Editorial policy
How we research, check and update every guide and calculator.
Primary sources first
Rates, rules and programs come from the people who set them: CMHC, the Government of Canada, the Canada Revenue Agency, Service Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia municipalities, PVSC, Efficiency Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Real Estate Commission. We link to the source next to the number. We don't publish statistics we can't source, and anything that's our own calculation is labelled as one.
Numbers you can check
Our calculators show their assumptions and let you change every one. Estimates such as legal fees or moving costs are labelled as estimates, so you can replace them with your own quotes.
Keeping guides current
Guides that depend on rates or rules show a "numbers last checked" date. We review those guides at least every quarter and whenever a rule changes. If you spot something out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
Expert review
Where a guide has been reviewed by a professional (a mortgage broker, lawyer or accountant), we name them and their credential at the top of the guide.
Independence and the Acres app
realtorgrowth.ca is published by the team behind Acres, a Nova Scotia home search app. Some guides suggest Acres as a next step. That never affects what a guide says about costs, rules or your options, and we don't accept payment to include or rank anyone.
Not advice
Our guides are general information for Nova Scotia, not legal, tax or financial advice for your situation.