Every government incentive you qualify for, combined with free, dedicated buyer representation from Michael John Lau and Neeraj Moolchandani. One call tells you exactly what you qualify for and what it's worth.
There's no single government office that hands you "the first-time buyer program" in one envelope. It's a stack of separate federal and provincial incentives — the FHSA, the Home Buyers' Plan, the Ontario Land Transfer Tax Rebate, and the First Home Buyer Incentive — that most first-time buyers never fully claim because nobody walks them through how the pieces fit together. Kaizen's First-Time Buyer Program is that walkthrough: we check what you qualify for, connect you with the right mortgage professional, and represent your interests as your buyer's agent — at no cost to you, since the buyer's agent commission is paid by the seller's side regardless.
Each of these exists independently — the value comes from claiming the ones you qualify for together, in the right order, before you close.
Contribute up to $8,000/year (max $40,000 lifetime); contributions are tax-deductible and withdrawals for a qualifying first home are tax-free.
Withdraw up to $35,000 from your RRSP — $70,000 for a couple — toward a qualifying home purchase in Markham, repayable over 15 years.
First-time buyers in Ontario receive a rebate of up to $4,000 on Ontario Land Transfer Tax, applied directly at closing by your lawyer.
A Government of Canada shared-equity mortgage designed to reduce monthly carrying costs for qualifying buyers and properties.
Most buyers leave money behind simply by not knowing which combination applies to their situation. We check all four against your numbers in one call.
Most of these criteria are straightforward — but a few details trip people up. Here's the honest breakdown.
You haven't owned a home that you lived in during the current calendar year or the four preceding years.
You're a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
You intend to occupy the home as your primary residence within nine months of closing.
You have, or can obtain, mortgage pre-approval from a Canadian lender.
You're purchasing in Markham or anywhere else in Ontario.
If you previously owned a home with a spouse, that ownership can still count against your "first-time" status even if you weren't on title.
FHSA and HBP have separate eligibility tests — qualifying for one doesn't automatically mean you qualify for both.
The Land Transfer Tax Rebate must be claimed at the time of registration — it isn't automatic and isn't retroactive.
Newly built homes and resale homes can have different rebate mechanics — we confirm which applies to your purchase.
Not sure where you stand? We check it for you, free, before you commit to anything.
Six steps. No cost to you at any stage — buyer representation is paid by the listing side, regardless of whether you have an agent.
A short call where we confirm which of the four incentives you qualify for and roughly what each is worth in your situation.
We connect you with a trusted mortgage professional who specializes in first-time buyer financing and the FHSA/HBP mechanics.
FHSA contributions, HBP withdrawal timing, and Land Transfer Tax Rebate paperwork are sequenced correctly — before you're under contract, not after.
We match your budget — including the incentives you're claiming — to the right Markham neighbourhoods and property types.
Dedicated buyer representation through every offer, negotiation, and condition period — never the seller's side, always yours.
We liaise with your lawyer to confirm every rebate and incentive is correctly applied at closing — no missed paperwork, no money left behind.
Ontario's minimum down payment scales with the purchase price — most freehold homes in Markham fall into the tiered middle bracket below.
| Purchase Price | Minimum Down Payment |
|---|---|
| Under $500,000 | 5% of the purchase price |
| $500,000 – $999,999 | 5% on the first $500,000 + 10% on the remaining balance |
| $1,000,000 and over | 20% of the purchase price |
Figures reflect current Government of Canada minimum down payment requirements and are subject to change. Confirm exact figures with your mortgage professional.
One free call. We'll check your eligibility against all four programs, tell you what they're worth in your specific situation, and map out the right order to claim them — before you make an offer on anything.