The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Purchase Plus Improvement Mortgage program allows you to borrow up to 10% of the post-renovation value of your home. For example: If you purchase a home for $300,000 and the renovations will improve the value of the home by $30,000 your home will be worth $330,000 after the renovations are completed. Therefore, you could borrow $33,000 or 10% of the improved value of $330,000
No, a requirement of a Purchase Plus Improvement Mortgage is to have a contractor hired to complete the renovations on the property.
The process is as follows: It is a requirement for you to receive a quote from a reputable contractor to be submitted to both the lender and CMHC (if applicable) for approval. This will specify the work being completed on the property. Not all renovations you may wish to have done will necessarily be approved by the lender. Generally, the lender will consider approval for renovation funds that are significant and will involve the structure of the property. A good example is a new kitchen. Adding a basement suite or replacing a furnace may not be approved.
No, anything that is not affixed to the home and could be removed would not be approved by the lender or CMHC.
When the purchase is completed the lender will forward the dollar amount you are borrowing for renovations to your lawyer. The lawyer holds these funds “in trust” until the renovations are complete. Then an appraiser will view the home and provide a report to the lender confirming the renovations have been completed and will reference the original quote. Next, the buyer will receive the renovation funds to pay the contractor for the work that is completed from the lawyer. Since CMHC and the lender will require the work to be completed prior to release of funds, you may be obligated to pay the contractor a deposit or for progress payments. Talk to your mortgage broker about options to assist you with these payments.
Our team is devoted to helping you achieve your long term goals. Enjoy options and possibilities that you may not have considered when sticking with traditional banking products. If your goals include paying down your mortgage faster or looking for a rental income to make some headway on your amortization we are happy to discuss all of your options. Your Kelowna Mortgage Broker is able to help you with your first mortgage or renegotiating the terms on an existing property. Call John Antle Mortgages in Kelowna today and let’s get started!