CMHC And The First Time Home Buyer
As the Government of Canada’s national housing agency, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), plays a major role in Canada’s housing industry. The agency offers numerous housing services including research services, market evaluations, and access to affordable financing choices. Programs include aboriginal housing, residential rehabilitation assistance, home adaptation for seniors independence, public and private partnerships and numerous grants and awards.
For many people, especially first time home buyers, saving the necessary down payment is a challenge. Additionally, with less than 25% of the purchase price to put down, a lender requires mortgage insurance for protection against any payment defaults. CMHC makes it easier for Canadians to obtain a home, by providing mortgage loan insurance. By providing this insurance, CMHC limits the lenders’ risk, allowing the lender to finance up to 95% of the purchase price of a new home. You can purchase a property with as little as 5% down. If the cost is $150,000, you only need a down payment of $7,500.
You can become a homeowner, even if you don’t have a large down payment put aside. You just need to meet the following conditions and home ownership can be within your reach.
* The home must be located in Canada and considered your principal residence.
* You must have a down payment of at least 5% of the purchase price.
* Your home-related expenses must not exceed 32% of gross household income
* Your total monthly debt load must not exceed 40% of gross monthly household income
* You must be able to pay closing costs equal to at least 1.5% of the purchase price.
Paul and Pinantan Lakes are beautiful lakes just outside of the Kamloops city. Paul Lake is 20 minutes (roughly 21 kilometers) north east of Kamloops and Pinantan is 25 minutes north east (26 Kilometers), just past Paul Lake.
tennis and unlimited RV parking. 
Pinantan Lake, named this because it means ‘shoe’ or ‘moccasin’ in traditional Aboriginal language. This name given because of it’s shape is much like a moccasin. Pinantan has a general store, a resort, an elementary school, and about 500 residents. The lake itself is two parts, Big Pinantan and Little Pinantan. The lake itself is 68 hectares in size, with a mean depth of 10.6 meters and max. 18.5 meters. Unlike Paul Lake, Pinantan properties are freehold properties not leased land. There are a number of boat launches at Pinantan Lake. Only electric powered boats are allowed on the lake. Fishing (rainbow trout average 1 lb) and swimming are permitted in Pinantan lake. There are also hiking 
Pinantan 878 metres. Both lakes offer the opportunity to live rurally with convenience of a short commute to the city of Kamloops.
The district of Logan Lake is located in the Highland Valley between the City of Kamloops, the city of Merrit and the village of Ashcroft. Logan lake originally was a mining town set up in the early 1970’s. It was set up to support the expanding copper mine development, Highland Valley Copper, located 15 kilometres west. Logan Lake developed into more than just a mining town over the following decades and became a beautiful rural community boasting a population of over 2300. Mining is still the main industry in Logan Lake. Highland Copper has the largest open pit copper mine on the North American continent.
