A bank that may not be familiar to you

Quiz time! Who is the largest non-bank mortgage originator in Canada with over $100 billion dollars in mortgages under administration? Answer – First National Financial Corporation. If you’ve never heard of them before, don’t feel bad. The only way to get a First National mortgage is through the broker channel. They do not have any branches anywhere in Canada. How did First National become #1?
Service – First National are fast. They will accept your application, underwrite it and if approved you will get a response within 4 hours. The industry average is 24 hours. Mortgage brokers use First National for clients who have very good credit salaried income and need an approval or pre-approval quickly.

Another nice feature of First National is that they will provide pre-approvals. Many lenders do not want to spend the time and money to provide these but First Nat have always provided pre-approval that are underwritten. What this means is that an underwriter has reviewed your application and if everything in it is straight forward they foresee no problems with an approval for the specified amount of money.

Additionally, if the home you are purchasing is 5 years old or older, a First National mortgage may be for you. They offer Echelon Home System Warranty Program. This is a warranty on your electrical, heating and cooling systems as well as your plumbing. Most hot water tanks have a 6 year warranty. After that it can cost you $20 a month for a warranty program with your utility company. Echelon is free for the first 12 months and then it costs you only $17 a month. Any calls you make for repair work have a $50 call fee but everything else is covered by the warranty. Imagine your hot water tank breaking down on Sunday afternoon. In addition to paying a service call fee of probably $100 you would be paying time and a half for weekends. The tank alone could be $800+. It’s worth it.

Finally, First National introduced something new in fall 2018, a second mortgage. If you have a need for funds for renovations or something else substantial and you are part way through your First National mortgage term you can now obtain a second mortgage. No need to break your mortgage and incur penalties. When your first mortgage term ends, the second mortgage is rolled over into your first mortgage so you don’t have two different expiration dates for your mortgage. This is unheard of for a non-bank to do.
Remember, you can only get First National through the broker channel. Be sure to ask your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional if this would be a good mortgage for you.

– by David Cooke

Interest rate cut more likely than hike in 2019

When the Bank of Canada decided this month to keep its benchmark interest rates stable at 1.75%, it signalled the weakening economy makes it unlikely a rate increase is anywhere on the horizon.

Inflation is not where it should be, we’re not in a deflation mode right now, but inflation is under control and there’s no real need for them to raise interest rates.

Because many of the economic indicators are pointing downward, this puts the bank in a position where it can’t raise rates. This makes refinancing a more attractive option for some homeowners this year.

A lot of economists are saying that Canada is heading back into another crisis, which is an indicator that rates may drop again. This new norm will probably stay around for a little while, but rates will eventually go up. And when it goes up, people have to be obviously prepared for it.

So, for now, homeowners shouldn’t worry too much about a sudden jump in rates. While this may be a new normal, if the economy begins a turnaround, they should be ready or a bump in rates, but I don’t think it’s going to happen the next couple of years.

Usually, Canada’s economy runs almost parallel to that of our southern neighbour’s. However, the two economies seem to have gone their separate ways lately.

There’s a divergence right now that is going to occur between the Canadian and U.S. economies. When people talk about the U.S. sneezing and Canada catches a cold—this is not what’s happening right now. There’s a divergence in the interest rates. Where in the States rates are going up, in Canada, rates cannot go up because of the way our economy is actually going.

The news isn’t all positive for Canadian homeowners though. Read our recent blogs on why too many Canadians are now ineligible for mortgages and why Montrealers in particular will see their municipal tax bills rise in the coming years. If you have any questions about mortgages, contact your nearest Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional near you.

– by Terry Kilakos

2019 Budget Announcement – Policy or Politics?

In the wake of the 2019 Budget Announcement, I find myself wondering if the Affordable Housing Incentive is good policy or just politics? Since the inception of Jan. 1 2018 “Stress Test” we have seen the struggle to qualify for mortgages countrywide. This didn’t just affect the major centers such as Toronto and Vancouver, its dark aurora has cast itself out to the more rural parts of the country where property values may not be as high, but income relativity has made it equally as hard to qualify. I live and operate my Mortgage Brokerage from Lindsay ON (City of Kawartha Lakes) and depending on the repayment terms, I am feeling like this may complicate future borrowing for individuals that accept it or may not make a dramatic difference for them today… I understand that much of the changes are widely unknown yet, but it’s still worth considering the practicality of what is proposed.

When reading the parameters around the new changes, they have an eerie resemblance to a program that already exists in the City of Kawartha Lakes and a lot of other municipalities in Ontario.

Homeownership 10% Down Payment Assistance Program. “The Homeownership Program provides up to 10% in down payment assistance to eligible applicants. Approved applicants would then be provided 30 days to supply proof of financing, an agreement of purchase and sale as well as an acceptable home inspection report. To qualify for the program, applicants must be renting in the City of Kawartha Lakes or the County of Haliburton, be at least 18 years old, have a gross household income at or below $76,100 and be eligible for financing from a financial institution. The selling price of the home must be at or below $363,127. Applicants must also be a first time home buyer and the home must be located in the City of Kawartha Lakes or the County of Haliburton.

The kicker with this “interest free and potentially forgivable loan” is that if you sell the house or rent it out, you are required to pay back the original investment of 10% + 10% of the capital gain on that property. I have seen folks use this program and with their hard work, money and time renovating the house along market appreciation, the value go up on their property in excess of $200,000 and now have to pay $20,000 back to the municipality along with the original investment received. Not knocking that program at all as it has helped many of our residents get into their first home, as in most cases the only thing holding them back was saving up the down payment in a market that has inflated rental rates.

Now, getting back to the New Federal Policy, they have not yet explained (or likely even discussed) the repayment terms but my best guess will be that it’s along the same lines and the provincial program. Using the highlights from Geoff Lee’s blog, see proposed “Share Equity” idea.

CMHC First Time Home Buyers Incentive Plan
-This would give first time home buyers the ability to share the cost of buying a home with CMHC
-For existing homes – the incentive would provide up to 5% (funding/equity sharing) of the PURCHASE PRICE
-For newly constructed homes the incentive would provide up to 10% (funding/equity sharing) of the PURCHASE PRICE
-Funding/Equity sharing means that CMHC would cover a percentage of the purchase price

Example:
o $400,000 purchase price, 5% down payment ($20,000), AND 5% CHMC shared equity mortgage ($20,000), the size of the insured mortgage would be reduced from $380,000 down to $360,000 which would lower the monthly payment amount for the first time homebuyer

To qualify for the program:
o $120 max household income
o Cannot borrow more than four times their annual household income – making max purchase price approx. $505,000
o $100,000 household income would mean max $400,000 mortgage in order to use this program.

So if the first-time homebuyer still needs to have a minimum 5% down of their own resources (unlike the local program discussed above), and most will be buying a resale home, their proposed fix for this demographic is to share the 5% cost of the house? Using the example above, it would reduce the borrowers monthly payment by approximately $120 per month or a little more than 6.00% reduction in monthly mortgage payment. Saved money each month is certainly helpful, but will this be something that we look back on in years to come as a real difference maker? Could there have been other ways to assist our first time homebuyers? Did we get our fair chunk of consideration? Whatever the right answer is, as we await the great reveal of repayment terms, we as Mortgage Brokers/Agents need to be cautiously optimistic that this will help our clients but understand that it may negatively effect some too… I hope for our clients sake this turns out to be good policy and not just politics. I await the reveal.

– by Dustin James

Federal budget 2019: A closer look.

I have been fielding quite a few questions about the announcement of the new First-Time Home Buyer Incentive program. To begin with, these programs are not scheduled to begin until September of this year assuming no governmental changes.
I have taken the time to break down the math a little further to show the potential savings.
Bear in mind that the incentive funds of up to 10% on a new home and 5% on an existing home are merely an interest free loan that must be repaid upon sale of the property. This is for first time home buyers and household income cannot exceed $120,000 per year.
I will use the example that was in the budget release that illustrates the very maximum benefit available.

Details of the example

-New home purchase price: $400,000
-Household income: $120,000
-Down payment from the buyer: $20,000
-CMHC Incentive Loan: $40,000
-Assuming level fixed rate of 3.5% with an amortization of 25 years.

*Mortgage default insurance (CMHC) is required for a home purchase with less than 20% down payment. The insurance premium percentage decreases for each additional 5% down payment. The buyer with the standard 5% down mortgage pays a much higher premium.
When underwriting the original mortgages, the buyer that is using the CMHC incentive loan is allowed to have more ongoing debt payments outside of the mortgage. The incentive buyer can have monthly debt payments up to $1,650 per month, when the standard 5% down buyer can only have up to $1,100.00 per month.
I will take it a step further with the longer-term effects after the sale of each home. I will use a market value increase of 15% over 5 years bringing the sale price to $460,000.00.

It is very clear from the above financial illustration that the benefits of the CMHC incentive loan are realized in the up-front savings on the insurance premium and the reduced interest costs during the mortgage term. If this program comes into effect, I will be advising buyers to set the mortgage payments as close to the 5% down level as possible to further leverage the benefit and put more in their pocket after the sale. If you have any questions, contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker.

– by Kevin Carlson

Nuts & Bolts of the Federal 2019 Budget | What you REALLY need to know!

On March 19, the Federal Government announced the official 2019 budget. One major topic on the discussion table (and one we were all holding our breath for) was the discussion of affordable housing in Canada. So just what happened on “Budget Day?” Here are the highlights of the 2019 Federal Budget:

MORTGAGE INDUSTRY RELATED:

CMHC First Time Home Buyers Incentive Plan

-This would give first time home buyers the ability to share the cost of buying a home with CMHC
-For existing homes – the incentive would provide up to 5% (funding/equity sharing) of the PURCHASE PRICE
-For newly constructed homes the incentive would provide up to 10% (funding/equity sharing) of the PURCHASE PRICE
-Funding/Equity sharing means that CMHC would cover a percentage of the purchase price

Example:

• 400K purchase price, 5% down payment (20K), AND 5% CHMC shared equity mortgage (20K), the size of the insured mortgage would be reduced from 380K down to 360K, which would lower the monthly payment amount for the first time home buyer

To qualify for the program:

• 120K max household income
• Cannot borrow more than 4x their annual household income – making max purchase price approx. 505K
• 100k household income would mean max 400K mortgage in order to use this program.

HOME BUYERS PLAN RRSP INCREASE

An increase of the previous $25,000 for RRSP withdrawal amount through the Home Buyers Plan to $35,000
These were the only two key changes that came out of the Federal Budget (so far). It provides minimal assistance for First Time Home Buyers, especially in a market like Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, who have home prices well above the 505k purchase price limit. However, it could provide assistance to those looking to purchase condos or townhomes ore in more rural areas. One area that will remain the same for the mortgage industry is the continued B-20 stress testing measures (which have recently come under fire)

The predicted start time is Fall 2019 for these guidelines. We will keep you updated on any new additions or changes as the information becomes available. If you have any mortgage related questions, contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional near you.

– by Geoff Lee

When Death Strikes Suddenly

Recently I was finishing up a mortgage with a young couple who had just had a beautiful baby girl. I brought up the topic of mortgage and life insurance as well as getting a will written up. The response from the husband was that it was such a morbid topic and a real downer when they were excited about their new home.

The fact is that people, even young people die from car accidents, cancer, and even accidental drownings while on vacation. It’s a topic everyone avoids but it needs to be addressed, particularly when you are taking a major financial step like buying a home. What would happen to your spouse if you died suddenly with your mortgage not paid off?

I spoke to a major Canadian mortgage company about this topic.
I asked if the surviving spouse would be kicked out of the house. “ When someone dies who was on our mortgage we want to know right away . We ask for a copy of the death certificate so that we can take them off title. We will let the mortgage run it’s term if payments are being made on time. Many surviving spouses receive a life insurance policy and can pay off the mortgage or at least keep up the payments. We will renew the mortgage if payments are up to date. However, should the surviving spouse want to refinance the mortgage they would have to re-qualify for it.”

So what can you do to make life easier for your family should you die with a mortgage on your home? The easiest option is to have sufficient life insurance to ensure that they can keep up payments or to pay off the mortgage. Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professionals all offer MPP (Mortgage Protection Plan), a life insurance policy that pays off the mortgage in full in case of the death of the policy holder. The payments never go up because the mortgage balance is going down as the insured person gets older.

Another option is term insurance or whole life insurance. Speak to your favourite insurance broker about this.
Finally, if the surviving spouse is 55 or older, and they can’t afford to maintain the mortgage, a reverse mortgage may be the solution. No payments are made on the principal unless you decide you want to. When the widow(er) moves out the sale of the home pays off the mortgage and interest.

While it can be a “downer” to talk about death and disability, a responsible home purchaser needs to have the conversation with their Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional at the time of their purchase, refinance or renewal. The sudden death of a family member causes enough grief for the survivors, why add to their misery. As the old commercial used to say “Why wait for spring, do it now”.

– by David Cooke

March is Fraud Prevention Month

You may have seen advertisements warning you to be aware of phishing schemes and other scams. In the past week, I have received fraudulent emails claiming to be Shaw Cable, RBC and even the FBI. These are easy to spot because of mistakes in the letterhead, spelling mistakes and formal language that would fit in well in the 19th century. What is not as well-known is mortgage fraud. Fraudulent mortgages cost lenders every year. These losses result in higher costs and interest rates for consumers – so fraud ends up costing all of us money. What types of fraud should you be aware of?

Fraud for Shelter  – this is when an applicant gives false information concerning their income or job status in order to obtain a mortgage to buy a home. While they may plan on paying off the mortgage in full this is still fraud. Another form of fraud is when you sign a declaration at the lawyer’s office saying that you will be living in the property when you have no intention of living there.
Fraud for Profit – a friend says they know someone who needs to buy a house now but their credit won’t be satisfactory for another 3 or 4 months. They ask you to say you are the buyer and provide your credit history in exchange for $5,000 for your trouble. The problem for you the “straw buyer” is when they flip the home and run off with the profits leaving you on the hook for a mortgage and having to deal with legal authorities as well.
Foreclosure Fraud – a fraudster approaches a homeowner who is in financial trouble with a debt-consolidation scheme that involves the owner paying an upfront fee and signing over title to the home to the fraudster.
• the home owner receives cash from the fraudster to address immediate bills and remains in the home paying “rent” or “consolidated debt payments” to the fraudster
• the fraudster pockets all of the owner’s payments and ignores bills and taxes, which leads to debt-collection procedures against the owner
• the fraudster may re-mortgage or sell the property to an accomplice, leaving the owner without the property title, homeless and still in debt

Title Fraud – This is when someone forges your identity and either sells your property or takes out a mortgage on the property. Buying title insurance for a home under $500,000 can cost you between $50 and $175 and covers any legal fees you have to pay to regain your property.

If you have any questions, contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker near you.

– by David Cooke

Why reverse mortgages are bucking the downward trend

The reverse mortgage market in Canada has been increasing at a phenomenal rate over the last few years.

In fact, for HomeEquity Bank, the provider of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, growth was well over 40% in August, bringing Canada’s outstanding reverse mortgage balance to $3.03 billion.

Compare this to the latest growth in lending for new and renewal mortgages at just 4.1% – this is the lowest since May 2001. Much of this slow-down in mortgage growth is a result of the introduction of the new mortgage stress test, which has made it harder for borrowers to qualify for the mortgage they need, as well as a significant jump in mortgage interest rates.

So, how is it that reverse mortgages are growing so much faster than conventional mortgages? And who is driving this growth?

The reverse mortgage solution and why it matters to you

The CHIP Reverse Mortgages allows you to tap into the equity of your home is available to Canadians aged 55 and over. The key difference from a regular mortgage is that borrowers don’t have to make any regular repayments. This means they can have a considerable injection of cash without having to pay off what they owe until they sell or move out of their home.

The number of Canadians over 65 has jumped by 20% since 2011, so the potential market for reverse mortgages has grown enormously in just a few years.

Life expectancy is now at almost 83 and more people are living into their 90s and beyond 100 than ever before. Retirement can now easily last 20 years or more, which can put a big strain on retirement savings. Many retirees are therefore having to look at ways to supplement their retirement income.

There are many reasons for taking out a reverse mortgage. These include paying off high interest debt, maintaining a good standard of living, improving or retrofitting their home and helping family out financially.

Canadians prefer to stay in their homes during retirement

A recent Ipsos/HomeEquity Bank survey revealed that a staggering 93% of Canadians aged 65+ are determined to stay in their homes during retirement, rather than downsize or move in with relatives or into a care home.

Almost 70% said that maintaining their independence was the most important reason for staying at home. Others also want to stay close to their family, friends and community.

Downsizing is an increasingly unpopular option

While downsizing has often been seen as a key strategy for accessing some home equity, its popularity is declining. Another Ipsos survey revealed that 48% of homeowners don’t plan on downsizing and that 39% are skeptical that downsizing would actually save them any money. People who regretted downsizing said the key reasons were missing their old neighbourhood, family and friends, which can play a big role in emotional well-being in your later years.

Nevertheless, 31% of retirees say they need to cash in on their home’s equity to live comfortably in retirement. So, if they don’t want to downsize, what are their options?

How the reverse mortgage helps out retirees

The introduction of the mortgage stress test has made it even harder for retirees to qualify for the kind of mortgage they need to effectively improve their finances.

Even those that do qualify often struggle to make the monthly payments required from a conventional mortgage or line of credit. A reverse mortgage provides them with tax-free cash that enable retirees to live the retirement they want, with no negative impact on their monthly income. For many retirees, a reverse mortgage is the only option available to them that provides them with the finances they need without regular required payments.

If you would like to find out more about the CHIP Reverse Mortgage and how it could help improve your retirement finances, contact your Dominion Lending Centre mortgage professional.

– by Rebecca Burgum