Property Cost Breakdown

What Ottawa property actually costs

The categories, the timing, and the expenses people forget to budget for — with sources to verify current figures.

Cost breakdowns

All in this series
A residential street of older Ottawa homes on a clear day

How much down payment do you need to buy a home in Ottawa? — the minimum, the 20% question, and where the money comes from

The minimum down payment is federal and it is not a flat 5%: it steps at $500,000 and again at $1.5 million, above which mortgage insurance is not available at all. Under 20% down you pay a CMHC premium, and in Ontario the sales tax on that premium is the one piece you cannot roll into the mortgage. The FHSA and the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan are where most first down payments now come from — and both punish being opened the same week you make an offer.

August 3, 2026 Updated August 3, 2026
An Ottawa kitchen part-way through a renovation

Renovation costs in Ottawa — what things cost, and which renovations add value

There is no official price list for renovation work, which is why every number you find online disagrees with the last one. This is what a kitchen renovation, a bathroom renovation, a basement renovation, a roof and an electrical panel upgrade typically cost in Ottawa, what each range assumes, and which renovations actually return their money when you sell. The honest headline: the only real number is three written quotes.

August 2, 2026 Updated August 2, 2026
High-rise condo tower above mature trees in Ottawa

Condo fees in Ottawa — what they actually cover, and why the lowest fee isn't the prize

Condo fees get treated like a penalty box on listing sheets, but they're really a bundled bill for things every homeowner pays somehow. Here's what the fee typically buys, what a reserve fund is for, and why a suspiciously low fee deserves more scrutiny, not less. What do condo fees cover, why maintenance fees and condo fees are the same thing under two names, and why the lowest fee is rarely the prize.

July 22, 2026

What a budget buys

All in this series