The Vancouver Sun has some good tips for people who are completely unable to save up for the largest purchase of their life.  People who either spend too much on entertainment and shopping or simply don’t earn enough to save.  Buy a house.

Yes. Because the people that should be buying real estate are people who are unable to save up a few thousand dollars.

Their advice ranges from the ridiculous (reign in spending habits) to the sublime (ask mommy and daddy for a down payment).

Saving money for a down payment, especially in British Columbia’s high-priced housing markets, is one of the biggest challenges that homeowners face, but mortgage experts say, it’s not impossible.

The minimum down payment new homeowners need is five per cent of a home’s purchase price, which can be particularly difficult to accumulate for those in the most need: young people, often with student debt and lifestyles that involve a lot of restaurant meals and going to movies once or twice a week.

Yeah, that’s 5 percent goal is super-tough, but it just might be achievable according to ‘mortgage experts’.  You can always tap into your RRSPs, and don’t forget that you can get yourself a zero-down loan (we call them ‘cash-back’ mortgages).

…some lenders have a cashback option that can be used against a down payment. “The clients have to take posted rates [not discounted] and some lenders will give you five per cent of the mortgage amount as cash back. On $400,000 that would be $20,000, the five-per-cent down payment that is required.”