A joint mortgage pools together the financial resources of multiple individuals to qualify for a mortgage. With a higher combined income, you'll be able to afford a larger mortgage or can now finally afford to get on the property ladder. Joint mortgages are commonly used by spouses, friends, investors, or anyone looking to get a home together.
However, you will all be liable for mortgage payments, meaning if someone fails to pay, you will need to make up the difference. There are many other liabilities associated with joint mortgages. It's essential to be aware of worst-case scenarios and how to prevent them. Continue reading to learn all you need to know about joint mortgages in Canada.
Joint Mortgage | Single Mortgage | |
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Likelihood of receiving a mortgage | Increased chances due to higher income | Dependent on your income and credit score |
Down payment size | Shared by multiple people | Only paid by you |
Mortgage payments | Shared by multiple people | Only paid by you |
Mortgage rate | Decreased due to appearing less risky | Dependent on your income and credit score |
Home ownership | Shared by multiple people | Owned by you |
As mentioned above, a joint mortgage is where multiple people combine their financial resources to qualify for a mortgage. A higher combined income will help you meet debt service ratio requirements and even receive lower mortgage interest rates. You can get a joint mortgage with anyone if your mortgage lender approves. You will all have your name on the property deed title and will equally be liable for mortgage payments, property taxes, or any costs associated with owning the property. There are different variations to joint mortgages with other legal implications. The most common are explained below.
This is an equal split where you all equally own the home. Joint tenancy is the most common type of joint mortgage because spouses typically use it. If you decide to sell the house, all owners must agree. Additionally, if one person dies, the other automatically becomes the sole owner and inherits all the mortgage payments. As a result, it's essential to have mortgage life insurance to cover your partner's portion of payments should they pass away.
If one of the mortgage applicants has a poor credit score, it will negatively affect the whole application. Lenders want to ensure all participants are creditworthy and can hold up their side of the arrangement. You should also ensure your mortgage partner has quality financial habits to prevent them from defaulting.
Should your mortgage partner ever default, you will be liable for their missed payments. To prevent this scenario, you can require all joint mortgage participants to have insurance from a provider in Canada. This will provide them with income if they lose their job due to casualty, disability, or other reasons. If you can't make the payments yourself, you will also need to declare bankruptcy.
This is where each person owns a percentage of the home. It's typically used by friends or investors where one partner has more financial resources. For example, the higher-income friend could cover 60% of homeownership expenses. As a result, they'd own 60% of the home and the appreciation that comes with it. The ownership percentages and fee breakdown can vary to your choosing. However, in this agreement, it's essential to use a real estate lawyer experienced with tenants in common to construct a clear written contract.
If one partner wishes to sell before the other, there are options. After a few years of combined ownership, there should be some appreciation for the house. With this equity, one owner can buy out the other owner. The perfect time to do this is during a mortgage refinance, which typically happens every five years. Otherwise, the buying owner can use a second mortgage. However, there is an additional option if the other partner doesn’t want to sell and is beyond negotiation. A forced sale of the home can happen if one partner goes to court. Since all mortgage partners are listed on the property title, they have the option to sell the house.
However, there has to be sufficient home equity, and the buyer's financial situation must have improved to afford an individual mortgage. As a result, it's wise to include a minimum stay requirement of five to ten years for the tenants in common. Both partners should decide on a method to calculate the purchase price when beginning the tenancy. Additionally, the partner wishing to leave should cover mortgage application costs and any extra fees directly related to their departure. All of this should be written in the contract.
Pros | Cons |
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Joint mortgages are a solution to help you qualify for a mortgage. However, the four most common alternatives include: co-signing, single mortgages, shared equity mortgages, and house hacking. Each has benefits and drawbacks, so it's essential to understand what each entails before deciding.
Home Ownership | Property Decision Making | How it Helps | |
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Co-signer | Only owned by you | Only you | Increases creditworthiness |
Shared equity mortgages | Shared with a government, builder or private company | Only you | Increases down payment |
House hacking | Only owned by you | Only you | Increases income |
Save and wait | N/A | Only you | Time to focus on increasing all of the above |
This is where one person is the primary borrower, and the other is a co-signer. The co-signer is not an owner of the property, but they are liable for the mortgage payments. If the primary borrower fails to make payments, the co-borrower is responsible. Parents typically use this type of joint mortgage when helping their children buy a home.
Shared equity mortgages help reduce your down payment, but you will still be required to qualify for the mortgage. The benefit is that a larger down payment will reduce your monthly mortgage payments to help you meet debt ratio requirements. Your mortgage payments will take up a smaller percentage of your income. The catch is that you will share equity with a government, builder or private company, such as Ourboro.
The rules for equity split vary from program to program. However, the equity share will typically depend on the percentage of downpayment received. From 2019 to early 2024, the federal government offered a shared equity mortgage program called the First-Time Homebuyer Incentive. The program has been discontinued since April 2024. Multiple other municipal down payment assistance programs are typically also shared equity mortgages.
House hacking is where you purchase a multi-unit property and live in one unit while renting out the other units. This can help you save on rent, increase your cash flow, and build equity in a property. The CMHC rules allow you to buy a multi-unit home of up to four units. You can have a minimum down payment of 5% and use up to 50% of the future rental income to qualify for a rental property mortgage.
However, there are a few things to consider. You'll still need to have some savings for the down payment and closing costs. Additionally, you'll need to be comfortable being a landlord. If you can meet this criteria, it's one of Canada's best wealth-building strategies while buying real estate.
If none of the options above appeal to you, your final choice is to continue renting and save for a down payment. However, it could take you many years to afford a home as the property values continue to rise. It makes sense to continue renting instead of buying a home in some cases. We have this explained on our rent vs. buy calculator page.
When you are ready to buy a home, numerous options are available. However, one of the most popular is getting a joint mortgage with someone else in Canada. This allows you to qualify for a mortgage with a higher combined income.
There are four main alternatives, and each has its benefits and drawbacks, so it's essential to understand what they entail before deciding on which route to take. If none of these appeals to you, then save and wait until you can afford to buy a home on your own.
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