By Peter Borszcz / First Time Home Buyers, Property Transfer Tax /

First time home buyers get an exemptions from paying the property transfer tax and this “tax break” can save FTHB thousands of dollars. However, First Time Home Buyers need to carefully ensure that they qualify for this tax savings. Persons claiming a FTHB credit are regularly audited by the PTT Office.

The Criteria to Qualify are as follows;

Purchaser must:

  1. be a Canadian Citizen, or a permanent resident as determined by Immigration Canada,
  2. have lived in British Columbia for 12 consecutive months immediately before the date
    you register the property, or you have filed 2 income tax returns as a British Columbia
    resident during the 6 years before the date you register the property,
  3. never owned an interest in land anywhere in the world at anytime, and
  4. you have never received a first time home buyers’ exemption or refund.

The Property you purchase must also qualify as follows:

  1. the price must be less than $425,000
  2. the land must be less than 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres), and
  3. the property will only be used as your principal residence.

Importantly, if you sell the property or acquire a new principal residence within 12 months of purchase, you will lose the exemption and the Province will demand for the tax to be paid.

More information here:
http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/documents_library/brochures/firsttimehomebuyer.pdf