A mortgage broker for every region of Nova Scotia
Most Nova Scotia mortgage websites serve Halifax and say “and beyond”. This one writes up each region on its own terms — the tax in that municipality, the regional price with the arithmetic done, which provincial program applies, and what lenders ask about the housing and the income there.
Which parts of Nova Scotia does Oickle Mortgages serve?
All of it. Riley Oickle is licensed for the whole province and works from Bedford, with the application, documents and signing handled remotely. Five towns have full pages — Truro, Yarmouth, New Glasgow, Kentville and Sydney — and every region is covered below with its August 2026 average price and deed transfer tax rates.
Town pages
Truro
Colchester County · 1.5% deed transfer tax · Northern Nova Scotia average $332,251 (-1.3%)
Yarmouth
Yarmouth County · 1% deed transfer tax · Yarmouth average $313,944 (-4.4%)
New Glasgow
Pictou County · 1% deed transfer tax · Highland Region average $367,859 (+14.1%)
Kentville
Kings County · 1.5% deed transfer tax · Annapolis Valley average $394,019 (+1.7%)
Sydney
Cape Breton Regional Municipality · 1.5% deed transfer tax · Cape Breton average $289,859 (+15.3%)
Every region, August 2026
| Region | Communities | Average price | Year over year | Deed transfer tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halifax Regional Municipality | Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville, Cole Harbour, Fall River, Eastern Shore | $592,675 | -1.9% | 1.5% (HRM) |
| Northern Nova Scotia | Truro, Colchester, Amherst, Cumberland, East Hants | $332,251 | -1.3% | 1.5% Truro, Colchester, Amherst, Cumberland, East Hants; 1.0% Stewiacke |
| Highland Region | New Glasgow, Pictou County, Antigonish, Guysborough | $367,859 | +14.1% | 1.0% all of Pictou County and Antigonish County; 1.5% Town of Antigonish |
| Cape Breton | Sydney, Glace Bay, North Sydney, Port Hawkesbury, Baddeck, Inverness | $289,859 | +15.3% | 1.5% CBRM, Victoria, Inverness, Richmond, Port Hawkesbury |
| Annapolis Valley | Kentville, New Minas, Wolfville, Berwick, Middleton, Windsor, Greenwood | $394,019 | +1.7% | 1.5% Kentville, Kings, Wolfville, West Hants, Annapolis; 1.25% Berwick |
| South Shore | Bridgewater, Lunenburg, Chester, Liverpool, Shelburne | $455,127 | +0.9% | 1.5% Bridgewater, Lunenburg, Chester, Queens, Shelburne; 1.25% District of Lunenburg |
| Yarmouth and Southwest | Yarmouth, Argyle, Clare, Digby, Barrington | $313,944 | -4.4% | 1.0% Yarmouth, Argyle, Clare, Digby district; 1.5% Town of Digby, Barrington |
Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville and the rest of HRM are served from the Bedford office at 30 Damascus Rd, Suite 212. The HRM deed transfer tax is 1.5% — $8,890 on the August 2026 Halifax-Dartmouth average of $592,675 — and both provincial first-time buyer programs use their highest price cap here ($570,000). Dedicated pages for Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Sackville are in progress; in the meantime the pre-approval, first-time buyer and program comparison pages carry the HRM figures.
South Shore
Bridgewater, Lunenburg, Chester, Mahone Bay, Liverpool and Shelburne. The South Shore is the priciest region outside HRM at $455,127, with a large share of waterfront and seasonal property that finances as recreational rather than residential, and the District of Lunenburg at 1.25% deed transfer tax against 1.5% in the towns. The Down Payment Assistance Program cap for the South Shore is $375,000. A Bridgewater page is next in the queue; until then, send the listing.
Questions people ask
Do you serve areas outside Halifax?
Yes — the whole province. The office is in Bedford, and the application, documents and signing are remote, so a buyer in Yarmouth, Sydney or Amherst is served the same way as one in Dartmouth. Appraisers and lawyers are local to the property.
Why does the deed transfer tax differ by town?
Each municipality sets its own rate by by-law. As of the July 2026 provincial schedule, 15 municipalities charge 1.0% (including all of Pictou and Yarmouth counties), three charge 1.25%, and 31 — including Halifax and Cape Breton Regional Municipalities — charge 1.5%.
Are house prices published by town in Nova Scotia?
No. The Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS® publishes average prices by region — Halifax-Dartmouth, Northern, Highland, Cape Breton, Annapolis Valley, South Shore and Yarmouth — not by town. Every price on this site is a regional figure and is labelled as one.
Which towns have their own page?
Truro, Yarmouth, New Glasgow, Kentville and Sydney so far, chosen because each has lending questions of its own that a Halifax-only page gets wrong. Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford, Sackville, Bridgewater and Amherst are next. Until then the regional listings here cover them.
Talk it through before you commit to anything
A 15-minute call is enough to tell you what you qualify for, what it will cost to close, and whether a broker or your bank is the better route for your file. No fee, no obligation.