30 Jul

HOW CREDIT AFFECTS YOUR LOAN APPROVAL

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

When you apply for a loan, lenders assess your credit risk based on a number of factors. Your credit score, as well as the information on your credit report, are key ingredients in determining whether you’ll be able to get financing and the rate you’ll pay. To get approved for a loan and to pay a lower interest rate it’s important that your credit report reflects that you’re a responsible borrower who pays their debts on time with a low risk of defaulting.

Credit Report vs. Credit Score
To start with, it’s important to understand that your credit report and your credit score are two separate things.

Credit Report – Your credit report contains information detailing your credit history. Sources include lenders, utility companies and landlords. This information is compiled by one of two major credit-reporting agencies (Equifax and TransUnion) that try to create an accurate picture of your financial history. Credit files include information such as:
• Name, address and social insurance number
• Types of credit you use
• When you opened a loan or line of credit
• The balances and available credit on your credit cards and other lines of credit
• Information about whether you pay your bills on time
• Information about any accounts passed to a collection’s agency
• How much new credit you’ve opened recently
• Records related to bankruptcy, tax liens or court judgments
Errors on your credit report can reduce your score artificially. In fact, 1 in 4 consumers have damaging credit report errors. Therefore, it’s important to stay up-to-date on your credit report history. If there is an error, you should dispute it and get it removed as soon as possible. Last year, 4 out of 5 consumers who filed a dispute got their credit report modified, according to a U.S. study by the Federal Trade Commission.

Credit Score – Your credit score is the actual numeric value extrapolated from the information in your credit report. A credit-reporting bureau applies a complex mathematical algorithm to the information in your credit file to create your numerical credit score.
Beacon is the most widely known credit scoring formula in Canada and is used by many creditors. Your FICO score can range from 300 to 850, with under 400 being very low and 700+ putting you in the healthy range. Your credit score is meant to give potential lenders an idea of how big of a financial risk you are. The higher your score, the less likely you are to default or make late payments and the more likely you are to be approved for financing.
Your score is based most strongly on three factors: your payment history (35% of your score), the amounts owed on credit cards and other debt (30%) and how long you’ve had credit (15%).

What Are They Used For?
Lenders glance at your credit score to determine your credit risk. Most traditional lenders have pre-set standards. If your credit score is within a certain range, they’ll offer you certain credit terms. If you don’t fall within their approved range, then you may be denied. Most banking institutions will only approve a loan if the client has a credit score of at least 640. A score of 700, however, gives you a much better chance at gaining approval at most lending institutions and at reasonable rates.
As far as interest rates are concerned, banks use an array of factors to set them. The truth is they are looking to maximize profits for themselves and shareholders. On the other hand, consumers and businesses seek the lowest rate possible. A commonsense approach for getting a good rate would be having the highest credit score possible.
It’s important to note that if you apply for a loan, the lender will most likely pull your credit score through what is commonly called a “hard inquiry” on your credit, which slightly lowers your credit score. Therefore, it’s important to know your credit score ahead of time, fix any errors, and apply for loans which you have a good chance of being approved for.

Things You Can Do to Improve Your Credit Score

1. Check your credit report for errors – While the credit agencies do their best to keep your record free of errors, they can make mistakes. It’s important to check your credit report at least once a year — consumers are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months — to ensure all of the information is correct. Each agency may have slightly different information and, consequently, may have errors another credit report doesn’t.
2. Set up payment reminders – Making credit payments on time is one of the biggest contributing factors of your credit score. It may be helpful to set up automatic payments through credit card or loan providers so you don’t forget to pay when payment is due.
3. Reduce the amount of debt you owe – Stop using your credit cards. Use your credit report to make a list of all your accounts and check recent statements to determine how much you owe on each account and what interest rate they’re charging you. Then create a payment plan to lower or eliminate the debt you still owe.

How Dominion Lending Centres Can Help
Many businesses need financing to start or expand. Although your credit score is only one component of your lender’s decision, it’s an important one. If you have a low credit score and are unable to secure financing through a traditional bank, DLC Leasing will be able to get you approved with our team of lenders. When the bank says no, our team will still say yes with flexible terms and interest rates.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

27 Jul

TOP 8 QUESTIONS ABOUT REVERSE MORTGAGES

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Having completed dozens of reverse mortgage deals, there are some questions that I find I get over and over again.
So today I thought I’d write a piece on the 8 most common reverse mortgage questions that people in Canada have regarding reverse mortgages.

1- If I have an existing mortgage on the property, can I get a reverse mortgage?
Not only is this the most common question regarding reverse mortgages, it is actually one of the most common uses for a reverse mortgage – to pay off the current mortgage and eliminate that payment and help with monthly cash flow.
However, it is important to realize that you would need to qualify for enough to pay that existing mortgage in full.
For example: If you have $70,000 remaining on the mortgage, you would need to qualify for at least $70,000 to be eligible for a reverse mortgage.
If you owe $70,000 and qualify for $100,000 in reverse mortgage funds, the $70,000 would be paid first and you would be left with the remaining $30,000.
The good news is that the reverse mortgage funds can also be used to pay any penalties or charges for paying out your mortgage as well.
However, the existing mortgage must always be paid off using the reverse mortgage funds and you get to keep whatever is left. Essentially, you are swapping your mortgage with a reverse mortgage and keeping the excess cash.

2 – Can I pay the interest or make payments on the amount I receive?
Yes, you can make monthly interest payment if you choose and you can also pay up to 10% of the amount borrowed (1 payment per year) if you wish.
However, you also have the option to pay nothing at all until you sell the property or until you pass away. Most people choose this option but it is nice to know that you can pay the interest every month (essentially turn the reverse mortgage into the same thing as a Home Equity Line Of Credit).

3 – How do you determine how much I qualify for? I thought I could get 55% of my home value?
This is a common question that we get. It is important to note that you can qualify for up to 55% of the value of the property and not everyone will get this amount. The words ‘up to’ are very important in this statement.
To determine how much you qualify for, four different factors are used: The ages of all applicants, the property value, the property location (postal code) and the property type.
Here is a quick example for all 4 factors: Someone aged 80 will qualify for more than someone aged 60; someone in a city will qualify for more than someone in the countryside; someone with a property value of $500,000 will qualify for more than someone whose value is $200,000 and someone who lives in a detached house will usually qualify for more than someone who lives in a Condo.

4 – I’m 60 but my wife is 53, can we still qualify?
Unfortunately, no. Both applicants need to be 55 or over to qualify. Even if just one of you is on the title, because it is deemed a ‘matrimonial home’ (meaning that the husband and wife both have a legal right to the home, by nature of being married) both of you need to be 55 or over.

5 – What is involved in the application?
Reverse mortgages aren’t as difficult a process to go through as a traditional mortgage. However, you aren’t going to simply be given the money either – remember you are still talking about large amounts of money here and the lender is a Schedule A bank.
Your credit score and income are not usually significant factors in the application – but the lender will still check these. In addition to this, proof of identity and other such paperwork is required.
An appraisal is always required and is the first step – so the lender can identify the market value of your home and therefore how much they can lend. However, it is possible to get a ‘quote’ before this.

6 – What if I want to sell my home?
You can sell your house at any time if you have a reverse mortgage. The mortgage amount (plus any accrued interest and prepayment penalties, if any) would then be paid from the proceeds of the sale. The process would be exactly the same as if you had any other kind of mortgage or HELOC on the property.

7 – Will I still own my home? Yes, you will remain on the title for as long as you or your spouse live in the property and you can never be forced out of your home because of a reverse mortgage.
In fact, from this point of view a reverse mortgage is ‘safer’ than a traditional mortgage. Under a traditional mortgage, you could lose your home for not paying your monthly mortgage payments. Since no such payments exist for a reverse mortgage, there is no such risk.

8 – If I sell my house, can I re-apply for another reverse mortgage on my new property? Absolutely! As long as the property is your primary residence – but just remember that you would need to qualify for enough to pay any mortgage on the new property.
Reverse mortgages can be used for purchases in this way.

If you have any questions, please contact me your local Dominion Lending Centres mortgage specialist.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

 

26 Jul

REVERSE MORTGAGES – MAYBE NOT AS EVIL AS YOU THOUGHT

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

The best part of writing about mortgages is that I get the chance to educate people about a topic which I find endlessly interesting. Reverse mortgages are certainly a topic which deserves some consideration. Everyone seems to be quite polarized over this issue so it seems it is past time we took a closer look.

Imagine the following scenarios:
1. Bob receives a CPP and OAS and a small work pension. His fridge has died but all of Bob’s credit facilities are maxed and he has been declined for additional credit.
2. Sue needs to put her husband Joe into long term care but the cost is much higher than they anticipated and she knows their savings will not last long.
3. Mary and Bill want to purchase a property in Arizona so they can enjoy the warmer weather.
4. Steve wants to be able to use the equity in his home to purchase a rental property so he has additional cash flow.
5. Eveline recently saw an increase in her living expenses and cannot make the ends meet.
6. Cyrill and his wife would like to gift the inheritance to the kids while they are able to watch them enjoy it.

So you get the idea. There are many situations that a person may benefit from having a reverse mortgage. The extra funds could help them through a tough spot or allow the freedom extra funds can offer.

Here in a nutshell are the facts.
• There is only one provider of reverse mortgages in Canada and they are regulated by the Federal government like any other bank.
• They have been around for 30 years.
• You remain the owner of the home, not the bank.
• Unlike a regular mortgage, you do not need to qualify based on income.
• The goal is equity preservation. They want you to have the same equity in your home at the end as you do now.
• NO payments are required as long as you still live in the home though you can if you like.
• The rates are not horrible and the only fees you pay are $1495 for the closing costs, an appraisal and the fee for independent legal advice.
• The amount you can borrow is based on your age, location, property type and the value of the home.
• The money can be taken as a lump sum or month by month, whichever suits you better and it can be used for whatever you like though there is due diligence to protect you.
• If you are survived by your spouse they can remain in the home payment free.
• Tax arrears, OPD, bankruptcies can all be paid from the proceeds.
• Your family is welcome to ask their questions to protect your interests and the mortgage company knows that you want to have something to leave the kids, they will help you achieve that goal.

As always you should speak with me your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional. My hope is that you may have seen that a reverse mortgage is not an evil entity designed to take your home but instead should be viewed as just another tool available to you.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

26 Jul

OUTSIDE THE BOX

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

From the pages of the summer edition of Dominion Lending Centres’ Our House Magazine.

For most Canadians, a home comes in just a few different varieties. It’s either a single-family wood frame house, townhome, condo or high-rise. In the quest to find less expensive housing, alternatives to the conventional home were bound to get serious traction. From container homes to tiny homes and even the centuries-old design of a yurt, Canadians and Canadian manufacturers are starting to look at the home in an entirely different way.
Daniel Croft is the vice president of Giant Container Services, a Toronto company that’s been converting shipping containers into places to live since the beginning of the decade. The company has its roots in the trucking industry. In the early 2000s Croft’s grandfather started noticing these containers being used for storage. The company bought 100 and after a few years, a new division was born to turn the containers into homes. Since then, Croft noted business has been brisk.
“We’re seeing a huge interest in container homes,” he says, noting some of the company’s projects include condominiums built out of hundreds of containers. However, he noted at this point, most of his clients are using the containers as a vacation property home.
Giant Containers offers four to five different models ranging from 320 to 1,000 square feet at a cost $85 a square foot.
While the containers are basically just a prefabricated steel structure, Croft says they’re built like a house, and include electrical and plumbing like a traditional build.
He says his company also helps guide owners through the process of erecting the containers.
Croft sees the prefabrication of living structures, like containers, as the future of home ownership, noting they can be transported at low costs and can last longer than a conventional wood frame home.
“Our demographic knows they want to be in a container house, they like the look and feel of it and the sustainability aspect,” he says, noting his customers range in age from millennials to couples in their 40s. “This is something I’ve really been behind… I really do think this is the future of building.”
Across the country in B.C., Nomad Micro Homes is also seeing a surge of interest in its product. The company offers two types of micro homes, the most popular being its 156-square foot Nomad Cube, which also comes with a 100-square foot loft. The Cube will set you back about $32,000.
The company’s founder and CEO, Ian Kent, describes the product as a “do it yourself” kit home, similar to something you’d buy in Ikea that can be put together very quickly. While they may be simple, he notes people can live in them as a primary residence. Nomad’s homes also aren’t on wheels, like some versions of tiny homes.
The company sells about 20 to 30 of their homes a year, but the company can increase scale to produce thousands of units if needed. Kent sees the tiny home as one answer to a rental supply crisis gripping B.C.’s Lower Mainland.
“It’s an extremely low-impact backyard dwelling,” he said. Nobody cares about it, you’re not going to bother anybody with it, and you’re going to provide the most affordable housing in the Lower Mainland.”
Indeed, cities and governments are starting to recognize and consider these less typical ways to live.
In 2016, the City of Vancouver put out a request for proposals to build 300 containers for temporary housing for the homeless. The city has also led the way in approving laneway homes.
Avi Friedman, a professor of architecture at McGill University in Montreal, believes the shrinking size of the home is a reflection of the economy—building larger homes costs more—and a change in demography as families become smaller.
He suggested buyers want bigger homes to start with, but when millennials especially enter the market, they’re just not able to afford the size of dwelling their parents owned.
In the past, Friedman notes, many people’s first home was a single family house, but today most people begin their adult life in an apartment.
“We are now living in a time where there are so many critical changes,” he says.
While the professor agrees these alternative homes can help alleviate the housing pressures in areas like Toronto and Vancouver, he wouldn’t want to see tiny homes in all communities. Instead, he sees these homes integrated among a range of housing options.
Friedman also called on municipalities to be innovative, allowing for flexible designs to address the housing issues.
“What municipalities can do is revisit archaic bylaws that have been introduced in the 1940s and ’50s and see how they can be readjusted to current economic and social reality,” he said.
But if the container or tiny home isn’t your thing, there’s a centuries-old way of living to put you more in touch with nature. The yurt design is essentially that of a circular tent. Patrick Ladisa, the president of Yurta, a yurt manufacturer in Toronto, says he’s always been interested in minimalist architecture and, in 2004, his company built its first yurt, meant to be used as relief shelter.
“It really was a cost-effective living shelter. That was our core market for years,” he explains.
The company makes three sizes of yurts, the most popular being 17 feet in diameter with a price range between $7,500 to $20,000, depending on options. Some of those options include windows and a solid door. What you won’t likely see is much indoor plumbing. Ladisa noted the attraction to the yurt compared to the container or tiny home is a desire to be close to nature and a connection to the outdoors.
However the business has evolved into the recreational market for people using the structures as a guest space at a cottage, or in place of a cabin in the woods. The small company with six employees expects to sell out of its yurts for the year by the summer. Customers come from across the country.
“The cost of housing is increasing and finding a way to live inexpensively or have a livable shelter that’s cost-effective… but still has dignified living, that’s a key part for us,” Ladisa says.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

25 Jul

5 REASONS THE BANK MAY TURN YOU DOWN FOR A MORTGAGE

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Mortgage rules have become stricter over the past few years. Assuming you have a down payment, good credit and a good job, what could prevent you from obtaining financing for a home purchase?
Below are five less obvious reasons a bank may turn you down:

It’s not you, it’s the building
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even if you’re the perfect candidate for a loan, you can still be rejected by a lender if the building you’re considering flunks a bank’s requirements. There are myriad reasons a building can be rejected, but one possible reason could be the building construction or condition.
In downtown Calgary we have some condos that were built in the 1970’s using a technique called Post Tension. It has been discovered that the steel rods in the walls can corrode over time and the buildings could collapse. Some lenders are okay with an engineer’s report but others won’t consider lending in this type of building. A few years ago a condo was found to have water seeping down between the inner and outer walls from the roof. This resulted in a $70,000 special assessment for each condo owner. Before the problem and the cost were assessed most lenders refused to lend on this property.
If a condominium building does not have a large enough a reserve fund for repairs a lender may want to avoid lending in that building as well.

Your credit doesn’t make the cut
If you have a credit score of 680+ this probably won’t be a problem for you but for first time home buyers with limited credit this can be a major stumbling block to home ownership. Check your credit score before you start your home search.
Not having enough credit can also be a problem. If you have a Visa card with a $300 limit, that won’t cut it. A minimum of 2 credit lines with limits of $2,000 is needed; one revolving credit line such as a credit card and an installment loan such as a car loan or a furniture store loan.
A long forgotten student loan or utility bill from your university days can also cause problems if its showing as a collection.
You’re lacking a paper trail
You have to be able to show where your money comes from. A cash gift of the down payment for your new property without a paper trail isn’t going to fly with the bank. If it is a gift, we need to see the account that the money came from, a gift letter from a family member, and the account the money was deposited into.

Your job
Being self-employed or a consultant comes with its own set of obstacles. But the solution here, too, is about documentation. And be prepared to offer up more documentation than someone with a more permanent income stream. Two years of Notices of Assessment from the CRA will show your average income over a two-year period. This could be a problem if your business had a slow start and then really picked up in year two. The two-year average would be a lot lower than your present income.
Another stumbling block may be how you are paid. Many people in the trucking industry get paid by the mile or the load. Once again a two year NOA average should help.
In Alberta, many people are paid northern allowances, overtime and a series of pay incentives not seen in other industries. This can be a problem if you do not have a two-year history.
When you apply for a mortgage you need to stay at your position at least until after your home purchase is complete. Making a job change with a 90 day probation means you will need to be past your probation before the mortgage closes. If you make a career change , you may need to be in your new industry for a least a year before a lender will consider giving you a loan.
The property’s appraisal value is too low
This often happens in a fast moving market. The appraisers base their value on previously sold homes on the market in the last 90 days. If prices have gone up quickly your home value may not be in line with the appraisers value. If the home you want to purchase is going for $500,000 and the appraised value is $480,000, you have to come up with $20,000 PLUS the 5% down payment in order to make the deal work.
Finally, with all the potential problems that can arise, it’s best to contact me your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker before you start the home search to make sure that you have your ducks in a row.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

23 Jul

BUYING VS RENTING

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

At some point in their lives, most Canadians have probably asked themselves whether it is better to buy or rent a home. Purchasing a home is one of the biggest decisions most people ever make so the impacts of the decision can be HUGE.

Ultimately, the decision is a personal choice, but it helps to look at the pros and cons of buying to determine whether home ownership is right for you.

Some advantages of buying a home

Owning a home is generally considered to be a sound, long-term investment that can provide satisfaction and security for you and your family.

Each month when you make your mortgage payment, you are building equity in your home.

Equity is the portion of the property that you actually build through your monthly payment versus the portion that you still owe the lender.

At the beginning of your mortgage, more of your payments go toward paying off the interest and less toward paying off the principal. But the longer you stay in your home and the more mortgage payments you make, the more principal you pay off and the more equity you accumulate.

Most mortgages also offer you the option of making additional monthly or annual payments to reduce your principal faster. Some prepayment privileges, for instance, enable you to pay up to 20% of the principal per calendar year. This will also help reduce your amortization period (the length of your mortgage), which, in turn, saves you money.

There is also a tax advantage. If your home is your principal residence, any profit you make when you sell it is tax-free. A home can appreciate – or increase in value – as time passes, building more equity. As you build up equity, it’s usually easier to upgrade to a more expensive home in the future thanks to the profit you’ll make when selling your current home.

As an owner, you can also decorate and improve your home any way you like. Ownership tends to give you a sense of pride and can offer you and your family stronger ties to the community.

If you do decide that home ownership is right for you, it’s important to choose a home you can afford. If you can’t afford to buy your dream home, purchasing a more modest home can be a great place to start building equity that one day may allow you to buy the home of your dreams.

Since we’re currently in a buyer’s real estate market and interest rates have been dropping, now may be an ideal time to enter into home ownership for the first time.

Some disadvantages of buying a home

Since it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a home, it’s important to remember that home ownership has some additional responsibilities as well.

For one thing, a home can be expensive. Chances are, your monthly payments will be more than what you are currently paying in rent when you factor in such things as your mortgage, property taxes, repairs and general maintenance.

Owning a home ties up some of your cash flow and is likely to reduce your flexibility to move to a new location or change jobs.

While your home might increase in value as time goes by, don’t expect to get a big return quickly. There are no guarantees that your home will increase in value, particularly during the first few years. In the beginning, you could actually lose money if you sell because your home may not have appreciated enough to cover the real estate fees, moving, renovation and other selling costs.

Real estate is, however, usually considered a good investment over the long term.

When making the decision about whether to buy or rent, it’s important to carefully choose a home you can afford, and then weigh the pros and cons. Millions of people enjoy the rewards of home ownership but, ultimately, it’s a personal decision based on your own priorities.

If you’re thinking of buying your first home, Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professionals can answer all of your mortgage-related questions.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

20 Jul

SINGLE LADIES BUYING HOMES

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

It’s becoming increasingly apparent that a greater number of women are now taking the reigns when it comes to home purchases. There’s a growing trend among single women – and, more precisely, professional single women – who are becoming independent homeowners. While many of them may be putting off marriage, they’re not waiting around for Mr Right before taking the plunge into homeownership.

It’s believed that around 20% of homebuyers in North America are single women based on a 2011 report released by the US National Association of Realtors. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies also released a report that said single women are buying in record numbers.

There’s no equivalent data for Canada, but an abundance of anecdotal information has led to the creation of shows like HGTV’s Buy Herself, which follows single women making their first real estate purchases.

Women are looking for ways to become financially independent, and investing in real estate and building equity for themselves are ways to invest in their future – building financial security.

Women are taking advantage of historically low interest rates and recognizing homeownership is often more affordable than renting.

Seeking expert advice

One of the amazing things about women looking to invest in real estate is that they’re getting more advice before they make the decision to enter the market. They’re seeking out mortgage experts and real estate agents, and building a plan for the perfect entry into the market. They’re making lists of areas in which they’re interested in purchasing, itemizing amenities they would need in their ideal neighbourhoods, ensuring they have all the facts around closing costs and fees associated with making the purchase, and securing a mortgage.

Buying a home is likely one of the largest purchases you’ll ever make in your lifetime, and can feel overwhelming. That’s why working with a professional mortgage agent, real estate agent, home inspector and so on is essential. You’ll be working with these professionals closely – possibly for months – so interactions should feel comfortable, and they should be knowledgeable and responsive even to the smallest question.

The more prepared you are, the smoother the experience will be so do a little research on your own over the Internet to get a good idea of what types of properties and areas are of interest to you. Make a list of questions to ask your mortgage agent or realtor – and keep it on hand so you can add to it as more questions arise.

Interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in history and they have nowhere to go but up. Industry professionals believe that as rates begin to rise, they’ll continue to rise for some time. There has never been a better time for women to make the decision to get into the real estate market to find the perfect place to call home and Im here at Dominion Lending Centres to help!

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

19 Jul

TIME TO BE HEARD CANADA

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

I met with a client recently who wanted to get a pre-approval before he sold his home. His neighbour is a very grouchy man who causes my client and his family a lot of stress. He just wanted to sell his home and move into a new one away from this situation. I had to tell him no and explain that although he has good credit and a very stable job he does not qualify under the new rules. He was saddened to hear that and is now faced with a decision of should he stay and put up with the situation or should he rent out his home and then he himself rent somewhere else.
(Thank you, sir, for allowing your story to be shared)

What happened to cause this? Late last year the federal government made another round of changes to the mortgage rules. This was after we have already seen many previous rule changes over the last seven years. They dramatically increased the qualification rate with the intention that people be able to handle a higher mortgage payment when rates start to rise. They were also attempting to cool the hot real estate markets in Vancouver and BC. Additionally, they changed which properties can be insured which has meant that people with more than 20% equity in their homes have fewer choices of mortgage lenders and/or higher rates. Since that time, they have also increased the mortgage default insurance premium and tightened up lending guidelines. Before the dust has settled on those changes we have been told that further changes are under consideration.

Here is what we need from you. If you or someone you know have been adversely affected by the mortgage rule changes we need you to speak up. Let’s take our freedom of speech for a spin and let our MP’s know of how specific Canadians are being negatively impacted. TELLYOURMP.CA is the site set up that you can easily visit and share your story. Maybe you were turned down or unable to buy a home large enough or in a safe community for your family. Maybe a job loss or divorce means you are looking to purchase on a single income. Whatever the case, please speak up. Visit this website, write a letter, call your MP.
They are doing their best to keep the Canadian economy as strong as it can be but we are seeing a lot of unintentional negative consequences and good Canadians in ALL of Canada are being adversely affected.
TELLYOURMP.CA It will not take you long and it goes directly to your MP. The mortgage industry and all the banks and mortgage lenders are on record but they need to hear from the actual Canadians this is touching most.

Tell your story and don’t spare the details. Speak now in regards to the fallout from the last round of changes and ask for a cooling period before any further changes are implemented. Ask they consult with the wider financial community for input. We need all of you. Whether you are a first-time home buyer, unable to refinance to the best rates, cannot buy that next home you wanted, saw someone you care about be turned down OR if you are a part of an industry adversely affected. Let’s get noisy Canada!

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

18 Jul

DIVORCE AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH THE MORTGAGE

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

When tough times put stress on families sometimes the end result is divorce. While no one ever wants to see this happen sometimes it is inevitable. Recently, CMHC changed the rules about how much a house can be refinanced for, they have set the limit at 80% of the property value so that refinances would no longer fall under the insured mortgages. What they also did was set some guidelines for couples who are divorcing.

When a partnership in a home is being dissolved, that partnership can be a marriage, common law relationship or simply two owners of a property, it is now considered a sale. This means that the existing mortgage will most likely be paid out or in some cases one of the spouses can assume that mortgage and possibly increase the amount. Most likely it will mean that one spouse will purchase the home from the other. Here’s the difference when we are in this situation, the home can be purchased with just 5% down payment again as it doesn’t fall under the refinance rule.

One other thing to consider under the divorce rules is child support. As many parents have learned lately, child support and section 7 spousal support are liabilities for many lenders. So if you do have a $2,000 a month support payment, then that is the same as having a $2,000 dollar car payment. Not all lenders are looking at that the same, some have allowed us to reduce the yearly incomes by the amount of child support. The biggest difference here is of course that the reduction allows you to qualify for more mortgage, it’s just a matter of knowing which lenders work the system which way and a skilled mortgage broker will know the difference.

Ideally, of course, the divorce never happens but one way around child support being paid is joint custody where it is shared 50/50 and no liability is forced upon either spouse allowing them to maximize their purchasing power as the start their new lives.

What also needs to be considered is that this needs to be done in writing, separation agreements are legal binding documents that tell the lenders what your responsibility is to the other partner in the divorce. We have also had situations where a statutory declaration saying that you have no responsibility to the other partner has been sufficient especially in cases of common law separations.

So many in’s and out’s to be considered when embarking on dividing your households and of course we here at Dominion Lending Centres would always advise legal counsel first and then talk to me your mortgage broker about what is required for the mortgage process.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC

17 Jul

ACCEPTABLE DOWN PAYMENT SOURCES

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

The level of documentation required for the average mortgage these days can be very frustrating. It can seem endless, very nitpicky and annoying because we are able to purchase a vehicle with just a paystub. There are a few reasons for the increased documentation requirements.

The first is that the banks are mandated by the Anti-terrorism Act to make sure all funds are legally sourced. Criminal organizations do exist even  in say, Central Alberta, and they are clever and will launder their funds however they can.

I had the opportunity to attend an anti-fraud session led by the Edmonton police and he told a story of how a routine bylaw infraction led to the discovery of a criminal enterprise which involved more than 32 million dollars in mortgage fraud. Police resources, insurance proceeds, court time and on and on mean there was a genuine cost to the greater community. Increased due diligence prior to funding can help catch such things ahead of time.

The second is that your banks and mortgage lenders are accountable to the mortgage default insurers and their company’s investors and shareholders and to OSFI which oversees them all. If you default on your mortgage they have to be able to prove that they took every step possible to ensure you were in fact a solid borrower qualified for the mortgage.

Honestly it boils down to this. If you were lending someone $350,000 wouldn’t you want to make sure they could afford to repay you?

So back to down payment sources. When you are providing documentation for your mortgage it is going to have to be pretty clear. It will have to show your name, financial institution holding said asset, account number and all transactions into the account for the past 90 days. Any deposits over $500 will have to be properly accounted for as per the above rationale. A quick reminder that you will have to have at least 5% to put down and an additional 1.5% for the closing costs so 6.5% all together though these days the banks and the mortgage insurers really like to see additional savings just in case you experience a job loss or illness.

Here are the most common and acceptable down payment sources and how each is to be verified. Keep in mind that you can use a combination of them but you will have to provide verification of each.

1. Savings – All accounts will need to be verified via a 90 day history

2. TFSA – Must be verified via a 90 day history

3. RSP- Will require a 90 day history and in most cases verification that the funds have been redeemed via the forms to the RSP provider and have been deposited into your account

4. Gift – from an immediate family member. Need to see a signed gift letter stating it is in fact a gift which is not expected to be repaid and proof it has been deposited to your account. In some cases they will want to see the source of the gift which means a statement from the person giving you the funds.

5. Loan – You can use borrowed funds for your down payment through certain lenders. They will need to verify the terms of the loan if it is new to make sure you can afford both it and your mortgage.

6. Credit Card/Line of Credit – This is similar to the loan as above but in this case you usually only have to prove you can afford the payments for both.

7. Sale of Asset – You can sell anything you own but make sure you document it properly. Bill of sale, copy of the cheque and proof it has been deposited to your account.

8. Gifted Equity – If you are purchasing the home of a family member and they wish to, they can gift you the equity in the home and this can be used as the down payment.

9. Inheritance – This is usually verified via the documents form the lawyer with corresponding deposit to your account

Sometimes I (and my colleagues at Dominion Lending Centres) get questions about rare occurrences such as a lotto win. Even in this case, which I have actually seen, there is a paper trail.

So called mattress money is no longer acceptable unless you can show you have held it in a traditional account for the 90 days.

Banks and mortgage lenders are stuck abiding by the rules which mean that so are we all.

Contact me for your best mortgage options 705.669.7798 or trina@ndlc.ca

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice

#bestmortgageforme #executive #executive

If you found this information valuable, I only ask that you share with your friends and family.

Copyright DLC