The Downsizing Dilemma With almost 50% of homeowners ready to retire and wishing to stay in their home and 30% of those people with most of their money tied up in home equity, the downsizing dilemma is real. Can they afford to stay in their home or is downsizing the better option. In the past, […]

Fixed-rate mortgage: What lenders you should do it with and why 25-year amortization or 30 years? Insured or Uninsured? With an A Lender or B Lender? These are just a few of the questions people have to decide on when they are pursuing a mortgage. But the biggest question of all: Fixed Rate or Variable […]

What should come first, the house or the car? So you just got a shiny new car, and now you want a shiny new home to go with it. Will that new car payment affect your mortgage pre- approval? The short answer… absolutely it will. Recently, I have encountered many people looking to pre-approve for […]

Cash Back and Decorating Allowances on New Build or Pre-sale Purchases As the market shifts, developers will increase their incentives to buyers with cash back and decorating allowances on new build or pre-sale purchases. It is very important to review those options with your real estate agent representative and vital to consult with your Dominion […]

Mortgage Insurance 101 For a first-time home buyer, the types of insurance surrounding a mortgage can be confusing, so it’s important to know what insurance covers what. There are 3 main types of insurance to know about when buying a home. Mortgage Default Insurance – If you put less than 20% down on a home […]

2 Oct 2018 The Pros and Cons of Co-Signing for a Mortgage If you keep up on the news you know that qualifying for a mortgage is getting tougher and tougher. Someone who would have sailed through the application process 10 years ago could find themselves declined for a mortgage today. Often I find applicants […]

What is the difference between a Mortgage Broker and a Mortgage Specialist With the importance of real estate in Canada, it is vital to understand how the various professionals in the sector operate when buying a home. Sooooooo… what is the difference between a Mortgage Specialist & a Mortgage Broker? At the surface they sound […]

The Mortgage Insurance Market & Wholesale Lenders The Canadian mortgage market used to be very simple. We had the big banks, credit unions, and trust companies. However, almost 20 years ago, the Canadian government made three major changes to the Canadian mortgage industry. First, the government and CMHC put their weight behind Canadian mortgages by […]

All About Pre-Approvals Are you in the market for a new home? That’s great – but if you’re not already pre-approved from your mortgage broker, be sure to read on. Pre-approvals are very important for two reasons. They give you confidence in knowing that a specific amount of financing is available for you. A pre-approval […]

Mortgage Protection Plan Insurance coverage is something that everyone is “pitched” at some point or another in their life. Unfortunately, a lot of us have a negative attitude towards insurance or warranty as it is perceived as being a cash grab. Yes, if you are purchasing a flat screen T.V., that extra 2-year warranty for […]