When we purchased our condo, we did not have a job and just got back to Canada from home. So bank asked us to put 35% downpayment on purchase so we had to choose a small property. And we are planning to sell our condo, not applying for 2nd mortgage..
Hi,
It really depends on how long you have been in Canada. Because you are looking for a mortgage which is considered to be non-conventional (less then 20% down) you will need mortgage insurance. There are two companies in Canada that provide mortgage insurance CMHC and Genworth Financial.
I know that if you've arrived in Canada within the last 36 months, you may qualify for Genworth's ‘New To Canada’ product, which allows you to buy with as little as 5 per cent downpayment. You might want to check out there website and get talking to your mortgage broker or financial institution to get pre-approval.
http://www.genworth.ca/homeownership/c_on-your-terms/downpayment_requirements.asp
http://www.schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/66144.pdf