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Three calculators built on current Nova Scotia deed transfer tax rates, CMHC premiums and federal mortgage rules. Change any number to fit your situation, then call me for exact figures.

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The home

Purchase price

Municipality Sets the deed transfer tax

Brand new home, never lived inHST may apply on new construction. Ask the builder if the price includes it. Buyer is not a Nova Scotia residentAdds the provincial non-resident deed transfer tax (10%).

The mortgage

Down payment

Interest rate Use the rate your lender quotes

Amortization

At least one buyer is a first-time buyerNeeded for a 30-year insured mortgage on a resale home.

Can the income carry it?

Household income, yearly Before tax

Property tax, yearly

Heat, monthly

Condo fees, monthly

Other debt payments, monthly Car, cards, loans

Closing costs

Lawyer fee HST added for you

Lawyer disbursements Searches, registration

Home inspection

Title insurance

Appraisal Often covered by the lender

Oil tank & tax adjustments Refunds to the seller

Moving & other

What the home could sell for

Likely sale price on the open market

Commission HST is added for you

5%+ HST

Lawyer fee & disbursements

What is owed

Mortgage balance today

Mortgage rate

Payments already missed

Lender legal fees charged so far From the demand letter

Prepayment charge Pre-filled at 3 months' interest

2nd mortgage or line of credit

Property tax arrears

Judgments or other liens on title

Timing

Months until a regular sale closes

Months until a foreclosure auction Your assumption

If it goes to auction These two are assumptions to test, not market data

Auction price as % of market value

Lender's foreclosure legal & sale costs

How foreclosure works in Nova Scotia

Demand letterThe lender, or its lawyer, writes with the amount owed, usually including arrears and legal costs, and says court action follows if it is not paid.
Notice of Action and Statement of ClaimFiled in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. It sets the deadline to file a defence. Once per mortgage, before the foreclosure order, an owner can ask the court to let them catch up the arrears and the lender's costs.
Order for Foreclosure, Sale and PossessionIf the judge is satisfied, the court orders the home sold at public auction.
Public auctionUsually five to six weeks after the order. Notice runs in a local paper at least 15 days before and again in the week before. The lender may bid. The right to redeem ends at this sale.
Order Confirming SaleMoney goes to taxes, auction fees, the mortgage, and legal costs. Any surplus is paid into court. If there is a shortfall, the lender can ask for a deficiency judgment.

Where the numbers come from

Deed transfer tax rates. Service Nova Scotia list of municipal rates, July 2026 (Kentville, Kings County and Wolfville 1.5%, Berwick 1.25%). novascotia.ca

Non-resident deed transfer tax. 10% on deeds registered on or after April 1, 2025, under the Non-resident Deed Transfer Tax Act. nslegislature.ca

Mortgage insurance premiums. CMHC premium table: 2.80% (80.01 to 85% LTV), 3.10% (to 90%), 4.00% (to 95%). No provincial sales tax on the premium in Nova Scotia. cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Down payment, $1.5M cap, 30-year rule. 5% on the first $500,000, 10% on the portion to $1.5M; 30-year insured amortization for first-time buyers and new builds since Dec. 15, 2024. canada.ca The 0.20% premium surcharge for 30 years: nesto.ca

Stress test. Qualify at the greater of your rate plus 2% or 5.25%. osfi-bsif.gc.ca Debt ratio limits of 39% (GDS) and 44% (TDS), with 50% of condo fees counted: cmhc-schl.gc.ca

Payment math. Fixed-rate Canadian mortgages compound semi-annually under the Interest Act, so the monthly rate is (1 + rate/2)^(1/6) minus 1. clovermortgage.ca

HST. Nova Scotia HST is 14% since April 1, 2025, applied here to commission and legal fees. canada.ca

Buyer closing costs. Nova Scotia legal fees of about $1,000 to $1,500 plus disbursements, and $1,000 to $1,500 to refill an oil tank: roblough.c21.ca, lawyerinfo.ca. Inspection and title insurance ranges: wealthnorth.ca

Mortgage penalties. Usually the greater of 3 months' interest or the interest rate differential; variable mortgages usually 3 months' interest. FCAC, canada.ca. Discharge fee range of $200 to $400: filipesells.ca

Foreclosure in Nova Scotia. Court-ordered auction process, costs borne by the borrower, surplus paid into court: Legal Information Society of NS, Halifax Examiner / Signal HFX. Short sales need lender approval: loanscanada.ca

These are estimates to start a conversation, not legal, tax, mortgage or financial advice. Your lawyer's statement of adjustments, your lender's payoff statement and your mortgage commitment are the final word. Rates and rules last checked October 2026. Anyone behind on payments should speak with their lender, a lawyer, or a licensed insolvency trustee right away.

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Where the numbers come from

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