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Mortgage loan insurance quick reference guide

An overview of CMHC’s homeowner mortgage loan insurance programs and eligibility requirements.

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CMHC is committed to working with mortgage industry professionals to help homebuyers meet their housing needs. We provide a full range of mortgage loan insurance products for homeowner and small rental loans.

Benefits of CMHC’s mortgage loan insurance:

  • Access to homeownership with a minimum down payment of 5%
  • Access to competitive interest rates
  • Flexible terms and conditions to meet a variety of financing needs
  • Products, training, solutions and service available everywhere in Canada

Download our Quick Reference Guide (PDF) for an overview of our Mortgage Loan Insurance programs or the complete set of fact sheets (PDF) for more detailed information.

CMHC PURCHASE

CMHC Purchase can help open the doors to homeownership by enabling homebuyers to buy a home with a minimum down payment of 5% from flexible sources, such as savings, the sale of a property or a gift from a relative.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Purchase.

Visit our CMHC Purchase page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Purchase program fact sheet (PDF).

CMHC IMPROVEMENT

CMHC Improvement allows the purchase of an existing residential property with improvements and new construction financing. Features include flexible financing options with the option for CMHC to manage up to 4 advances at no cost to the borrower.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Improvement.

Visit our CMHC Improvement page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Improvement program fact sheet (PDF).

CMHC NEWCOMERS

The CMHC Newcomers program is available to borrowers with permanent and non-permanent residence status. The program helps them access housing they can afford and meets their needs.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Newcomers .

Visit our CMHC Newcomers page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Newcomers program fact sheet (PDF).


CMHC SELF-EMPLOYED

CMHC Self-Employed enables qualified self-employed borrowers to access CMHC mortgage loan insurance.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Self-Employed.

Visit our CMHC Self-Employed page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Self-Employed program fact sheet (PDF).

CMHC GREEN HOME

CMHC Green Home offers a partial premium refund of up to 25% directly to borrowers who either buy, build or renovate for energy efficiency using CMHC-insured financing.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Green Home.

Visit our CMHC Green Home page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Green Home program fact sheet (PDF).

CMHC PORTABILITY

CMHC’s Portability feature saves money for repeat users of mortgage loan insurance by reducing or eliminating the premium payable on the new insured loan for the purchase of a subsequent home.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Portability.

Visit our CMHC Portability page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Portability program fact sheet (PDF).

CMHC INCOME PROPERTY

CMHC Income Property provides investors with more housing finance choice when purchasing a rental property.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Income Property.

Visit our CMHC Income Property page for more information about this program.

Download our one page CMHC Income Property program fact sheet (PDF).

CMHC LEASEHOLD LENDING ON-RESERVE

The CMHC Leasehold Lending on-reserve program is available to First Nation borrowers. The program will facilitate the purchase or the construction of housing located on leased lands on-reserve without the requirement for a Ministerial Loan Guarantee where valid and enforceable mortgage security can be provided.

Learn more about the eligibility requirements that apply to all CMHC mortgage loan insurance programs, including CMHC Leasehold Lending on-reserve.

Download our one page CMHC Leasehold Lending on-reserve program fact sheet (PDF).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO ALL PROGRAMS

Eligible borrowers

Individuals who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, or non-permanent residents who are legally authorized to work in Canada.

Loan-to-value (LTV) ratios

For homeowner loans (owner-occupied properties), the loan-to-value ratio for 1 – 2 units is up to 95% LTV. For 3 – 4 units, the ratio is up to 90% LTV.

For small rental loans (non-owner occupied), the loan-to-value ratio for 2 – 4 units is up to 80% LTV.

Minimum equity requirements

For homeowner loans, the minimum equity requirement for 1 – 2 units is 5% of the first $500,000 of lending value and 10% of the remainder of the lending value. For 3 – 4 units, the minimum equity requirement is 10%.

For small rental loans, the minimum equity requirement is 20%.

Purchase price / lending value, amortization and location

For both homeowner and small rental loans, the maximum purchase price / lending value or as-improved property value must be below $1,000,000.

For homeowner loans, CMHC-insured financing is available for one property per borrower/co-borrower at any given time.

The maximum amortization period is 25 years.

The property must be located in Canada and must be suitable and available for full-time, year-round occupancy. The property must also have year-round access (via a vehicular bridge or ferry if it is on an island).

Down payments

The down payment can come from sources such as savings, the sale of a property, or a non-repayable financial gift from a relative.

Rental income

Whether the property is owner occupied or non-owner occupied, subject to an MLI application or not, we offer different approaches to rental income for qualification purposes.

Find out more about the approach(es) that can be used to calculate rental income and the inputs to consider when calculating the debt service ratios.

Creditworthiness

At least one borrower (or guarantor) must have a minimum credit score of 600. CMHC may consider alternative methods of establishing creditworthiness for borrowers without a credit history. 

Debt service

The maximum threshold is a gross debt service (GDS) ratio of 39% and a total debt service (TDS) ratio of 44%.

Interest rates

The GDS and TDS ratios must be calculated using an interest rate which is the greater of the contract interest rate plus 2 per cent, or 5.25 per cent.

Advancing options

Single advances include improvement costs less than or equal to 10% of the as-improved value.

Progress advances include new construction financing or improvement costs greater than 10% of the as-improved value. With Full Service, CMHC validates up to 4 consecutive advances at no cost. For Basic Service, the Lender validates advances without pre-approval from CMHC.

Non-permanent residents (homeowner loans only)

Non-permanent residents must be legally authorized to work in Canada (with a work permit). Mortgage loan insurance is only available for non-permanent residents for homeowner loans for 1-unit property, owner occupied, up to 90% LTV.

Non-permanent residents are not eligible for alternative methods of establishing creditworthiness. In cases where a credit report is not available, a letter of reference from the borrower’s financial institution in their country of origin may be considered.

PREMIUM INFORMATION

Learn about mortgage insurance premium costs with our Premium Information for Homeowner and Small Rental Loans.

CONTACT US

Contact your Regional Manager, Client Relations or call our Underwriting Centre team at 1-888 GO emili (1-888-463-6454).

Disclaimer

This material is a quick reference tool for CMHC’s common Mortgage Loan Insurance. Additional conditions may apply.

This information is subject to change at any time. Please verify with CMHC that you have the most up to date information before the loan is processed.

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Date Published: September 11, 2018

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