Costs and Taxes

As of 2026, the Halifax Regional Municipality charges deed transfer tax of 1.5% of the purchase price, and your lawyer pays it when the deed is registered. On a $500,000 home that works out to $7,500. Halifax council has been studying a higher or tiered rate, which would need provincial approval, so check halifax.ca for the current rate before you budget.

Source: halifax.ca, novascotia.ca, cbc.ca

Yes. For agreements signed after March 31, 2025, the provincial non-resident deed transfer tax is 10% of the purchase price or assessed value, whichever is higher, applied to the share bought by non-residents, on top of the municipal deed transfer tax. Buyers who intend to move here can claim an exemption but must prove Nova Scotia residency afterward, within 12 months for transfers on or after August 6, 2026. Talk to your lawyer before you sign if any buyer lives outside the province.

Source: novascotia.ca

Your tax bill is your taxable assessed value, set by the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC), multiplied by HRM's tax rate for your area. HRM bills twice a year: an interim bill in March due the last working day of April, and a final bill in September due the last working day of October. Your lawyer adjusts the taxes between buyer and seller at closing.

Source: halifax.ca

PVSC mails assessment notices to every property owner in January. The 2026 assessments are based on market value as of January 1, 2025 and the property's condition as of December 1, 2025. If you disagree, PVSC must receive your appeal within 31 days of the date on your notice.

Source: pvsc.ca

CAP limits how much the taxable assessment of an eligible home can rise each year, tied to the Nova Scotia Consumer Price Index; the CAP rate for 2026 is 2.6%. It generally covers residential property at least 50% owned by a Nova Scotia resident, and condos only if owner-occupied. When a home sells to someone outside the family, the cap comes off for the next year, so your first tax bill can be noticeably higher than the seller's. Ask me to look at the uncapped assessment before you budget.

Source: pvsc.ca

Plan for the deed transfer tax, your lawyer's fees and disbursements, title insurance if you choose it, and adjustments for property taxes the seller has already paid. You also need home insurance in place on closing day, because your lender won't release funds without it. Add a home inspection and, on a well, a water test. Your lawyer can give you a closer estimate.

Source: boyneclarke.com, halifax.ca

Yes. New and substantially renovated homes carry HST, which has been 14% in Nova Scotia since April 1, 2025. The federal GST/HST new housing rebate returns 36% of the GST portion, up to $6,300, with the full rebate for homes valued at $350,000 or less and nothing at $450,000 or more. Check whether the builder's price already includes the rebate, and confirm the details with the CRA or your accountant.

Source: canada.ca, canada.ca

Yes, two. The federal First-Time Home Buyers' GST/HST Rebate covers up to $50,000 of the GST, or the federal part of the HST, on a new home, with full relief up to $1 million and a phase-out to $1.5 million. It applies to builder agreements signed on or after March 20, 2025 and before 2031. Nova Scotia's First-time Home Buyers Rebate pays up to $3,000 of the provincial portion on a newly built home, and you apply within 24 months.

Source: canada.ca, canada.ca, novascotia.ca, novascotia.ca

Federally, the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) lets you save up to $8,000 a year, to a $40,000 lifetime limit, and the Home Buyers' Plan lets you withdraw up to $60,000 from your RRSP. In Nova Scotia, the First-time Homebuyers Program pilot, launched in 2026 through participating credit unions, allows a 2% to 4% down payment on homes up to $570,000 in HRM. See the First-Time Buyers section for the details, and confirm your eligibility with a mortgage professional.

Source: canada.ca, canada.ca, novascotia.ca