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victor h. agent
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a simple explanation of

closing costs in manitoba

Published Date: September 23, 2022
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here you will find

what are closing cost?

what are the closing costs when you purchase a home in manitoba?

land transfer tax

A land transfer tax is due to the provincial government and, in some places, the municipality when you purchase a property. The amount of the land transfer tax varies widely by province and is based on the value of your property. The majority of Canadians pay this tax depending on the cost of their property sale price.

First-time homebuyers in Ontario, P.E.I, and British Columbia have the advantage of land transfer tax rebates.

Is there a land transfer tax when buying a new house in Manitoba?
Home buyers in Manitoba must pay land transfer tax as part of their closing costs which is calculated based on the property's value.

Here is the calculation of land transfer tax:
Purchase price

- First $30k
- $30k and $90k
- $90k and $150k
- $150k and $200k
- Above $200k
Marginal tax rate

0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
For example, let's calculate the land transfer tax of a $500,000 property.

- 0% of the first $30k = $0
- 0.5% of $60k = $300
- 1.0% of $60k  = $600
- 1.5% of $50k = $750
- 2% of the remaining $300k = $6000
- Total: $7,650

A rule of thumb would be $1,650 + 2% of the purchase price over $200k.

interest adjustment costs

Any property taxes or utilities paid by the seller after the buyer takes possession must be refunded by the buyer.

For example, if the seller has already paid 12 months of property taxes, and the buyer takes possession 2 months later, the buyer has to reimburse the seller for 10 month's worth of property taxes.

The property tax in Manitoba is made out of four parts:
- A municipal rate that is different for each municipality.
- A provincial Education Rate that is the same for all municipalities.
- A School Division Rate that is different for each municipality.
- Additional taxes for local services as needed.

For any questions or inquiries about your property tax rate or property tax bill, you can reach out to the city of Winnipeg's property tax department through the following methods:

- General (within municipality limits): 311
- General (outside municipality limits): 204-986-1311
- Property Tax Department: 1-877-311-4974

For a property of 500,000 in Manitoba, an average property tax in Winnipeg would be $6,242 in 2021.

lawyer fees and legal fees

A real estate lawyer must represent you in the acquisition and mortgage of the property since purchasing a home is a legal procedure. Lawyers take care of the legal aspects and guarantee that the title is transferred correctly.. Make sure you find out exactly what services your lawyer is performing and how the legal fees break down.

How much are lawyer fees when selling a house?

This fee will be reimbursed by the buyer when selling houses. Legal fees vary with the amount and difficulty of the work required, but the cost can be anywhere between $500 and $1,500 including tax (depending on the complexity of the purchase and services).

home inspection

It is highly recommended that you make your purchase offer conditional on a positive home inspection by a professional home inspector.

Before making a purchase, have the property professionally assessed to make sure you understand its actual state and have the funds to take care of any required upkeep or repairs. Also, home inspectors can discover any hidden problems in the house. It is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

If the inspector discovers a significant issue, you may be able to ask the seller to offer the maintenance expenses as a credit or discount to the initial agreed-upon sale price or even to terminate the agreement.

Home inspection fees could vary from $200 - $500.

Property Appraisal Fee

The bank or mortgage lender usually requires a property appraisal from a professional appraiser to estimate the selling price of the home is reasonable for the market and the exact value of the property in order to prevent the buyer prevents from purchasing overpriced.

The cost of an appraisal is usually between $200 - $500 depending on service and location. Sometimes, this fee can be waived as an incentive for a first-time buyer provided by a mortgage lender if you ask.

However, many real estate agents also offer home evaluation service for free by appraising your property based on comparative market analysis (CMA).

title insurance in manitoba

Title insurance describes your legal possession of a property and its land. This covers the lender against defects in the title, which could include overlooked back taxes, conflicting wills, and existing liens from other mortgages or home equity lines of credit.

This is not generally mandatory by lenders but sometimes they will require this. This insurance is available through your lawyer for a one-time premium. The price varies depending on the insurance provider, usually around $300.

Mortgage default insurance

Canadian mortgage default insurance, or CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Cooperation) insurance, is required for purchasers who put down less than 20% of the purchase price.

Lenders are protected by mortgage default insurance in the event that a house buyer defaults. Lenders are able to provide mortgages with lesser down payments at lower interest rates because of this protection.

This will be embedded in your monthly payment if you put less than 20% of the sale price.

moving costs

This covers the price of any expert moving services you choose, truck rental fees, moving supplies, and any other relevant extra expenses. Usually, $1,000 to $2,000 depends on the service and the size of the furniture.

Mortgage prepayment penalty

If you have to break an existing mortgage, you may have to pay a penalty fee that could be thousands of dollars.

Goods and services tax (GST)

Do you pay GST on a house?
The answer is yes. It is mandatory if you're buying a new home. You will be charged 5% GST of the purchase price.

furniture costs

Usually, this is the cost that is not mandatory to put in the calculations. However, you will not be able to live in an empty home if you buy a house for the first time.

This cost usually ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the size of the house and the number of items purchased.

first-time home buyer in manitoba

first-time home buyer incentive

The helps qualified first-time homebuyers reduce their monthly mortgage payments without adding to their financial burdens

- 5% or 10% for a first-time buyer's purchase of a newly constructed home.
- 5% for a first-time buyer's purchase of a resale home.
- 5% for a first-time buyer's purchase of a new or resale mobile home.

first time home buyer tax credit

You can claim up to $5,000 for the purchase of a qualifying home in the year if both of the following apply:

- You (or your spouse or common-law partner) acquired a qualifying home
- You did not live in another home owned by you (or your spouse or common-law partner) in the year of the acquisition or in any of the four preceding years (first-time home buyer).

For more details and information, you can find them on the government websites.

first time Home buyer's guide canada

Closing costs are just one of the major factors in your buying process. There are many fees and costs if you want to buy a house in Canada. There are also agent fees and miscellaneous fees that you should know before making any real estate purchases.

Our home buying guide canada will help you understand more about the process, and steps to buy a house in Canada as well as help you make good decisions about it.

From the steps of choosing your home, get pre-approval, estimated your financial ability, what types of house you can get to prepare for legal documents, find the best rates, get a good agent and close the deals.
Bottom Line
Closing costs are essential costs that you need to know before purchasing a house to have better calculations. The list of the closing cost above is just for reference purposes.

On average. a $500,000 house in Manitoba will cost you an estimated total of $12,000 in closing costs. For better details and explanation, we strongly recommend you find professional real estate agents.
Closing costs are a one-time payment that Canadian home buyers must make when they decide to buy a home. Taxes on land or property transfers, legal fees, and inspection fees are a few examples of these expenses.

Most of the time, they cannot be embedded into your mortgage and must be paid upfront. Budgeting between 3% and 4% of the purchase price of a resale house to cover closing fees is often a brilliant idea. 

When making plans for your home purchase, closing fees are necessary expenses to take into account. They can accumulate and significantly stress your financing if you are not ready for them. We strongly advise you to consider each of these expenses; budget 3% to 4% of the buying price to cover them.

Ways To Reduce Closing Cost

Phone around and compare legal fee rates before choosing a lawyer.
To offset the cost, find a lender who is offering rebates on new mortgages.
The lower your home purchase price, the lower your land transfer taxes.

Who Pays For Closing Costs In Canada?

Usually, the lender will pay the $250–350 appraisal charge needed to ascertain your home's appraised value.

It's possible that not all of the expenses discussed in this article will apply to your particular purchase, but it's reasonable to assume that you will be liable for the down payment, legal fees, and at the absolute least, a home inspection.

It's always wise to stay on the side of caution when predicting the overall closing costs because there's no way to tell which closing fees you'll incur in advance. Expect to pay an additional 1.5% of the buying price on top of the down payment. Aim for 4%–5% if you're also selling a house.

How Do I Pay For Closing Costs?
When you meet with your lawyer to sign the mortgage registration forms, closing expenses are paid to them together with your down payment.

Typically, this is carried out a week or so before the purchase's closing date. Your attorney will inform you in advance of the total sum needed and will distribute the various payments to the appropriate parties.

How do closing costs in Manitoba compare to the rest of Canada?
When compared to the rest of Canada, Manitoba's closing expenses for house purchases are somewhat in the middle. However, the closing costs in Manitoba are still lower than metropolitans like Vancouver or Toronto owing to the reasonably priced property market and fair land transfer tax rate.

Do Sellers Pay Closing Cost?
The answer is no, all closing costs will be covered by the buyer. Commonly, you only pay the realtor's fee for selling your house plus the selling real estate agent's fee.

- Realtor's fee: Usually from 3% - 5% based on negotiation.

- Real estate lawyer fees: The average real estate lawyer charge is $500 to $1,000, although the exact amount you incur may differ. The most common services are:

1. Title Search: The seller's lawyer must make sure the seller closes any unfinished permits and agrees to pay any unpaid bills with money from the sale of the home. 

2. Letter of Direction: The seller's lawyer will confirm whether the property has any mortgages or lines of credit, and will give the buyer's lawyer a Letter of Direction stating that any money obtained from the sale of the property would be used for any outstanding debt and taxes. The buying lawyer will next get the verified property tax information from the selling lawyer.

3. Statement of Adjustments: The Statement of Adjustments is a list of the costs that the seller was responsible for paying or had already paid for at the time of closing.

4. Closing Date: On the day of the closing, the buyer's lawyer will electronically send money to the seller's lawyer. The seller's lawyer will verify receipt of the cash and apply them to settle any outstanding obligations and mortgages. The buyer's lawyer will then receive the keys when the seller's lawyer has finished writing a report. The closing costs, including attorney fees and real estate commissions, will also be deducted by the seller's lawyer before the seller is credited with the remaining sum.
Victor is a real estate agent at eXp Realty in Winnipeg, which offers professional real estate services and solutions for homeowners, walking them through every single stage quickly and seamlessly.

In his quality time, he spends hours researching the market and news, to inform his clients of the best advice he can give effectively and practically.
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