Minimum down vs. 10% vs. 20% — compare your net wealth at 5, 10, and 20 years. Uses Canada's actual tiered down payment rules, CMHC premiums, and real market return assumptions.
Your Purchase Details
Enter your numbers. We'll run all three down payment scenarios simultaneously and show you where you end up.
Insured mortgages (min/10% down) available up to $1.5M. Over $1.5M requires 20% minimum.
Total liquid savings before down payment
Liquid savings you want to keep untouched
Your actual contract rate
GTA long-term avg: 3–5% / yr
25 yrs standard; 30 yrs for FTB insured
Market Investment Return (for lump sum capital & monthly mortgage savings)
7% — Conservative
10.5% — S&P 500 Historical Avg
12% — Optimistic
The emergency fund is held in a HISA — not invested in the market. It earns the HISA rate separately and is excluded from all market investment calculations. The market return applies only to: (1) the lump sum capital left after down payment + emergency fund, and (2) the monthly mortgage payment savings reinvested each month.
Historical S&P 500 context: VFV/VOO (S&P 500 ETFs) have returned ~10.5% annualized in CAD terms over the last 30 years (~13% USD, adjusted for currency and typical Canadian hedging). The 7% figure is a common financial planning conservative estimate. These are pre-tax, pre-inflation returns.
Select scenarios to compare (pick 2 or 3)
Minimum Down
10% Down
20% Down (No CMHC)
Canada's tiered minimum down payment rules: 5% on the first $500K of purchase price + 10% on the portion from $500K to $1.5M. Example: $850K home → minimum down = $25,000 + $35,000 = $60,000. Properties over $1.5M require 20% minimum and are ineligible for CMHC insurance.
5 Years
10 Years
20 Years
Net Wealth Comparison
Home equity + investment portfolio at selected horizon
All projections are estimates based on the assumptions you entered. Home appreciation, investment returns, and mortgage rates are not guaranteed. CMHC premiums are based on 2026 schedule. Monthly savings delta assumes the difference in mortgage payments is consistently invested — which requires financial discipline. This is a modelling tool, not financial advice. Consult a mortgage broker and financial advisor before making decisions.
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