Mortgage Blog
Bank of Canada Rate Announcement July 10th, 2019
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ percent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 percent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ percent. Evidence has been accumulating that ongoing trade tensions are having a material effect on the global...
read more
Why The Property Matters
When looking to qualify for a mortgage, typically a lender will want to review four main areas of your mortgage application. Income, credit, downpayment/equity and the property itself. Assuming you have a great job, excellent credit, and sufficient money in the bank...
read more
Using Your RRSP To Help Buy A Home
Did you know that you can use your RRSP to help buy a home? In fact, you can, it’s called the RRSP Home Buyer’s Plan (or HBP for short). Here are a few things you need to know! It needs to be your first home (with some exceptions). Technically, you must not have owned...
read more
First Time Home Buyer incentive | What we know so far
If you've been hearing about a new incentive for First Time Home Buyers and wondering how it might impact you, look no further, below you will find all relevant information to date. As more information is released, you can expect to find it published here. From the...
read more
TDS? GDS? What Is Income Debt Servicing?
“Debt servicing” is the measure of your ability to meet all of your financial obligations. There are two ratios that are examined by financial institutions to determine whether you can debt service a mortgage. The first one is called the “gross debt service” ratio...
read more
What You Should Know About Buying A Home With a Rental Suite
Thinking about buying a home with a rental suite? This can be a great idea if you want to help offset the cost of your home expenses, and it can also potentially help with qualifying for a mortgage on your new purchase, but there are some things you should know up...
read more
Can I Get a Mortgage with No Downpayment?
The simple answer to this question is no. In order to secure mortgage financing in Canada you have to come up with at least a 5% downpayment.Now, if you haven't set aside the 5% for a downpayment in your savings account, that is okay. There are still a few ways to get...
read more
Bank of Canada Rate Announcement May 29th, 2019
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. Recent Canadian economic data are in line with the projections in the Bank’s April Monetary Policy...
read more
Mortgage Post Bankruptcy
This should come as no surprise, but sometimes life throws you a financial curveball. Bankruptcy and consumer proposals happen. It doesn't mean your life is over, and it doesn't mean you won't ever qualify for a mortgage again. The key here is to get a plan in place...
read more
Avoid This Mistake When Shopping for a House
No doubt about it, buying a home is an emotional experience. It's a game of balancing needs and wants, while trying to be honest with yourself about those very needs and wants. It's hard to get it right, figuring out what's negotiable and what isn't... what you can...
read more
How Much Difference Will Extra Payments Make Towards My Mortgage?
Have you ever wondered how much difference extra payments actually make in paying down your mortgage? Let's take a look and maybe do a little math. The first (and largest) factor to look at is the amortization, which is the remainder of your mortgage’s life. A...
read more
How Can I Pay Down My Mortgage Faster?
Although getting a mortgage is exciting as it allows you to become a homeowner, a mortgage is, in fact, a lot of debt. So if you have a mortgage, your goal should be to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Here are four things you can do to help pay off your mortgage...
read moreBank of Canada Rate Announcement April 24th, 2019
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. Global economic growth has slowed by more than the Bank forecast in its January Monetary Policy...
read moreA Conversation About Mortgage Pre-approvals
Thinking of buying a property, but don't know where to start? Well... that's where a mortgage pre-approval comes in. Start here. Just like you wouldn't go into a restaurant without having enough money to buy your meal, so you shouldn't start shopping for a home...
read moreTips for Homebuying with Family Members
Pooling resources with parents or siblings opens possibilities when it comes to buying a home everyone can afford. Homebuying requires careful planning though, since there’s so much at stake—and money is the least of it; we’re talking love and loyalty here. If you...
read moreWhat You Can Expect When Locking in a Variable Rate
If you have a variable rate mortgage, and recent economic news has you thinking about locking into a fixed rate, here is what you can expect will happen. Firstly, your lender will be very happy as they will now make considerably more money off you. Not only will your...
read more9 Quick Tips on Finding a Great REALTOR®
So, you want to buy a home. Or maybe you want to sell your home. Either way, working with a real estate professional or REALTOR® is a really good idea. But with all the agents out there competing to earn your business, how do you find the right one? Here is a quick...
read moreBuying A Home, The 30,000 Foot View
Did you know that the average Canadian will spend roughly 11 months actively engaged in the house buying process? However, most of the dreaming (and preparation) happens before then. Buying a home is a big deal, and it's a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly....
read morePayment Frequency, Does it Really Make a Difference?
It has been said that there are two certainties in life; death and taxes. Well, as it relates to your mortgage, the single certainty is that you will pay back what you borrowed, plus interest. However, how you make your mortgage payments, the payment frequency, is...
read moreBank of Canada Rate Announcement Mar 6th, 2019
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. Recent data suggest that the slowdown in the global economy has been more pronounced and widespread...
read moreGetting on the Property Ladder
As property prices continue to rise across Canada, the conversation around "how to climb the property ladder" has made a subtle shift to "how to get on the property ladder in the first place." Especially if you're single. Whereas before it was assumed anyone would...
read moreYou Just Got a Mortgage. Now What?
Mortgages are a funny thing. On the one hand they allow you to become a home owner without saving up enough money to purchase the home outright, which is a really good thing. On the other hand, even at today's really low interest rates, as they are amortized over a...
read more5 Things to Help You Survive Your 40s & 50s
You know those days where everything goes wrong and you’re so tired you don’t know what direction’s up? They’re a lot more manageable when you know what you’re working towards. Here’s 5 things that’ll help you survive—and make the most of!—your 40s and 50s. 1. Do...
read moreWhat is Bridge Financing?
Let's say you have a home that you've outgrown, it's time to make a move to something more suited for your family. You have no desire to keep two houses, so you decide that selling your existing home, and moving into something new is the best idea. Ideally, when...
read moreTop Dollar: How High Can You Go?
Affordability is a major concern for today’s aspiring first-time homebuyers. In hot real estate markets like the Greater Toronto and Greater Vancouver regions, however, the desire for affordability can be challenged by the competitive fervour caused by escalating...
read moreCan I Give Someone The Downpayment to Buy My House?
Although it might not always be this straightforward, the question "Can I give someone the downpayment to buy my house?" presents itself in many different ways. And the answer to all of them is no, well... except in one circumstance, but we will get to that later....
read more5 Ways to Boost Your Financial Fitness
Thinking about buying your first home? The race to home ownership is more like a marathon than a sprint: diligent planning, pacing and strategy are the keys to success. Are you ready to approach the starting line? Here are five ways to shape up and boost your...
read moreBank of Canada Rate Announcement Jan 9th, 2019
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. The global economic expansion continues to moderate, with growth forecast to slow to 3.4 per cent...
read more7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Building a Home
Building your dream home can sound really exciting, but have you thought about everything that goes into building a new home?Here are 7 Questions you should ask yourself before making any concrete plans!1. What are my expectations with this new home?Are you looking...
read moreMortgage Documentation, Plan Ahead!
Collecting the right documentation to prove you are a worthy candidate to borrow a lot of money to buy a property can be an arduous task. The most recent government rule changes and tightening of mortgage qualification isn't making things easier. If you seem to think...
read moreYour Work Makes You Happier Than You Think
While we may think we dislike our work, research shows we’re considerably less happy doing nothing. The great paradox of working for a living, according to a recent longread by Derek Thompson for The Atlantic, is “that while many people hate their jobs, they are...
read moreBank of Canada Rate Announcement Dec 5th, 2018
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. The global economic expansion is moderating largely as expected, but signs are emerging that trade...
read moreSpousal Buyout Mortgage?
If you happen to be going through, or considering a divorce or separation, you might not be aware that there are mortgage products designed to allow you to refinance your property in order to buyout your ex-spouse. For most couples, their property is their largest...
read moreDeposit vs Downpayment
As part of the mortgage and real estate processes, there’s a lot of confusion around the differences between the deposit and the downpayment. It's important to understand what sets them apart so you don’t get confused when it’s time to secure financing on a property...
read moreI Missed a Credit Card Payment… Now What?
If you've missed a payment on your credit card (or line of credit) and you're wondering how this will impact your creditworthiness down the road, this article is for you. But before we get started, if you have an overdue balance on any of your credit cards at this...
read moreDon’t Assume Anything!
A lot of people get into hot water when they assume that because they've qualified for a mortgage in the past, they will qualify for a mortgage in the future. This article has one point to make and it's this: Don't assume anything when dealing with mortgage financing!...
read moreShould You Keep a Small Balance on Your Credit Card?
Recently the good people over at Nest Wealth published an article called "The Worst Money Advice We've Ever Heard". On the list was "Always keep a small balance on your credit card". What they have to say on the subject is spot on: Someone, somewhere, starting telling...
read moreBank of Canada Rate Announcement Oct 24th, 2018
The Bank of Canada today increased its target for the overnight rate to 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. The global economic outlook remains solid. The US economy is especially robust and is expected to...
read moreCan’t Find the Perfect Property In Your Price Range?
You're pre-approved for a mortgage, you've been shopping with location in mind, but unfortunately the perfect property isn't jumping out at you. There is no doubt about it, finding the perfect property (within your price range) is a difficult task, especially for...
read more5 Things You Need to Know Before You Co-Sign a Mortgage!
So you're thinking about co-signing for a mortgage? Okay, do you really know what that means do you know what you are getting yourself into? Co-signing isn't necessarily a bad thing, but there is certainly a lot of misinformation floating around on the subject....
read moreBenefits of Homeownership Reaffirmed in New Study
Despite deteriorating housing affordability across the country, buying a home is still the more affordable option when compared to renting. A new report from Mortgage Professionals Canada has determined that, despite the rapid rise in home prices, those who are able...
read moreMinimum Required Credit Profile
Credit. The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future. When you borrow money to buy a house, you will be required to prove that you have a good history of managing your credit. But what...
read moreHow to Not Qualify for a Mortgage
If you have no desire at all to qualify for a mortgage, here are some great ways to make sure you don't accidentally end up buying a house and taking out a mortgage to do so. One of the best ways to ensure you won't qualify for a mortgage is to be unemployed. Yep,...
read moreOnline Mortgage Calculators, Can You Trust Them?
You'd think an online calculator is a pretty straight forward device, one that you should be able to place your full confidence in, and for the most part they are. Calculators calculate numbers, the numbers are reliable, but how you interpret those numbers... not so...
read moreBank of Canada Rate Announcement Sept 5th, 2018
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ½ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 ¾ per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ¼ per cent. CPI inflation moved up to 3 per cent in July. This was higher than expected, in large part...
read moreEmployment Status | How it Impacts Your Mortgage Application
Chances are, if you're applying for a mortgage, you feel confident about the state of your current employment, or your ability to find a similar position if you needed to. However, your actual employment status probably means more to the lender than you might think....
read moreAs Simple as Porting Your Mortgage!
As simple as porting your mortgage! Said by no one ever. The truth is, there is nothing simple about porting your mortgage. "Porting your mortgage" involves transferring the remainder of your existing mortgage term, outstanding principal balance, and interest rate to...
read moreIs the Housing Market Turning a Corner?
While Vancouver area home sales are still posting year-over-year declines, signs are appearing in the Greater Toronto Area that the worst of the housing correction is now over. Experts say that likely won’t be enough to stave off a slowdown in national GDP growth,...
read moreImproving Your Credit Score
Along with employment stability, and downpayment/equity, your credit score and how you manage your credit is a huge factor in qualifying for a mortgage. If you want the best interest rates available on the market, the higher your credit score the better. However, if...
read moreThinking of Selling? Call Me First!
If you've been thinking about selling your existing property, for whatever reason, it would be in your best interest to give me a call before you list for sale. Here are a few scenarios that explain why... Buying a New Property! You have to live somewhere! If you plan...
read moreMore Flexibility for Self-Employed Home Buyers, Coming Soon!
Over the last few years, it's been more a story about tightening rules and regulations, mitigating risk, and restricting lending practices than anything. However the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) just announced that it looks like mortgage financing...
read moreIs Right Now a Good Time to Buy?
If you've been thinking about buying a new home; whether that be your first home, your next home, your forever home, or your retirement home, the doom and gloom of it all might be causing you to question... is right now a good time to buy a home? Well... what if I...
read more