Tight regulations making mortgages harder to get

Tighter rules on lending in recent years mean that getting a mortgage is tough for some Canadians.

Real estate experts say that for the self-employed, those living in rural areas or those with poor credit history, mortgages are available but at a high price. The main issue for the self employed surround lack of history with lenders often asking for a decade or more of accounts.

Higher down payments are also usually required and there will inevitably be higher repayments. There is also an issue with tax breaks not being considered by lenders, so income may appear too low for the mortgage payments but savings on income tax covering the shortfall.

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