REALTORS® and the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) welcome the announcement by Premier Clark and Minister Coleman of the new BC Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership program. 

“The introduction of this program will address the affordability gaps that, as a REALTOR®, I hear about every day,” says BCREA President Deanna Horn. “We thank Premier Clark and Minister Coleman for introducing this valuable program to assist first time home buyers in entering the marketplace.” 

The province has taken steps to address housing affordability by investing in affordable rental housing and transitional and emergency housing. The BC HOME Partnership will address the impact on the first-time homebuyer with matching dollars and an extended period of time to begin paying back the down payment loan. Many first-time homebuyers struggle to achieve the down payment required to enter the housing market, and BCREA believes this program will help them overcome that barrier. 

In fact, enabling home ownership benefits the entire BC economy. A 2015 study by Altus Group Economic Consulting found that the average housing transaction on the Multiple Listing Service® generates approximately $63,000 in additional expenditures. 

BCREA believes additional opportunities exist to help existing homeowners, particularly those looking to buy their second or third homes to accommodate families or significant life changes. Doing so will help to ensure balance in the continuum of housing affordability. 

For more information on the program: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016PREM0153-002759