

Table of Contents show

Mortgages Halifax - Compare Providers

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
23	1700524800	$5,000 - $25,000	24.99% - 29.99%	30 or 60	$5,000 - $25,000
11	1692748800	Up to $250	0%	Up to 61 days	Up to $250
8	1688083200	$150 - $1,600	10 - 35%	3 - 6	$150 - $1,600
100	1686182400	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1686182400	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1686182400	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
6	1683676800	$15,000	6.7%	Up to 60 months	$15,000
1	1670889600	$1,000 - $10,000	19.9% - 46.9%	-	$1,000 - $10,000
7	1666051200	$150	0%	-	$150
100	1643932800	$500 - $15,000	+18.9% APR	6 - 60	$500 - $15,000
100	1642723200	up to $1,500	-	-	up to $1,500
13	1639094400	$1,000 - $15,000	29.9% - 46.9% APR	12 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1623369600	Varies	0%	6 or 8 weeks	Varies
2	1620777600	Up to $35,000	9.99% - 46.96%	6 - 60	Up to $35,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	12 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1600646400	$1,000-$7,500	12.99% - 29.99%	24 - 60	$1,000-$7,500
100	1598918400	$1,000 - $15,000	-	-	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1598832000	$500 – $15,000	+ 25.99%	9 - 60	$500 – $15,000
100	1595980800	$200 - $1,200	25% - 32%	-	$200 - $1,200
100	1593561600	-	0+	2 - 60	-
100	1582243200	-	-	Up to 60	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	$500 - $5,000	-	12 - 24	$500 - $5,000
100	1580860800	$350 - $1,000	-	2 - 12 weeks	$350 - $1,000
9	1580860800	$1,600 - $25,000	19.99% APR	36 - 60	$1,600 - $25,000
16	1580774400	$1,000 - $25,000	7.5% - 31.5% APR	36 - 60	$1,000 - $25,000
100	1579478400	$100 - $1,500	-	-	$100 - $1,500
100	1579478400	Up to $5,000	29.78% - 44.8%	36 months	Up to $5,000
100	1579219200	$100 - $25,000	+4.9%	-	$100 - $25,000
100	1576713600	-	Up to 35%	-	-
18	1576713600	$500 - $100,000	6.99% - 14.99%	12 - 240	$500 - $100,000
100	1575590400	1800- 2900	15.99%	23 - 36	1800- 2900
100	1560124800	Up to $15,000	29.99% - 46.96%	9 - 60	Up to $15,000
17	1545955200	Up to $20,000	18.99% - 24.99%	36 - 84	Up to $20,000
19	1552262400	$1,000 - $15,000	29.9% or 46.90%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551830400	$100 - $1,000	546% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,000
100	1569974400	$500 - $50,000	15 - 30%	-	$500 - $50,000
100	1551830400	$1,000 - $15,000	19% - 46.95%	6 - 60	$1,000 - $15,000
100	1551398400	Up to $1,500	15% - 19%	14 days	Up to $1,500
100	1551398400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	-	$500 - $1,000
100	1551139200	$5,000 - $35,000	9.9%+	6 - 60	$5,000 - $35,000
15	1551139200	Up to $15,000	19.99% APR	Open-end	Up to $15,000
100	1550534400	$300 - $25,000	7.95%+	36 - 60	$300 - $25,000
100	1550534400	$100 - $1,500	-	14 days	$100 - $1,500
100	1569974400	Up to $1,500	15% - 17%	up to 62 days	Up to $1,500
100	1550534400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	3 -5	$500 - $1,000
100	1550534400	$300 - $1,000	38% APR	3 - 4	$300 - $1,000
100	1549411200	$100 - $1,000	546% APR	14 days	$100 - $1,000
100	1567555200	$300 - $3,000	18% + fees	6	$300 - $3,000
100	1549238400	$500 - $1,000	28% - 32%	4 - 5	$500 - $1,000
100	1549238400	$250 - $1,000	29% APR	3 - 4	$250 - $1,000
20	1548720000	$500 - $1,000,000	7.9%	12	$500 - $1,000,000
100	1548633600	$300 - $7,500	29.9% - 39.9%	6 - 60	$300 - $7,500
100	1548633600	$50 - $1,500	-	14 days	$50 - $1,500
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
16	1545264000	$2,000 - $10,000	18.9% - 54.9%	12 - 60	$2,000 - $10,000
2	1543622400	Up to $50,000	19.99% - 39.99%	6 - 120	Up to $50,000
10	1545264000	$500 - $12,500	19.99%+	12 - 60	$500 - $12,500
100	1545350400	Up to $1000	30%	3 - 5	Up to $1000
100	1545350400	Up to $5,000	60%	6 - 60	Up to $5,000
5	1545350400	$500 - $1000+	28%-32%	3	$500 - $1000+
100	1545350400	$500 – $750	28% – 34.4%	3	$500 – $750
100	1545350400	$500 – $750	23% - 34.4%	3 – 12	$500 – $750
100	1545350400	$300 - $1500	27% - 35%	3 - 4	$300 - $1500
4	1545264000	$500 - $100,000	Starting at 29.99%	9 - 84	$500 - $100,000
3	1545264000	Up to $3,500	47.72%	-	Up to $3,500
10	1545177600	$1,000 - $35,000	5.99% - 29.19%	36 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
18	1545177600	$100 - $20,000	Up to 46.8%	Up to 60	$100 - $20,000
100	1569974400	Up to $1,500	15% - 23%	14 days	Up to $1,500

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
2	1669852800	$5,000 - $300,000	-	3 - 24 months	$5,000 - $300,000
100	1648512000	$10,000 - $250,000	Varies	6-12	$10,000 - $250,000
100	1620345600	-	-	12 - 60	-
100	1611878400	$5,000 - $30,000,000	-	Up to 18	$5,000 - $30,000,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	6.99% - 46.99%	6 - 36	$500 - $50,000
100	1598918400	-	-	-	-
100	1585612800	-	0.9% - 12%	6 months - 5 years	-
100	1581984000	$10,000 - $10,000,000	6% - 12.5%	-	$10,000 - $10,000,000
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580947200	$10,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	-	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	up to $250,000	-	-	up to $250,000
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	Up to $10,000	-	-	Up to $10,000
100	1580256000	$5,000 - $500,000	-	6 - 18 months	$5,000 - $500,000
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	12 - 120	-
100	1579478400	-	-	24 to 60	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579046400	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	$5,000 - $150,000	15% +	6 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1575849600	Up to $250,000	-	-	Up to $250,000
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
1	1545955200	$5,000 - $150,000	Fee-Based: Starting at 9%	12 - 60	$5,000 - $150,000
100	1552262400	Up to $250,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400	-	-	-	-
100	1552262400	Up to $1,000,000	-	-	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	$10,000+	-	Up to 15 years	$10,000+
100	1551830400	Up to $1,000,000	-	Up to 15 years	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $500,000	-	Up to 10 years	Up to $500,000
100	1551830400	$5,000 - $10,000	-	Up to 7 years	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1551398400	$3,500+	-	-	$3,500+
100	1551398400	$10,000 - $1,000,000	4% - 14%	12 - 84	$10,000 - $1,000,000
100	1551139200	Up to $75,000	-	Up to 18	Up to $75,000
100	1550534400	$500-$50,000	0.5% weekly	12 week cycles	$500-$50,000
100	1550534400	$1,000 - $1,000,000	6% - 20%	-	$1,000 - $1,000,000
100	1550534400	Up to $5,000,000	4.5%	24 - 72	Up to $5,000,000
100	1550534400	$5,000 - $200,000	-	-	$5,000 - $200,000
100	1549411200	$50,000 - $12,000,000	-	24 - 96	$50,000 - $12,000,000
100	1549411200	$5,000 - $1,000,000+	-	1 - 60	$5,000 - $1,000,000+
100	1549238400	$5,000 - $1,000,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $1,000,000
100	1548720000	$5,000 - $5,000,000	-	4 - 18	$5,000 - $5,000,000
100	1548720000	Up to $100,000	6.05% +	60	Up to $100,000
100	1548720000	$10,000+	18% - 22%	-	$10,000+
100	1548720000	$10,000 - $300,000	4.70% - 5.45%	-	$10,000 - $300,000
10	1545177600	$1,000 - $35,000	5.6% – 25.5%	36 – 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 - $250,000	-	3-18	$5,000 - $250,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 - $150,000	-	3 - 24	$5,000 - $150,000
6	1545350400	$5,000 – $100,000	15% +	12 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
100	1545264000	$5,000 – $100,000	Starting at 6.87%	3 – 18	$5,000 – $100,000
5	1545177600	$5,000-$250,000	8% - 29% APR	6 - 18	$5,000-$250,000
4	1545177600	$5,000 – $500,000	Starting at 5.9%	3 – 60	$5,000 – $500,000
100	1561507200	Up to $300,000	-	-	Up to $300,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
2	1679529600	Varies	8.49% +	24 - 96 months	Varies
3	1632960000	Up to $50,000	15.99% +	12 -72	Up to $50,000
8	1624233600	Up to $50,000	29.99% – 46.96%	12 - 96	Up to $50,000
17	1607558400	$500 - $50,000	-	24 - 60	$500 - $50,000
100	1600646400	$1,000-$7,500	12.99% - 29.99%	12 - 84	$1,000-$7,500
6	1597104000	-	4.99%+	-	-
100	1594339200	-	-	-	-
6	1582761600	-	11.9% - 22.9%	Up to 84	-
100	1581033600	-	+ 4.9%	-	-
100	1581033600	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1579478400	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	+8.99%	-	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1551830400	$5,000 - $10,000	-	up to 84	$5,000 - $10,000
100	1552262400	Up to $250,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $250,000
100	1552262400	Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1551830400	Up to $100,000	-	6 - 96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	$10,000+	-	12 - 96	$10,000+
100	1551830400	Up to $1,000,000	-	up to 96	Up to $1,000,000
100	1577059200	-	-	up to 72	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1575849600	-	Starting at 4%	Up to 84	-
100	1575849600	$5000 - $45,000	4.90 % - 29.95% APR	36 - 72	$5000 - $45,000
100	1575849600	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	-	-	-
100	1575590400	-	14.5% to 29.9%	-	-
100	1575504000	-	-	-	-
6	1569974400	$7500 - $59,995	3.95% +	12 - 96	$7500 - $59,995
100	1562112000	-	Up to 49.9%	-	-
100	1561507200	-	-	-	-
100	1561507200	-	-	Up to 84	-
1	1560124800	Up to $100,000	3.99% - 19.9%	24 -96	Up to $100,000
100	1551830400	Up to $30,000	-	-	Up to $30,000
100	1548720000	-	-	-	-
100	1548633600	-	4.2%+	-	-
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
100	1545177600	Up to $50,000	-	-	Up to $50,000
100	1545177600	$5,000 – $40,000	-	12 – 72	$5,000 – $40,000
100	1545177600	-	-	Maximum 84	-

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	Up to $50,000	Prime – 46.96%	3 - 120	Up to $50,000
100	1578873600	$1,000 - $35,000	-	24 - 60	$1,000 - $35,000
100	1545955200	Up to $20,000	19% - 49%	36 - 48	Up to $20,000
100	1545264000	Up to $25,000	-	12 - 60	Up to $25,000

		Loan Amount	Rate	Term (Months)	Rating
0	0	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
5	1700524800	-	-	-	-
100	1695772800	-	-	-	-
4	1690934400	Varies	5.54%+	Varies	Varies
2	1688601600	Min $100,000	5.34%+	2 - 10 years	Min $100,000
100	1627344000	-	1.94% - 2.45%	12 - 60	-
100	1581033600	-	2.74% - 6.30%	12 - 120	-
100	1580947200	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	2.64% - 4.45%	12 - 120	-
100	1580860800	$50,000+	2.74% - 3.49%	12- 120	$50,000+
100	1580860800	-	-	36 - 60	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580860800	-	-	-	-
100	1580688000	-	2.79% - 6.00%	6 - 60	-
100	1579478400	-	2.74% - 3.70%	6 - 120	-
100	1578873600	-	-	-	-
100	1578873600	-	2.69% - 3.95%	6 - 120	-
100	1577059200	-	-	-	-
100	1577059200	-	2.84% - 7.30%	-	-
100	1574899200	min 25,000	3.89.% - 4.84%	12 - 60	min 25,000
100	1560124800	-	2.89% - 3.79%	-	-
100	1548806400	$10,000 - $1,500,000	Varies	12 - 24	$10,000 - $1,500,000
100	1548720000	-	2.41% - 3.84%	-	-
1	1517097600	$10,000+	Based on equity	-	$10,000+

		Services	Rating
0	0	Debt Consolidation Program, Debt Settlement Program, Consumer Proposal, Bankruptcy Consultation	N/A (Referrer)
100	1576540800	Credit Counselling, Bankruptcy, Consumer Proposal
100	1576540800	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
100	1576368000	Credit Counselling, Debt Management Program
100	1576454400	Debt Restructuring, After Care - Credit Rebuilding Program, Corporate Debt Restructuring

Mortgages make buying a home possible for most Canadians. Without mortgages, it would be nearly impossible for consumers to be able to come up with the funds needed to cover the full cost of a home, especially in certain parts of the country.

In Halifax, the current median price of a home is $581,302. That’s a huge lump sum of money to have to come up with. Instead, mortgages make it possible to buy a home. Read on to find out everything you should know about home loans in Halifax.

Types of Mortgages in Halifax

When it comes to mortgages, there isn’t just one type out there. Instead, there are several, and the one that’s right for you should closely match your needs. Here are the different types of mortgages in Halifax for you to consider.

High-ratio mortgages – These types of home loans require a 5% down payment minimum for approval. In this case, the mortgage would be considered a high-ratio one because the majority of the loan is needed to cover the cost of the home. The higher the loan amount relative to the value of the home, the higher the risk for the lender, which usually means a higher interest rate would be charged compared to a lower loan amount required.
Conventional mortgages – If you can come up with at least 20% of the purchase price of a home as your down payment, not only would you be able to get a lower interest rate, but you can also skip mortgage default insurance premiums. Mortgage default insurance protects lenders in case a borrower defaults on the mortgage payments. Conventional mortgages require a minimum 20% down payment in order to secure this type of home loan
Fixed-rate mortgages – This type of home loan comes with an interest rate that remains fixed throughout the mortgage term. That means payments will also remain the same and will never change, making them more predictable and easier to budget. Fixed-rate mortgages allow you to lock in at a certain interest rate for the duration of the term, which is a great option if rates are expected to increase in the near future.
Adjustable-rate mortgages – Unlike fixed-rate mortgages, the interest rate associated with adjustable-rate mortgages will change at specific intervals. These loan types are often attractive to certain types of buyers in Halifax because the introductory rate is typically lower than that of fixed-rate mortgages. However, once the introductory period ends, there is a risk that the rate will increase, which could surpass the rate associated with fixed-rate mortgages
Second mortgages – Also known as home equity loans, second mortgages can be taken out against the equity in a home that already has a mortgage on it.
Bridge loans – Consumers in Halifax who have bad credit have the option to consider bridge loans, which offer short-term solutions for borrowers to use the equity in their homes while improving their credit scores.

Check out this infographic to see the cost of buying a house in Canada.

Getting Pre-Approved For a Mortgage

It’s recommended that homebuyers get pre-approved for a mortgage before starting the house hunting search. Doing so will provide you with the information you need to determine how much you can actually afford in a home purchase and what you could get approved for once you find the house of your dreams.

Your lender in Halifax will want to see some important documentation, including your pay stubs, letter of employment, tax returns, and statements of assets and debts. This will help to get the mortgage process underway once you finally find a home that you put an offer on.

Should you spend your entire pre-approval amount when buying a home? Click here to know.

Payment Options For Mortgages in Halifax

Mortgages are a form of installment loan whereby you would repay the full loan amount in installments. The frequency of these installment payments, however, can vary. With mortgages, you have a few options available to you in terms of how often to make your payments, including the following:

Monthly
Bi-weekly
Accelerated bi-weekly
Weekly

Keep in mind that not all lenders will offer all of the above-mentioned payment frequencies.

Amortization Period For Mortgages in Halifax

Not only do you have a choice in how often you choose to make payments toward your loan amount, but you also have the choice in amortization periods as well. An amortization period is the length of time that you have to repay the full mortgage amount. The most common amortization period is 25 years, though there are other lengths to choose from.

Some buyers in Halifax prefer a longer amortization period because the payments are smaller, making these bills more affordable. However, the interest portion paid by the end of the period is usually higher as a result of the longer time frame to repay the loan. Also, mortgages take longer to pay off with this arrangement.

A shorter amortization will come with higher payments, but the mortgage amount can be paid off sooner and less money will be spent toward the interest portion of the mortgage.

This is the difference between your mortgage amortization and your mortgage term.

Credit Score Requirements in Halifax

Lenders will look at a number of factors before they determine whether or not a borrower in Halifax is eligible to secure a mortgage. One of these important factors is credit scores. While each individual lender will have their own specific credit score minimum that they allow, a score of 680 is generally considered the minimum score required for approval for conventional mortgages.

A credit score of less than 680 would make mortgage approval more difficult. Even if a mortgage is approved, the interest rate that the lender would offer would likely be higher compared to a rate given to a borrower with a higher credit score.

Credit scores are important because they paint a picture of what a borrower would be like based on their past financial habits. A borrower who has a habit of missing payments will have a lower credit score and would be considered more of a risk to a mortgage lender. A borrower with a higher score, on the other hand, would be considered less of a risk, which is why they would have an easier time getting approved for a mortgage in Halifax at a lower interest rate.

Look here to find out what happens when you miss a mortgage payment.

What if You Have Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, getting approved for a conventional mortgage with a traditional lender in Halifax might prove to be difficult. However, all is not lost. There are options for you to consider if you’re trying to get a mortgage in Halifax with a bad credit score.

Ask someone to co-sign – If you know someone who you trust and who has good credit, you may consider asking them to be a co-signer on your mortgage. This is a huge responsibility and involves the requirement to take over mortgage payments in the event that you default on your mortgage.
Work with bad credit lenders – There are lenders in Halifax outside of the traditional lending sphere who provide mortgages specifically to bad credit borrowers. Rather than focusing so much on credit scores, these alternative lenders in Halifax place more weight on things like your income and assets. They’ll also want to see that you’ve been making an effort recently to be a diligent and responsible borrower, though you’ll likely have to pay a higher interest rate compared to conventional loans
Work on your credit score – Your best bet is to take some time to improve your credit score. If time is on your side and you’re not in a rush to buy a home just yet, consider taking a few months to improve your credit score and get it to a level that will make it possible to get approved for a traditional mortgage at a low-interest rate. To do that, make sure you pay your bills on time every month, don’t max out on your credit cards, and don’t take out any loans or credit cards before you apply for a mortgage.

How to Compare Different Mortgages in Halifax

Just because your lender offers you one mortgage product doesn’t mean you have to settle for it. There are various mortgage products in Halifax, as well as different lenders who offer them. Consider comparing mortgages before choosing the right one for you. To do that, be sure to look at a few important components of mortgages, including:

Interest rate
Underwriting fees
Appraisal fees
Term
Amortization period
Pre-payment options
Early repayment penalty fees

To make this job easier, you might want to consider working with a mortgage broker who will take care of all the legwork for you when comparing different mortgage products.

Be sure to ask your mortgage broker these questions.

Tips For Saving Up For a Down Payment in Halifax

The higher the down payment amount, the less money you’ll have to borrow and pay back. That’s why saving up for a sizeable down payment is recommended. It can also save you thousands of dollars that you would otherwise be spending in interest and mortgage default insurance premiums.

To save up for a down payment, consider the following tips:

Automate your savings
Open separate savings account dedicated to your down payment
Pay down your high-interest debt
Consolidate your debt to save money
Cut back on expenditures
Borrow against your RRSPs
Accept monetary gifts from family

Take a look at our article about Canada’s RRSP Home Buyer’s Plan.

Looking For a Mortgage in Halifax?

If you’re thinking of buying a home and are in need of a mortgage in Halifax, you need a team of experts behind you to help you to find the right mortgage product for you and maximize your chances of approval. Before you start the house hunting process, be sure to get in touch with Loans Canada to get started on the right foot.

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