Go deeper on your first home.

Plain-language guides on the exact topics in your Strategy Plan — written for Alberta first-time buyers.

Cash & Down Payment

The Real Cash You Need to Buy Your First Home in Alberta

Your down payment is only one of five cash buckets. Here's the full picture — so closing day holds no surprises.

4 min read

Tax-Free Savings

FHSA vs. RRSP Home Buyers' Plan: How to Stack Up to $200,000

The FHSA and HBP can fund the same purchase. Used in the right order, a couple can access up to $200,000 tax-advantaged.

5 min read

Affordability

How to Choose a Mortgage Payment That Won't Make You House-Poor

The bank's maximum is not your comfortable number. Here's how to find the payment you can actually live with.

4 min read

Qualifying

How Your Existing Debts Shape What You'll Qualify For

Car payments, student loans and card balances quietly shrink your mortgage. Here's how lenders see them.

4 min read

Credit

The First-Time Buyer's Credit Playbook (Alberta 2026)

Credit is the one lever you can actively improve. Here's the concrete, no-fluff playbook.

5 min read

Family Help

Gifted Down Payments in Canada: Gift Letters, Seasoning & Rules

Family help is a huge advantage — if it's documented the way lenders require. Here's how to do it right.

4 min read

Qualifying

Why the Bank Approves Less Than You Expect: The Stress Test

Simple payment math overstates what you'll be approved for. Here's the rule that closes the gap.

3 min read

Cash & Down Payment

Closing Costs in Alberta: What You Actually Pay

No land transfer tax, no PST on CMHC premiums — Alberta's closing costs are lower than the internet claims.

3 min read

Tax Credits & Rebates

First-Time Buyer Tax Credits & Rebates: The $1,500 (and More) Most Albertans Miss

The Home Buyers' Tax Credit puts up to $1,500 back in your pocket — and a new GST rebate can save first-time buyers of new homes far more. Here's how to claim them.

4 min read

An important note

This tool is an educational self-assessment. It is not a mortgage pre-approval, credit check, or rate quote, and it does not pull your credit. All figures shown are planning estimates only. A licensed mortgage broker confirms actual numbers, rates, and eligibility. Nothing here is financial, legal, or tax advice.