Many new arrivals choose to buy their own home rather than rent an apartment or house. Houses in Nova Scotia are among the most affordable in Canada and there is a great variety to choose from.

When looking for a house, you may want to consider a variety of factors such as:

• Closeness to schools
• Quality of schools
• Commuting distance to work
• City, suburb, small town, countryside
• Number of rooms/bedrooms needed
• Price
• Condition

There are many Real Estate agents in Nova Scotia who will help you find a home, and many can even guide you through the mortgage and legal requirements.

For a complete list of licensed real estate agents, please contact the Nova Scotia Realtors Association (website unavailable at present).

In the meantime, you can see what’s available throughout Nova Scotia by visiting the MLS website and following the links to Nova Scotia. This website, operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association, lists every home in Nova Scotia being sold through a real estate agent.

Help getting started
A mortgage broker is someone who you pay to find the lending institution (bank, credit union) that will give you the best terms on a mortgage.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is the Government of Canada’s national housing agency. They provide different services such as mortgage loan insurance and housing assistance for people in need. They also have a strong research focus to keep home buyers up to date about the latest housing information.

CMHC’s Newcomers Guide to Canadian Housing is a great help to newcomers. It provides the most up to date information about all areas of housing in Canada, from finding the right location, types of homes, steps to renting and buying homes, dealing with landlords, and much more. It can be viewed and downloaded from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s web site.

About Buying
Before buying a house, you may consider renting an apartment or house. Many new immigrants wait until they secure employment and have completed their settlement status before buying.