A tailor-made solution for some borrowers Recently, two of my lenders came out with new products – Interest only mortgages. We have had these available from private lenders for many years but at much higher interest rates. They are useful for real estate investors and people who have consolidated debts and need six months to […]

Want to Buy Rural Property? 6 Things to know before you buy! Living in the country has extreme appeal for some people. Space, peace and quiet, big home, big yard, place to raise your family… the list goes on. If you are considering buying a rural home, there are a number of things to consider, […]

The 3 Steps that take you from Pre-Approval to Your New Home Picture this: You’ve finally been able to put away enough for a down-payment on your dream home. It’s taken you five years of diligent saving, but you did it! You have also been diligently working on improving your credit score and paying off […]

What Is a Monoline Lender? What usually follows once someone hears the term “Monoline Lender” for the first time is a feeling of suspicion and lack of trust. It’s understandable, I mean why is this “bank” you’ve never heard of willing to loan you money when you’ve never banked with them before? In an effort […]

It’s not all about the rate: Amortization & Renewals Have you spoken to a mortgage broker lately? When it’s time to renew your mortgage you have the freedom to do a number of things that are not possible at any other time without a financial penalty. Renewal time is an opportunity. Have you looked at […]

My First Home-Our House Magazine We all remember our firsts. Our first day of school, our first bicycle and our first love. It’s no different for our first home. And I remember mine like it was yesterday. I bought my first home shortly after turning 19 in the late 1980s. It was a single-family home […]

5 Things to know before buying a Rural Property After several years as a home owner, my friend was set to buy the home of his dreams. He always wanted to own an acreage outside of town. He had visions of having a few animals, a small tractor and lots of space. As a person […]

Reverse Mortgage – the pros and cons You may be seeing and hearing a lot more regarding the Reverse Mortgage in today’s marketplace. I have taken the time to get familiar with the program here in Canada and have been quite surprised by how it’s changed and how different it is to its counterpart in […]

Subject to Financing- A Must! With most people who are new to real estate and looking for their first home (or possibly second), one of the most significant times is when your offer to buy is accepted by a seller. Unfortunately, that moment is quickly followed by stress, as not many people know what comes […]

CMHC Changes to Assist Self-Employed Borrowers As a self-employed person myself, I was happy to hear that CMHC is willing to make some changes that will make it easier for us to qualify for a mortgage. In an announcement on July 19, 2018, the CMHC has said “Self-employed Canadians represent a significant part of the […]