15 Oct

THE DOWNSIZING DILEMMA

Real Estate

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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, retired couples or […]

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8 Oct

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTY

Buying

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With all of the rule changes imposed by the federal and provincial governments around mortgage financing and real estate it may be more difficult to access financing. But don’t take it personally – sometimes it’s not you it’s the property. When lenders underwrite your application for approval they look at you as a borrower but […]

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1 Oct

BREAKING A MORTGAGE – CAN YOU DO IT?

Mortgage Tips

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Do you have a mortgage? So do I! Looks like we have something in common. Did you know that 6 out of 10 consumers break their mortgage 38 months into a 5-year term? That means that 60% of consumers break a 5-year term mortgage well before it’s due…but do you also know what the implications […]

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24 Sep

DON’T FORGET THE CLOSING COSTS WHEN YOU PURCHASE A HOME

Buying

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The purchase price you negotiate when buying or selling a home is just one part of the total cost for buying a home. In addition to the purchase price there are several other fees – known as closing costs – all of which you need to factor in to your purchase price. Closing costs tend […]

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17 Sep

ALL ABOUT PRE-APPROVALS

Mortgage Tips

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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 can put you […]

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4 Sep

WHAT IS A “MONOLINE” LENDER?

General

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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 to help you see the […]

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27 Aug

The Right Kind of Debt

General

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Put yourself in a bank or lender’s shoes. Someone comes into your branch and asks you to politely loan them $300,000. You are a big bank, but $300,000 is still a lot of money. How do you ensure this person is going to pay back the money you loan them, on time, and in the […]

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20 Aug

DON’T FORGET THE CLOSING COSTS WHEN YOU PURCHASE A HOME

General

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The purchase price you negotiate when buying or selling a home is just one part of the total cost for buying a home. In addition to the purchase price there are several other fees – known as closing costs – all of which you need to factor in to your purchase price. Closing costs tend […]

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17 Aug

CMHC CHANGES TO ASSIST SELF-EMPLOYED BORROWERS

General

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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 Canadian workforce. These policy changes respond […]

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