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GENWORTH INSURED MORTGAGE PRODUCTS
BUSINESS FOR SELF (ALT-A)
With a strong emphasis placed on reasonability of income type, amount, and durability, Self-Employed borrowers and Commissioned Sales people that cannot provide traditional income verification may now qualify for a high ratio mortgage for purchase or refinance purposes.
Acceptable loan purpose:
- Purchase, Purchase Plus Improvements
- Progress Advance
- Refinance for repayment of existing mortgage debt, home renovations, debt consolidation, or asset enhancement
- Equity takeout limited to $200,000
- Where the loan purpose is to consolidate existing first and second mortgages, the maximum LTV will apply
Loan-to-value ratio limits:
- Purchase 1-2 Units: 95% LTV
- Purchase 3-4 Units: 90% LTV
- Progress Advance (Max. 2 Units): 95% LTV
- Refinance 1-4 Units: 90% LTV
Maximum Loan Amounts:
- Do not apply with the exception of the following loan purposes:
- Secondary Homes (Type A):
- Metro Toronto, Metro Calgary & Metro Vancouver: $700,000
- Rest of Canada: $600,000
- HELOC (maximum credit limit):
- Metro Toronto, Metro Calgary & Metro Vancouver: $700,000
- Rest of Canada: $600,000
Eligible properties:
- Owner-occupied properties: maximum 4 units where at least 1 unit must be occupied as the principal residence
- Secondary home: maximum 2 units. Property may not be used for rental purposes. Only Type A properties are eligible (for more details, please refer to the Secondary Home overview )
- Existing and new construction
- Readily marketable residential dwellings, located in markets with demonstrated ongoing re-sale demand
- Older homes (pre 1950) must have been substantially modernized and the estimated remaining property (economic) life must be at least 25 years
- New construction must be covered by a Genworth approved New Home Warranty Program
Occupancy:
- Owner occupied primary residence or secondary home. All applicants used to qualify must occupy the property.
- Spousal guarantors acceptable provided they occupy the subject property
- Non-occupant co-borrowers or guarantors not permitted
Amortization options:
Terms/qualifying interest rates:
- Fixed, standard variable, capped variable, or adjustable rate mortgages are permitted
Borrower qualification:
- Income declared by the borrower must be reasonable for the industry and occupation/type of business
- Strong credit and credit score (for recommended bureau score requirements see the premium matrix below)
- For HELOC applications, a minimum 650 bureau score is recommended up to 90% LTV; 700+ bureau score is recommended for 90.01-95% LTV
- Genworth will average the scores pulled from both credit bureaus for each borrower, and the minimum score requirement will apply to all borrowers on the application
- No mortgage, installment or revolving credit delinquencies appearing on the credit bureau in the past 12 months
- No reported defaults on residential mortgages for the past 7 years
- No previous bankruptcy
- No gifted / borrowed down payment allowed
- Lender to ensure borrower(s) have no tax arrears (recent NOA or a signed affidavit by the borrower(s) will suffice)
- Maximum two (2) Genworth-insured Alt. A mortgages
| GDS/TDS Guidelines |
| Bureau Score |
GDS |
TDS |
680+ |
No limit |
44% |
600 - 679 |
35% |
42% |
Self employed borrowers:
- 2-years self-employed tenure is recommended, however will consider borrowers with less than 2-years BFS tenure depending on the length and type of previous employment.
- One (1) form of written third party documentation confirming self-employment tenure must be on file
- Lender is required to capture the borrower's "Stated" income and submit to Genworth as part of the application.
- The "Stated" income should be reasonable based on the type and size of the business, and should be able to service the required mortgage as per the GDS/TDS Guidelines above
- Reasonableness of the income is a critical factor in the approval of the loan as is the borrower’s ability to service the loan and all other obligations
Commissioned sales:
- A commissioned sales applicant is defined as someone who derives 100% of their income from a commissioned source
- The lender is responsible for ensuring that the borrower is a commissioned sales applicant as defined above, with a minimum of two years tenure, for example by way of letter of employment, T1 Generals or T4's
- Lender to ensure borrower(s) have no tax arrears (recent NOA will suffice)
- Commissioned sale applicants who are paid a salary plus commission are NOT eligible under this program and must qualify in the usual manner (e.g. GDSR/TDSR and income confirmation will be required)
- Lender is required to capture the borrower's "Stated" income and submit to Genworth as part of the application.
- The "Stated" income should be reasonable based on the type and size of the business, and should be able to service the required mortgage as per the GDS/TDS Guidelines above
- Reasonableness of the income is a critical factor in the approval of the loan as is the borrower’s ability to service the loan and all other obligations
Premium rates:
- Premiums must be paid in full at closing, and may be capitalized into the mortgage balance.
- Where the first and second mortgages are insured concurrently, the total premium will be equal to the amount that would be required if insured as a single first mortgage
Premium matrix:
| |
|
Single Upfront Premium |
| LTV Ratio |
Bureau Scores |
Purchase** |
Refinance** |
Top-Up Premium |
| 90.01% - 95% |
700 |
6.00% |
N/A |
8.50% |
| 85.01% - 90% |
650 |
4.75% |
4.75% |
7.00% |
| 80.01% - 85% |
620 |
2.90% |
2.90% |
5.50% |
| 75.01% - 80% |
620 |
1.64% |
1.64% |
3.85% |
| 65.01% - 75% |
600 |
1.00% |
1.00% |
2.60% |
| < 65% |
600 |
0.80% |
0.80% |
1.50% |
* A .20% premium surcharge will be applied for every 5 years of amortization beyond the traditional 25 - year mortgage amortization period
** For HELOC applications, a 0.25% surcharge will be applied for a 5-year HELOC term and a 0.50% surcharge for a 10-year HELOC term |
Portability:
- Mortgage default insurance is portable under the following conditions;
- When porting from an ALT. A to another ALT. A mortgage, the premium will be the lesser of:
- The increase in the loan amount multiplied by the top-up premium rates defined in the table above, or
- The new loan amount multiplied by the full premium rate
- When porting from an ALT. A loan to an existing standard Genworth insured loan, the premium will be the lesser of:
- The increase in the loan amount multiplied by our standard premium top-up rates as described in our Portability feature Product Overview, or
- The new loan amount multiplied by the full standard premium rate
- When porting from an existing standard Genworth insured loan to an ALT. A loan, the premium will be the lesser of:
- The outstanding mortgage balance multiplied by 1.5% + the top-up amount multiplied by the top-up premium rate, or
- The new loan amount multiplied by the full premium rate
Example for Scenario #3:
Outstanding mortgage balance = $100,000; Top-up mortgage amount = $80,000; New Loan Amount = $180,000 (90% LTV)
- ($100,000 x 1.5%) + ($80,000 x 7.0%) = $7,100
- ($180,000 x 4.75%) = $8,550
Premium Payable is $7,100
When porting with a top-up mortgage amount, the blended amortization option is available
Assumptions/assignments:
- Mortgages issued under this program may be assumed. We will continue to provide insurance coverage if the mortgage is sold to an investor, provided servicing continues with a Genworth approved lender in compliance with Master Policy terms.
Ineligible loan purpose/type:
- New to Canada
- Family Plan
- Cashback Equity
- Vacation Homes
- Homebuyer 100
- Investment Property Program
Documentation/information requirements:
Sole Proprietorship
- A one-owner operation where the owner directs all the activities of the business, assumes all authorities and obligations, and is liable for its business debts. The sole proprietor income is reported to revenue Canada on the standard tax return (T1 General) together with Revenue Canada's required statement of business or professional activities.
- Documentation requirements - Any one of the following:
- Business License
- Business Credit Report
- GST/HST Return Summary
- T1 Generals with statement of business activities attached for a minimum 2 years
- Audited Financial Statements for the last 2 years, prepared and signed by a CA
- Plus a recent Notice of Assessment or a signed affidavit by the borrower(s) to confirm no income tax arrears
Partnerships
- Partnerships are businesses owned by two or more individuals who share the profits or losses of the business operation. The partnership income is reported to Revenue Canada on the standard tax report (T1 General) together with Revenue Canada's required statement of business or professional activities, which reflects the percentage of the NET income or loss for each partner of the enterprise.
- Documentation requirements - Any one of the following:
- Business License
- Business Credit Report
- GST/HST Return Summary
- T1 Generals with statement of business activities attached for a minimum 2 years
- Audited Financial Statements for the last 2 years, prepared and signed by a CA
- Plus a recent Notice of Assessment or a signed affidavit by the borrower(s) to confirm no income tax arrears
Corporations
- A limited company or corporation is a legal entity, separate from the persons (all shareholders) who own it. The business can own assets, enter into contracts and conduct business transactions in its own capacity. The company is called limited because the liability of the shareholders is limited to their investment. All provincial Corporations must obtain articles of incorporation from the province in which they are registered or may be federally incorporated. The applicant's personal income will be reported by T4 from the corporation.
- Documentation requirements - Any one of the following:
- Articles of incorporation
- Business Credit Report
- Audited Financial Statements for the last 2 years, prepared and signed by a CA
- Plus a recent Notice of Assessment or a signed affidavit by the borrower(s) to confirm no income tax arrears
HOMEBUYER 100 Program (No Downpayment Financing)
Genworth will now be providing mortgage insurance on an innovative new program accessible to qualified homebuyers with no down payment.
Acceptable loan purpose
Loan-to-value ratio limits
- Maximum 100.00% LTV
- Insurance premium can be capitalized into the mortgage.
Eligible properties
- Owner occupied, primary residences
- Maximum two units
- New construction or existing properties
- Secondary homes - Type A (please refer to the Secondary Home Product Overview for eligible properties)
Terms/qualifying interest rates
- For terms less than 3 years, the qualifying interest rate is the greater of three-year posted rate or contract rate
- For terms of three years or more, the contract rate is used
- Fixed, standard variable, capped variable and adjustable rate mortgages are permitted
Amortization options
- Up to 40 year amortization available
Coverage
Premium rates*
| |
| LTV ratio |
Premium Rate
|
Port Top-up Premium |
| 97.01% - 100% |
document.write(onehundred_percent_LTV_95)3.10% |
document.write(onehundred_percentport_LTV_95)4.80% |
Premium is non-refundable.
* a .20% premium surcharge will be applied for every 5 years of amortization beyond the traditional 25 - year mortgage amortization period. |
Borrower qualification
- Strong credit and credit score (Recommended for credit scores of 680 or greater)
- Two trade lines with at least two years credit history is recommended
- No prior bankruptcies
- Non-residing guarantors are not permitted. Non-residing co-borrowers are acceptable (must be an immediate family member and on title)
- Lender to ensure that borrower demonstrates the ability to cover closing costs of at least 1.5% of the purchase price. These funds may be borrowed provided any associated repayments are included in the TDS calculation based on a 12-month repayment period
- Maximum of one (1) Genworth insured mortgage with LTV between 95.01-100%
| GDS/TDS Guidelines |
| Bureau Score |
GDS |
TDS |
680+ |
No limit |
40% |
Documentation requirements
- Standard documentation requirements apply
- Genworth may request that the lender provide a copy of the required documentation on a case-by-case basis
Portability
- Mortgage default insurance is portable under this program
- The premium will be calculated using the lesser of the Premium on the Total Loan Amount less applicable Premium Credit or the Premium on the Top-Up Portion
- Top-Up Premium is only applicable if the original mortgage was insured at 95.01-100% LTV. Premium Credit may still apply.
- For complete details, please refer to Genworth's Portability Feature Product Overview
Assumptions/Assignments
- Mortgages issued under this product may be assumed
- Insurance coverage will continue in the event of a sale of the mortgage to an investor provided servicing continues with a Genworth approved lender in compliance with Master Policy terms
Eligible Products **
- First Mortgage Owner Occupied 1 & 2 units
- Extended amortizations up to 40 years
- Insured Progress Advance
- Purchase Plus
- Secondary Homes (Type A)
** For specific underwriting guidelines related to the above eligible products, please refer to the applicable product overview
Ineligible Products
- Alt A
- Cashback Equity
- Cash - Out refinance
- CreditAssist
- Family Plan
- HELOC
- New to Canada
- Second mortgages
- Vacation Homes (Type B)
- Investment Property Program
INVESTMENT PROPERTY PROGRAM
Genworth will now be providing mortgage insurance on an innovative rental program accessible to qualified borrowers with as little as 10% down payment.
Acceptable loan purpose
- Purchase
- Purchase Plus
- Refinance (Maximum Equity Take-out: $200,000)
Eligible properties
- Maximum four units
- New construction or existing properties
- Property must meet the following criteria:
- Municipal zoning
- Fully self-contained units
- Remaining property (economic) life must equal or exceed the amortization of the loan
Ineligible Property Types
- Time-share Interests
- Vacation Homes
- Commercial zoning
- Rooming Houses
- Quarter Share / Shared Ownership
- Rental Pools
Maximum Loan-To-Value
- 90% LTV (Purchase or Refinance)
Terms/Qualifying Interest Rates
- For terms less than 3 years, the qualifying interest rate is the greater of three-year posted rate or contract rate
- For terms of three years or more, the contract rate is used
- Fixed, variable and adjustable rate mortgages permitted.
| |
Premium rate** |
LTV ratio |
Single Premium |
Top-up Premium |
| Up to 65% |
1.25% |
2.75% |
| 65.01% - 75% |
1.75% |
3.00% |
| 75.01% - 80% |
2.50% |
3.75% |
| 80.01% - 85% |
3.50% |
5.00% |
| 85.01% - 90% |
4.75% |
6.25% |
| ** For HELOC applications, a 0.25% surcharge will be applied for a 5-year HELOC term and a 0.50% surcharge for a 10-year HELOC term |
Portability
- Mortgage default insurance is portable under this program
- The premium will be calculated using the lesser of:
- The Premium on the Total Loan Amount less applicable Premium Credit or
- The Premium on the Top-Up Portion as per the table above
When porting from an existing standard Genworth insured loan to an Investment Property there is a 2% conversion rate, the premium will be the lesser of:
- The outstanding mortgage balance multiplied by 2.0% + the top-up amount multiplied by the top-up premium rate, or
- The new loan amount multiplied by the full premium rate
Maximum Amortization
- 40-years (A 20 bps premium surcharge will apply for every 5 years of amortization beyond 25-years)
Application Fee
Borrower Qualification
- Maximum 40% TDS
- TDS = PIT+ Other Monthly Obligations - (Rental Income x 80%)
Qualifying Income Of Applicants
- PIT: Also include 50% of condo fees
- Rental Income
- The lesser of actual rent or fair market rent as determined by an approved appraiser
- Income from a non-conforming basement suite will be considered on an exception basis
- Down payment from borrower's own resources
- Personal guarantees are required when the borrower is not an individual (e.g. corporate entity).
- The personal guarantee can not be released without prior consent from Genworth
Recommended Credit Profile
- Borrowers should have a strong history of managing their credit
- Two (2) trade lines with at least two (2) years history
- No prior bankruptcy
- Purchase: credit scores 660 or greater
- Refinance: credit scores 680 or greater
- Genworth will consider applications with lower scores based on the overall merit of the application and where other risk mitigating factors exist.
Assumptions/Assignments
- Mortgages issued under this product are assumable provided the new covenant meets all product qualifications and guidelines
- Insurance coverage will continue in the event of a sale of the mortgage to an investor provided that servicing continues with a Genworth approved lender in compliance with Master Policy terms.
Other Investment Properties
- When a borrower is purchasing an investment property, but currently owns other investment properties, the rental income needs to be confirmed with recent T-1 Generals.
- If there is a rental surplus - The surplus amount can be added in as "Other Income"
- If there is a shortfall - The shortfall amount must be added to "Other Monthly Obligations" and included in the TDS calculation.
- Where rental income cannot be validated with T-1 Generals, the full Principal, Interest, and Taxes must be included in "Other Monthly Obligations", and 50% of gross rental income can be added to "Other Income".
Documentation Requirements (To be kept on file by the lender)
- Offer to purchase
- Income confirmation
- T1-Generals (As required)
- Down payment confirmation
Appraisal Requirements
- To be completed by a Genworth approved appraiser
- Full and standard service acceptable
Ineligible Loan Types/Products
- CreditAssist
- Business for Self (ALT A)
- New to Canada
- Progress Advance
- Family Plan
- Cashback Equity
- Vacation Properties
- Homebuyer 100
- Second Mortgages
CASH-OUT REFINANCE
Introduced to Canadians by Genworth, this program enables borrowers to take equity out of their homes for a variety of purposes, including asset enhancement, debt consolidation, combining a first and second mortgage, or renovations.
Acceptable loan purpose
- Refinance transactions for repayment of existing financing, debt consolidation, renovation & asset enhancement (this product replaces all other refinance products)
- Renovation loans with multiple advances are acceptable; up to four advances managed by lender
Equity removal limits
- We limit equity removal to $200,000 (except when the loan purpose is to consolidate existing first and second mortgages, in which case the maximum LTV ratios will apply)
- 90.01-95% LTV; equity removal is limited to $150,000
Loan-to-value ratio limits
'Loan-to-value' (LTV) is the relationship between the principal balance of a mortgage and the property value. For example, if you have a house valued at $100,000 with a $90,000 loan, you have a 90% LTV ($90,000 divided by $100,000 = 90%).
- 1 – 2 units: 95% LTV
- 3 – 4 units: 90% LTV
- Secondary Homes: 90% LTV
- Investment Properties: 90% LTV
Eligible properties
- Owner Occupied:
- Maximum four units with at least one unit occupied as the principal residence
- Existing properties (not for new construction)
- Secondary Homes:
- Maximum 2 units
- Maximum 90% LTV
- Investment Properties:
- Maximum 4 units
- Maximum 90% LTV
Terms/qualifying interest rates
Coverage
- 100% coverage.
- For renovation loans, insurance coverage will be effective for any lender-managed advances (up to 4) provided proper confirmation of work completed is documented and on file.
Amortization options
- Available for extended amortizations up to 40 years
- If a full premium is paid on the entire mortgage the amortization can be up to 40 years (i.e., currently uninsured conventional mortgages)
- Home owner can keep the same amortization remaining on the existing mortgage
- Blended amortization (based on a weighted average of the original mortgage amortization and up to 40 years for the increased mortgage amount). Use our Refinancing calculator to find out more about blended amortization
Premium rates*
- The new premium payable will be the lesser of the premium as a % of the total new loan amount or the premium as a % of the top-up portion from the current loan amount
-
The Lesser of Premium as a % of: |
| LTV Ratio |
Total Loan Amount |
Top-up Portion |
Up to 65% |
0.50 % |
0.50 % |
65.01% - 75% |
0.65 % |
2.25 % |
75.01% - 80% |
1.00 % |
2.75 % |
80.01% - 85% |
1.75 % |
3.50 % |
85.01% - 90% |
2.00 % |
4.25 % |
90.01% - 95% |
2.75 % |
4.25 % |
| Premium is non-refundable. |
There is no premium surcharge for a blended amortization.
* a .20% premium surcharge will be applied to the above premium rates for every 5 years of amortization beyond the traditional 25-year mortgage amortization period
Borrower qualification
- A minimum credit bureau score of 600, (excluding applications on currently insured Genworth mortgages which are reviewed on a case by case basis)
- A minimum credit bureau score of 650 is required for 95% LTV
- No prior bankruptcy or judgements
- No R3's in the past 24 months
- Mortgage is assumable
- Non-residing guarantors are not permitted. Non-residing co-borrowers are acceptable (must be an immediate family member and on title).
- All other existing requirements related to income and credit worthiness apply
| GDS/TDS Guidelines |
| Bureau Score |
GDS |
TDS |
680+ |
No limit |
44% |
600 - 679 |
35% |
42% |
Documentation/information requirements
- Employment and income verification required upon request
- To improve turn-around time please include the following in the comments section:
- Existing Genworth reference number (if applicable)
- Amount of new money being advanced
- Outstanding balance of existing mortgage
Eligible Products **
- Alt A
- CreditAssist
- First Mortgage Owner Occupied 1 and 2 units
- First Mortgage Owner Occupied 3 and 4 units
- Extended amortizations up to 40 years
- HELOC
- Secondary homes (Type A)
- Investment Property Program
** For specific underwriting guidelines related to the above eligible products, please refer to the applicable product overview
Ineligible Products
- Cashback Equity
- Family Plan
- Homebuyer 100
- Insured Progress Advance
- New To Canada
- Purchase Plus
- Vacation homes (Type B)
The insurance premium is paid once at the time of closing . The insurance premium is not refundable and may be added onto the mortgage
NEW TO CANADA PROGRAM
Now qualified homebuyers who have immigrated or relocated to Canada can qualify for Genworth default mortgage insurance with as little as a 3% down payment.
Acceptable loan purpose
Loan-to-value ratio limits
- Maximum LTV ratio - 97.00%
Eligible properties
- Maximum two units where at least one unit must be occupied as the principal residence
- New construction or existing properties
Terms/qualifying interest rates
- Fixed, standard variable, capped variable and adjustable rate mortgages are permitted
- For terms less than 3 years, the qualifying interest rate is the greater of three-year posted rate or contract rate; for terms of three years or more, the contract rate is used
Premium Rates
| LTV ratio |
Premium rate* |
| Up to 65% |
0.50% |
| 65.01% - 75% |
0.65% |
| 75.01% - 80% |
1.00% |
| 80.01% - 85% |
1.75% |
| 85.01% - 90% |
2.00% |
| 90.01% - 95% |
2.75% |
| 95.01% - 97% |
2.90% |
| Premium is non-refundable. |
| * a .20% premium surcharge will be applied to the above premium rates for every 5 years of amortization beyond the traditional 25-year mortgage amortization period |
Borrower qualification
- Must have immigrated or relocated to Canada within the last 36 months
- 3 months minimum full time employment in Canada (borrowers being transferred under a corporate relocation program are exempt)
- Must have a valid work permit or obtained landed immigrant status
- For LTV's 95% or greater, down payment must be from own resources. For LTV's less than 95%, the remainder may be gifted from an immediate family member or from a corporate subsidy.
- All debts held outside of the country must be included in the total debt servicing ratio (Rental income earned outside of Canada is to be excluded from the GDS/TDS calculation)
| GDS/TDS Guidelines |
| Bureau Score |
GDS |
TDS |
680+ |
No limit |
44% |
Up to 679 |
35% |
42% |
Documentation Requirements (To be kept on file by lender)
| |
| LTV |
Documentatation requirements* |
All LTV's |
- Valid work permit or verification of landed immigrant status
- Income Confirmation
- Down payment confirmation
- Purchase and Sale agreement
|
Up to 90% |
- Letter of reference from a recognized financial institution
OR
Six (6) months of bank statements from primary account
|
90.01 - 97% |
- International credit report demonstrating a strong credit profile
OR
Two (2) alternative sources of credit demonstrating timely payments (no arrears) for the past 12 months. The two alternative sources required are:
- Rental payment history confirmed via letter from landlord and bank statements **
- One other alternative source (hydro/utilities, telephone, cable) to be confirmed via letter from the service provider or 12 months billing statements
NOTE: Alternative sources of credit must be obtained from a Canadian source.
|
* Genworth will no longer require the lender to submit the documentation upfront on every file, but may request that the lender provide a copy on a case-by-case basis.
** Letter from landlord must indicate the following: name of tenant, monthly rent, length of tenancy, payment history. Bank statements must support the amount of rent and timeliness of payments outlined in the letter. |
Note: This program is not available to Diplomats or any other foreign political appointed individuals who do not pay income tax in Canada.
Eligible Products **
- Extended amortizations up to 40 years
- First Mortgage Owner Occupied 1 & 2 units
- Purchase Plus Improvements
** For specific underwriting guidelines related to the above eligible products, please refer to the applicable product overview
Ineligible Products
- Alt A
- Cashback Equity
- Cash - Out Refinance
- CreditAssist
- Family Plan
- First Mortgage Owner Occupied 3 & 4 units
- HELOC
- Homebuyer 100
- Insured Progress Advance
- Vacation/Secondary
- Investment Property Program
The insurance premium is payable once at the time of closing (except for Progress Advances where the premium is paid in installments during the construction phase with a final installment paid when the home is completed). The insurance premium is not refundable and may be added onto the mortgage or paid in cash.
VACATION/SECONDARY HOMES
At Genworth, we know that today's busy lifestyle requires more home ownership options - whether it's a second home in the city to reduce that weekly commute, or a cottage at the lake for weekend getaways. With our recently enhanced Vacation/Secondary Home Program, Canadians can now purchase a second home with an affordable monthly payment and with little or no money down.
Acceptable loan purpose
- Secondary homes (Type A) available for purchase and refinance
- Secondary homes (Type A) available for Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
- Vacation homes (Type B) available for purchase only
- Program does not provide for the purchase of investment, rental pool or timeshare properties; therefore, incidental rental income will not be used for qualification purposes.
Eligible properties (Refer to the Property Type Schedule)
Type A Properties (Secondary Homes):
- Property characteristics must comply with the Genworth First Mortgage Owner Occupancy Program
- Maximum loan amount: - Metro Toronto, Metro Vancouver and Metro Calgary - $700,000; rest of Canada - $600,000
- Up to two units Maximum
- Available for purchase and refinance
Type B Properties (Vacation Homes):
- Property characteristics same as Type A properties except for the following;
- Property need not be winterized
- May have seasonal access (road not plowed during winter)
- Maximum loan amount: $350,000 (exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis)
- One unit maximum
- Available for purchase only
Loan-to-value ratio limits
- Type A properties: 100% LTV (Purchase) and 90% LTV (Refinance)
- Type B properties: 90% LTV (Purchase)
Portability
- Mortgage default insurance in this program is portable. We calculate portability premiums according to the Genworth portability program, using the port top-up premiums that you will see below
- If the property is a Type B and the original mortgage was a Type A, the difference in the insurance premiums is 0.75%. This is charged on the mortgage balance being ported, in addition to the top-up premium. You can find further details on this in our Portability Product overview.
- Mortgage is assumable
Premium Rates
| LTV Ratio |
Type A properties* |
Type B properties |
| Up to 65% |
0.50% |
1.25% |
65.01% - 75% |
0.65% |
1.40% |
| 75.01% - 80% |
1.00% |
1.75% |
| 80.01% - 85% |
1.75% |
2.50% |
| 85.01% - 90% |
2.00% |
2.75% |
| 90.01% - 95% |
2.75% |
N/A |
95.01% - 97% |
2.90% |
N/A |
97.01% - 100% |
3.10% |
N/A |
Premium is non-refundable
* a .20% premium surcharge will be applied to the above premium rates for every 5 years of amortization beyond the traditional 25-year mortgage amortization period |
Portability top-up rates:
| LTV Ratio |
Type A properties* |
Type B properties |
| Up to 65% |
0.50% |
1.25% |
| 65.01% - 75% |
2.25% |
3.00% |
| 75.01% - 80% |
2.75% |
3.50% |
| 80.01% - 85% |
3.50% |
4.25% |
| 85.01% - 90% |
4.25% |
5.00% |
| 90.01% - 95% |
4.25% |
N/A |
95.01% - 100%*** |
4.80% |
N/A |
Premium is non-refundable
* a .20% premium surcharge will be applied to the above premium rates for every 5 years of amortization beyond the traditional 25-year mortgage amortization period
*** Top-Up Premium is only applicable if the original mortgage was insured at 95.01-100% LTV. Premium Credit may still apply. |
Borrower qualification
- For 95.01% - 100% LTV: please refer to Homebuyer 100 Product Overview and Homebuyer 97 Product Overview for qualifying criteria
- For Alt. A applications, please refer to Alt. A Product Overview
- We require a minimum credit bureau score of 650 on all applicants for Vacation (Type B) properties. We calculate the score using our internal Genworth proprietary scoring model, which uses credit scores from both bureaus. Please note that on a case-by-case basis, we are prepared to review instances where the primary applicant meets the minimum credit score but a second applicant has no credit at all
- No prior bankruptcy or judgements
- No R3's in the last 24 months
- Maximum of one Genworth-insured vacation property per applicant
- No 3rd party guarantors for qualification purposes. We do accept spousal guarantors
- Gifted down payments are acceptable for Secondary and Vacation "A" properties providing the applicants meet the qualifying criteria for Homebuyer 100 and/or Homebuyer 97 products
| GDS/TDS Guidelines |
| Bureau Score |
GDS |
TDS |
680+ |
No limit |
44% |
Up to 679 |
No limit |
42% |
Terms/qualifying interest rates
- Six months up to 25 years - Fixed, standard variable, capped variable and adjustable rate mortgages are permitted
- For terms less than three years, the qualifying interest rate is the greater of three-year posted rate or contract rate
- For terms of three years or more, we use the contract rate
Documentation requirements
Electronic applications are processed without documentation, unless requested. If paper-based, we required the following:
- Offer to purchase
- Employment/income verification
- Verification of down payment
Appraisal requirements
Turnaround times in this program are outside the standard purchase business levels. Property specifications
Type A property:
- Foundation must be permanent and installed beyond the frost line. This includes concrete/concrete block or preserved wood foundations certified by a professional engineer or post/pier foundations on solid bedrock
- Must be zoned and used as residential, rural or seasonal. We do not accept mixed uses or rental pooling
- Freehold or condominium title. We do not accept co-ops or ¼ interest ownership
- At minimum, property must have a kitchen, 3-piece bathroom, bedroom, and common area
- Remaining economic life must be 25 years
- Year-round road access on reasonable quality public roads, serviced by the local municipality. We also allow privately serviced roads, provided there is a maintenance contract in place
- Property must be winterized with a permanent heat source. For example, heating can be baseboard, forced air, water radiator, radiant, coal, propane, geothermal heat pumps, or heat pumps
- Good quality construction with no signs of deferred maintenance
- Water source: well, municipal serviced, and cistern. Water source must be drinkable. We accept lake or river water, provided the property has its own filtration system. For example, a reverse osmosis system
- There must be good market appeal in the area with no adverse influences/neighbourhood nuisances
Type B property:
All Type A property requirements apply to Type B, except for the following:
- No permanent heat source is required. For example, a wood stove, fireplace, stove or heat blower is acceptable
- Foundation may be floating. For example, sitting on blocks
- Seasonal road use is acceptable. This means the road does not have to be plowed during the winter
- Water source needn't be drinkable. However, there must be running water in the home
- Property may be accessible only by boat
Eligible Products **
|
| Secondary Home (Type A) |
Vacation Home (Type B) |
| First Mortgage Owner Occupied 1 and 2 units (max 2 units) |
First Mortgage Owner Occupied 1 and 2 units (max 1 unit) |
| Purchase Plus |
Purchase Plus |
| Extended amortizations up to 40 years |
|
| Alt. A |
|
| Cash-Out Refinance |
|
| Cashback Equity |
|
| Insured PA (residential, contractor and self-built) |
|
| HELOC |
|
| Homebuyer 100 |
|
** For specific underwriting guidelines related to the above eligible products, please refer to the applicable product overview
Ineligible Products
|
| Secondary Home (Type A) |
Vacation Home (Type B) |
| First Mortgage Owner Occupied 3 and 4 units |
First Mortgage Owner Occupied 3 and 4 units |
| Family Plan |
Extended amortizations up to 40 years |
| New to Canada |
Cash-Out Refinance |
| CreditAssist |
Cashback Equity |
| Investment Property Program |
Insured PA (residential, contractor and self-built) |
|
HELOC |
|
Family Plan |
|
Homebuyer 100 |
|
Alt.A |
|
New to Canada |
|
CreditAssist |
|
Investment Property Program |

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