In a competitive real estate market or a market that is suffering from a lack of available listings, the Purchase Plus Improvements mortgage could be your saving grace. Regardless of whether you’ve just started your search for a new home or if you’ve been hunting for months, this is something that you should be thinking about each time you walk into a potential house.

Of all the homes that you’ve looked at so far, you have likely walked into at least one home by this point and said to yourself: “Well this house looks great, but if it wasn’t for that incredibly dated _______”. You fill in the blank here… Kitchen, bathroom, flooring, basement, etc. If you have passed up the opportunity to purchase that potentially perfect property because of the costs of required improvements, it’s important that you know there is a solution to your problem. Enter, the Purchase Plus Improvement Mortgage.

In a nutshell, a purchase plus improvements mortgage allows you (the home buyer) to roll the costs of improvements into your mortgage. The new mortgage allows you the ability to finance those much-needed repairs and get you into that home of your dreams! The mortgage comes with a great interest rate and one simple mortgage payment. Had you chosen to purchase the home and not include the renovation costs into the mortgage, then you might end up financing the improvements on a higher interest rate unsecured debt which also give you a second payment to make each month.

The first step to take is a conversation me your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker about specifically how that Purchase Plus Improvements Mortgage would apply to your application and specific situation. Understanding the types of improvements that can be included in the financing will help you better understand which potential houses might work great for you.

Working with your Realtor, the mortgage broker will help guide you through the final approval process. The main difference between a Mortgage vs. a Purchase Plus Improvements Mortgage is the need for quotes. As part of the verification process, your mortgage broker and the lender will need to see a quote for the work that is planned for the improvements. The quotes will provide us with the cost and plan details required to secure the final approval. Getting you into a house of your dreams!
If you have questions about how a Purchase Plus Improvements Mortgage could work for you, take the time to connect with our team anytime!!

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

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The need to refinance your mortgage can be for many reasons. Whichever the reason you are refinancing, there are a few things to consider. One of the top questions we are asked as a Mortgage Broker is “will refinancing hurt my credit?” The answer to this question brings cause for a closer look at the refinancing process in itself.

First, you need to know that when you refinance there will be consequences outside of affecting your credit. To refinance you are essentially restructuring terms of a contract and therefore a penalty will apply.

Every lender is different in how they calculate penalties, but in general:

• Breaking a fixed mortgage will result in you paying the interest associated determined by the current interest rate for the remainder of your term or three months’ interest. Whichever of the two are greater.
• Breaking a variable mortgage will result in you paying out three months’ interest.

There are also limitations on the amount you can borrow with refinancing against your mortgage or tapping into your home equity line of credit.

• For borrowing or securing a line of credit against your property you will borrow up to 80% of the appraised value of your home, less the mortgage you have.

• For a Home Equity Line of Credit, you can take out a line of credit up to 65 per cent of the value your home, with the total Home Equity Line of Credit and mortgage totaling 80 per cent.

Now that we have covered the penalty and borrowing limitations, we can tackle the true question—will refinancing change my credit?

The answer to that is yes. No matter how you look at it, debt is still debt. Whether you are looking to refinance to gain access to your home’s equity, gain a better rate, or utilize your home’s equity for investment purposes you are still borrowing money thus your credit is going to change.

Let’s take a look at 3 examples to put this into better perspective.

No matter what your reason for refinancing, remember that debt is still debt and you credit may be impacted.

We advise that before you refinance consider the reasons you are doing so. Ensure they are justified. For example, if you are refinancing to do a much needed home renovation, purchase an investment property or pay for your child’s university tuition then those are all wonderful reasons for refinancing. On the flip side, refinancing to take a family vacation—maybe not a good reason. Look at what your reasons are and then decide if this option is the right one for you.
As always, Dominion Lending Centres is here to help! Give  me a call and  I can help you navigate your refinancing.

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

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Everyone knows that Mortgages come with a rate attached to them. But few know that each Mortgage Product has a PERSONALITY too!

The Personality of a mortgage product is a key component in selecting the right mortgage for you and your unique needs. So sit back, take some notes, and take your mortgage on a little coffee date—lets get to know it a bit better shall we?

8 Questions You Should Ask:

1. What is the penalty to break my mortgage, if I want to upgrade, refinance or sell?

Just how flexible is your mortgage? A no frills approach would be along the lines of a 12-month principle and interest penalty to break the mortgage —which means you may be stuck with the Lender and the terms that they give!

2. What are my prepayment privileges?

You will want to know how much extra you can put toward your mortgage principle-be it monthly or annually. This could mean a basic 0-20% monthly payment with or without an anniversary or lump sum payments. But this begs the question: How much do you REALLY need? Statistics show that 17% make lump sum payments, and 23% of us make additional monthly payments. Statistics show us that most BUT not all of us do not need more than 10% when looking for prepayment privileges but it’s always important to have the additional room when needed.

3. Is my mortgage portable?

This may seem like an odd question, but you will want to be able to bring your mortgage with you with NO penalty and keep your interest rate intact if you sell your current residence and buy another (portable). Often the case may be with a “no frills” mortgage, that you either can’t or you have restrictions placed on it. Also, it’s important to know that if you are in a Variable Rate Mortgage (AVRM) most lenders will not allow you to have a portable mortgage at all.

4. Can I Blend & Extend or Assume my mortgage?

You will want to ask your broker/lender if your rate can be blended or if the additional monies that you want to borrow for purchase can be extended. In addition, finding out if you sell your home, and someone can take over the remaining terms is a key question to ask—with a “no frills” you are out of luck with that one!

5. How long can my Amortization be?

We all want to know: how long will it take to pay off my mortgage (amortization) at the contract rate?? This question is an important one to ask as this impacts debt servicing and monthly payment. With your no frills you have a max of 25 years!

6. Does the mortgage that I am looking for apply to an investment property?

Looking to get into the real estate investment biz? Make sure you get a good broker/lender on your side! A no-frills mortgage won’t let the mortgage you are looking at apply to investment property’s (rental) – leaving you with a higher rate and unlikable terms.

7. What will my rate be if I go from a Variable Rate Mortgage (AVRM) to a Fixed Rate?

Asking this simple question at the start of your mortgage product search, can save you a lot of heartache. With a no frills mortgage you get the Standard Rate, not the best rate—which means you may be paying a lot more than necessary!

8. How is my mortgage going to be registered? Standard or Collateral charge?

A mortgage that is being registered as a standard charge can be transferred/switched at no costs at the time of renewal. A mortgage that is being registered as a Collateral Charge will typically incur a cost in renewing your mortgage that you must pay for.

These 8 questions are the ones you should always ask before signing on the dotted line of a mortgage. They make up the mortgage personality, and help to establish your future! All Dominion Lending Centres mortgage brokers are committed to finding you the best product to meet your unique circumstances. So remember, before you sign make a date with me your mortgage and lets get to know each other a bit better 😉

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

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Ever wonder how your mortgage rate is determined? What factors make it jump from percentage to percentage? We are getting down to the nitty gritty today and giving you the facts on what impacts mortgage rates.

What affects a Mortgage Rate?

There are 10 factors that affect a mortgage rate:

1. Location
Depending on which province your home is located in, this will have an overall effect on your mortgage rate. Generally speaking, provinces with more competitive markets will have lower rates.

2. Rate Hold
A rate hold is a guarantee on a rate for 90-120 days. If your closing dates do not fall within this timeframe, then your hold will be re-assessed. If your rate hold is re-assessed and the lender’s rates at that time of re-assessment are higher than your initial rate, then your rates will go up accordingly. We always follow up with all of our clients on a regular basis to avoid this situation whenever possible!

3. Refinancing
Movement on your mortgage of any form can affect your rate typically when you are working with your existing lender. New buyers will have lower rates than refinances, but refinances will have lower rates than mortgage transfers. Mortgage Brokers can access multiple lenders to find the most suitable product for their client’s unique needs.

4. Home Type
Lender’s assess the risk associated with your home type. Some properties are viewed as higher risk than others. If the subject property is considered higher risk, the lender may require higher rates.

5. Income Property/ Vacation Home
As previously mentioned, lenders assess the risk on your property. If you are buying an income property or a vacation home than the lender can assess at a higher risk and a higher rate may apply. This is one of the major benefits to having a mortgage broker on your team! They have access to a variety of lenders that can offer you a rate lower than others as they can compare a large variety.

6. Credit Score
We have talked a lot about credit on our blog, and there is a reason for that. Your credit score is a large determining factor for your rate. Lenders want to see that you have a history of managing your credit well and that you will be able to pay back the lender overtime. For more information on fixing your credit, check out our free e-book, Credit Medic.

7. Insured or uninsured
With the changes that the federal government made back in October 2016 this has had a significant impact on mortgage rates if your mortgage is insured or not. Read our Change of Space guide to find out the full impact of these changes.

8. Fixed/Variable Rate
The type of rate you are wanting to get will also affect your rate. Fixed rates are based on the bond market and variable rates are based on the Bank of Canada (economy).

9. Loan to Value (LVT)
The higher the Loan to Value the higher the risk. You can have someone who has a $1 million mortgage but has $2 million in equity in that property and they would be viewed as a lower risk than someone who has a $200,000 mortgage and their property is only worth $220,000. To boot with the federal changes, the person with the higher risk mortgage (insured) is likely to get a more competitive interest rate than the client with $2 million in equity.

10. Income level
The final part in this rather large equation is your income level. Although this does not necessarily impact the rate itself, it does impact your purchasing power and the amount you are able to put down on a home. Essentially indirectly impacting the rate.

Each of these factors plays a factor in the rate you will be able to get through a lender. The easiest way to get the lowest rate is to work with a dedicated mortgage professional. They will put together a fail-proof plan to get you the sharpest rate. They also have access to a variety of lenders which saves you the time and trouble of shopping for your mortgage on your own. As a final point, mortgage brokers can also assess your unique situation and find the right mortgage for you. Their goal is to see you successfully find and afford the home of your dreams and set you up for future success.

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

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Renew (the mortgage industry meaning): to remain with the current lender by simply signing the renewal letter that comes in the (e)mail.

Switch (again, the mortgage industry meaning): to move from the existing lender to a different lender without leveraging any additional funds/equity; the outstanding balance remains the same.

Is renewing your mortgage with the current lender the best option, or should you consider switching to a new lender? The answer is provided with some simple math. As mortgage consumers, we want to save as much money as possible, plain and simple.

Seventy percent of borrowers that currently hold a mortgage simply sign the renewal letter they get. Most of the time they are leaving 20 – 40 basis points or 0.20% – 0.40% on the table. This puts millions of dollars back into the pockets of the lenders and their shareholders.

There are times when the current lender does not offer the best market rate or product for your situation. How will you know you are getting the best rate for your scenario? By contacting Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Professional who works for you… not the lender.

So first things first: contact your DLC Mortgage Broker four months before the term matures to discuss the next term’s strategy. What do the next two, three or even five years look like? This will then lead to an interest-rate discussion. Can there be some money saved?

I have been working with a client over the past couple of weeks as her current mortgage is coming to maturity. Had she just signed at the bottom of the renewal letter she would have been overpaying by 30 basis points.

Current lender offered 2.84% for a 5-year Fixed term (Renew)

New lender offered 2.54% for a 5-year Fixed term (Switch)

Here’s what that looks like. Note the mortgage balance used was $330,000 (25-year amortization). This just happens to be the average mortgage amount in British Columbia.

The biggest saving is in the total interest saved over 5 years. At the end of the day this borrower saved $4,656.50. Guess what she decided to do? Yes, SWITCH lenders.

In this scenario, it will cost the borrower $0 to make a switch. Would you put four 1000-dollar bills, six 100-hundred-dollar bills, one 50-dollar bill, one five-dollar bill, one loonie and two quarters in the fire? No, you would not.

Bottom line, make sure you have a discussion with me your independent Mortgage Broker before (potentially) burning thousands of dollars.

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

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#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

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Since 2012, it’s become the wild west of mortgage options out there for those folks who are living the Canadian dream of being Self Employed (also known as BFS, Business for Self). 

In 2012, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions introduced Guideline B-20, which required federally regulated banks to tighten the rules for approving mortgages. Without boring you with what that mortgage jargon translates to you, the bottom line means you “generally” have to qualify now from your Line 150 of your tax return. That’s NET income, not GROSS income.

Don’t freak out yet! There is good new below…

As BFS folks, one of the perks of being self-employed is we don’t pay as much in taxes as we have business write offs we can use to lower our GROSS income. We are now being penalized with many lenders with higher rates and fees with these new rules.

I wish there was a simple book with straight up rules for the BFS mortgages, but there really isn’t.
Why?
• It depends on your credit
• It depends on where your income is coming from and how long. Is it commissioned, contract, invoiced, under the table or under your mattress?
• It depends on your down payment.
• It depends on so many factors…hence you really need a mortgage consultant who really understands BFS mortgage programs.
There are a few programs you may fit under: Stated Income, BFS Conventional, or Alternative or Private lender. All of them are slightly different, but you will fit somewhere with someone.

Not to pick favourites, but here are a few lenders and their programs (through your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional):
• B2B Bank has a fantastic BFS Expanded Program (actually nine in total) that allows 12 months of bank statements showing income vs those Notice of Assessments. They also don’t charge any mortgage premiums or fees!
• Street Capital has an insured Stated Income to 90% (i.e. 10% down payment) program. You have to be two years in business filed, 5% of your down payment has to come from your own savings, and no “commissioned sales” folks here.

Common Questions I get:

Q: I was working with a company as a computer systems analyst for the past three years. Now I am self employed as a computer systems analyst. Can I still qualify for a mortgage with less than two years as filed self employed?
A: Yes, as long as you are in the same job role, you should have no issues.

Q: I heard you need 20% down to qualify for Self Employed Mortgage.
A: There are a few lenders that allow for 10% down now.

Q: I am a waitress and make most of my money in tips. How can I use this to qualify for a mortgage.
A: If you’re not declaring your tips on your taxes, then some lenders will look at 6 months deposits into your account.

Q: Can I refinance to pay off my Canada Revenue debt I owe:
A: Yes, very common practice.

Kiki’s Korner of Self Employed mortgage tips:
1. Keep your business money deposited in one account. Separate your expenses and your income accounts.
2. Leases or Loans on vehicles for business should come out of your BUSINESS account.
3. If your company is paying you a “stipend” or “allowance” for you vehicle, make sure it’s taxable income. You will need two years to use this as income.
4. Make sure your invoices match your deposits.
5. When depositing “other monies” i.e.: tips, tag it on your deposit slip so it shows up online with your deposit.
6. Keep important documents such as articles of incorporation, GST/HST registration or business licence in one folder with all your tax returns. Keep records for three years from the date you filed your original return or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later, if you file a claim for credit or refund after you file your return. Keep records for seven years if you file a claim for a loss from worthless securities or bad debt deduction. Be organized.
7. If you’re not filing business financials, file T2’s if you are incorporated. Filing business financials may be more expensive, but worth it for mortgage qualifying with more lenders.
8. If you pay yourself dividend income, you will need two years of this form of income.

If you’re in business for yourself, congratulations! Keep up the good work. There are many moving parts to planning and qualifying for a self-employed mortgage, so if you’re just starting to look at the idea of a mortgage – plan NOW!

I too am self-employed and work with many professionals such as lawyers, doctors, pharmacists, management consultants and self-employed folks such as truck drivers and waitresses. You’re all important and have different incomes we can use to make your dream come true.

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

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#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

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Buying a home can be a really exciting time, so the last thing we want is for you to be hit by any surprises. Let’s take a look at five things to keep in mind before you write an offer.

1. Get your mortgage in place before you write an offer. Meeting or speaking to an actual person who will take your application and pull your credit is the best strategy. You will get a firm amount of how much of a mortgage you may qualify for. This is also a great time to make some decisions like if you want a fixed rate or variable rate, if you want a monthly or biweekly payment. You are far removed from stress of meeting any condition of financing dates at this time so you have the luxury of time to ask your questions.
2.  Be ready to provide the necessary paperwork. If I was lending someone $300,000 I would want to know that they could pay me back and so would you I’m sure. You are going to be required to provide a lot of paperwork. Getting a complete list ahead of time and starting to gather it really makes it less stressful for you once the offer is accepted.
3.  There are extra costs. It is not just a matter of having the down payment. You will also have to pay for legal fees, title insurance, property tax adjustment if necessary, mortgage default premiums and on and on. That is why you have to have at least five per cent down and an additional 1.5 per cent of the purchase price in your account to cover these costs. The banks also really like to see that you have a fallback position of extra cash in case you get sick or downsized.
4.  You can get extra funds for improvements to the new home added to your mortgage. Most lenders allow up to $40,000 for upgrades. These have to be things such as flooring, windows, exterior, kitchen, bathroom or any other manner of upgrade which will stay with the property. The funds are held at the lawyer’s office until an appraiser verifies the work is complete so you will have to be able to cover any costs in the short term.
5.  Here is how the process goes.

• You get the mortgage pre-approval
• Find a home and place an offer with a condition of financing date and likely a home inspection one as well
• The application is sent off for approval based on both you and the property and you provide all the necessary paperwork
• The bank says they are 100% happy with you and you say you are 100% happy with the offer of financing and you remove the financing condition. Do not make any changes to your financial picture after you remove the condition. It can be cancelled if you leave your job, take on more debt or rack up the credit cards.
• You meet with the lawyer to provide the balance of the down payment, cover the other costs
• Day of possession you are given the keys once it is confirmed that the funds have transferred to the seller
• Congrats! You own an home

This has been a crash course in buying a home, but there are so many resources online or available to you for free over the phone that it shouldn’t be too awful. Happy house hunting and I look forward to helping you at Dominion Lending Centres!

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

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#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

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Most people believe that being mortgage free is their plan for retirement. That means paying off your mortgage as fast as possible becomes the priority and having other forms of investments are considered only after your property is paid off.

It is important to decide what option will give you the balanced diversification and protect you from the real estate market and economic fluctuations.

One strategy to be mortgage free is that you will have minimal property expenses when you retire and have 100% of the value of your home in equity. You will then have extra funds when you decide to downsize to a smaller home. But by putting all of your eggs in one basket you could be limiting the ability to use other investment options that could give you a higher return on investment and would help you achieve your retirement goals faster.

By focusing on making extra payments towards your mortgage and making lump sum payments on your mortgage or increasing your payments regularly, you would shorten the life of your mortgage, yet you are not investing into your RRSP’s.

Here is the best of both worlds: By investing in your RRSP’s, you pay less tax and get a refund. With that money you could make a lump sum payment on your mortgage every year.

Another option would be to put the equity in your home to work for you by using a HELOC (a home equity line of credit). This will give you access to your equity whenever you need it and would be a perfect investment vehicle.

Having a HELOC separate from your actual mortgage gives you the flexibility to use it for investment purposes. This way the interest you pay on funds that are drawn from the home equity line of credit are tax deductible.

Here are some investment ideas: Use the funds from the HELOC to purchase an investment property and with the rental income you could cover the mortgage payments and property costs. The rental property would then pay for itself and you have vehicle to help with your retirement goal.

Another idea is doing the Smith Manoeuvre. This means using the HELOC for short and long term investments. If you do short-term, high return investments that when cashed, help you pay off the line of credit. Any extra money you have made will allow you to make a lump sum payment on your original mortgage.

Many Canadians think of retirement as time filled with traveling, spending more time on hobbies and interest. However, in order to be able to do that, there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into consideration when planning for your retirement. More Canadians are thinking of their current needs and not as much about retirement until the later years.

There has been an increase in life expectancy as health care technology is advancing. Canadians are more aware about their health and are taking better care of themselves, which means seniors are living longer. According to Statistics Canada, males have an average life expectancy of 79 and females of 83. On average, there is an increase of 2-3 years of life expectancy for males and females every decade.

As a result, seniors now have to save more for their retirement than their predecessors. 4 in 10 Canadians age 55+ say there is a serious risk that they will outlive their retirement savings. An additional 40% of seniors will still be in debt after the age of 65, according to The Vanier Institute of the Family.

The cost of long-term care is significant. Benefitscanada.com, reports that baby boomers currently account for 33% of the population and 14% are over the age of 65. Based on today’s trends and demographics, by 2036, 25% of the population will be over the age of 65. In 2036, Statistics Canada reported that one in ten Canadians will require long term care by the age of 55, three in ten by the age of 65 and five in ten by the age of 75.

Since life expectancy has increased, long term care costs need to be taken into consideration. Pensions are low and most people are not saving enough for retirement. It is important to have a retirement strategy that works for you by exploring different ways that work with your lifestyle and goals. A comprehensive strategy can be put in place by working with your Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Professional, Financial Adviser and Accountant.

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

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#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

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The fast pace of buying and selling real estate is daunting. Throw in trying to manage closing dates, possession dates and access to the proceeds for the purchase and you have a recipe for disaster.

I recently received an email from a potential client asking these very questions:

“I was wondering how the process usually goes, for looking at a new place. We had planned to use our equity in this home as the down payment for a new place. But if we can’t unlock that equity until the closing date, what usually happens in the interim?  Do we have to find a place to rent?…a month or longer? When we bought this place, it was our first home purchase, so moving to a new one is new to us. I don’t understand how we are supposed to start looking for a place after subject removal (which is 30 days after tomorrow), when we can’t access the equity to make a down payment.”

This scenario happens much more often than one thinks. In order for sellers to access their equity to become buyers they are required to utilize a bridge loan to transition into their “next” home. The bridge loan allows you to purchase a new property before the sale completes on the existing or current residence.

Most lenders have a 45 – 60-day window to exercise this option, with a range of daily rates and admin fees. The four vital components to a mortgage application are income, credit worthiness, the subject property and down payment.

The first three have been approved; now how does one unlock the down payment? Easy. The borrower is required to supply the fully executed purchase and sale contract, subject removal addendum and the current mortgage statement for the existing property. This provides confirmation that you have sold the property on X date as well it confirming the sale price less the possible real estate commission fees and closing costs. Once the current mortgage amount is subtracted the net proceeds are yielded, leaving you your down payment amount.

As mentioned above, there are fees to access bridge financing, as well as a daily interest rate. If the purchase of the next property completes the same day as the sale, then it is handled at the lawyer’s office internally and the funds are transferred accordingly.

The equity is yours to access right now. The lenders verify your equity with the conditions provided.

Here is an example of the timeline and fees of how the bridge loan scenario can be utilized:

Existing home sold, completing December 14, 2016 $600,000

Current outstanding balance $400,000

Equity remaining $200,000

New home purchase, completing November 30, 2016

The lender has approved the down-payment amount. Because the proceeds are still secured against the existing home we had to provide confirmation that the funds were available. We determined there was $200,000 by way of sales contract, subject removal addendum and the current mortgage statement.

The second layer to the bridge loan is the cost of borrowing the $200,000. Bear in mind the funds are still tied up in the existing property. The cost to borrow the $200,000 temporarily is Prime + 2% (daily rate) plus an administration fee of $250.

$200,000 x 4.70% / 365 (days) = $25.76 per day to borrow $200,000

There is a 14-day completion difference. The total cost to utilize a bridge loan is $360.64 (in interest) + $250 (admin fee) = $610.64.

All-in-all this is a very inexpensive and easy way to access the equity you have built up in your current home. Remember, lenders are in business of making money…this is simply a cost of doing business.

Be sure to surround yourself with industry professionals (like me your mortgage broker at Dominion Lending Centres) to make sure nothing is overlooked or miscalculated.

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

#trinamortgages #mortgages #ndlc #freedomofchoice 

#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

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What is the maximum mortgage amount one now qualifies for with the rules that came into effect last October 17th, 2016?

Short answer: LESS. A minimum of 20% less, in fact.

Before October 17th, 2016 the lenders calculated the maximum mortgage amount based on the contract rate of 2.49%, but now it is based on the Bank of Canada benchmark rate of 4.64%

Here are three random scenarios that I have created to outline borrowers’ qualifying power before and after the change. Note they are all based on  25-year amortization, the new qualifying interest rate (5-year Bank of Canada benchmark, currently 4.64%) as well as a GOOD credit score of 680 or greater. The first two are based on 5% down; the third is based on a 20% down payment, which does not require mortgage insurance.

Scenario #1 – young professional

Gross Household Income $75,000

Monthly Expenses $450 (car loan and  student loan)

Monthly Strata & Property Tax $484

Maximum Purchase Price Now $370,000 ($18,500 down payment)

Before Rule Change $435,000

Scenario #2 – young professional couple

Gross Household Income $140,000

Monthly Expenses $1,230 (car & personal loans, unsecured LOC, credit card)

Monthly Strata & Property Tax $584

Maximum Purchase Price Now $725,000 ($47,500 down payment)

Before Rule Change $840,000

Scenario #2 – established Gen-X with a family

Gross Household Income $180,000

Monthly Expenses $2,300 (car & personal loans, credit card)

Monthly Property Tax $417

Maximum Purchase Price $960,000 ($71,000 down payment required)

(Mortgage amounts over $999,999 are not eligible for default insurance. Therefore one would be required to apply a 20% down payment.)

This is just a quick and dirty summary of three simple scenarios. Now more than ever, we as mortgage consumers need to get pre-qualified before making any real estate-based decisions. The average cost to buy a single-family detached home in my area is $1,175,000, townhouses are approximately $535,000, followed by condos priced around $377,000.

My suggestion, and the first thing that one should do if you are looking to re-finance or purchase a new home, is to contact your trusted Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker to find out exactly how much you qualify for.

Don’t get caught up in the emotional experience of buying a new home. Make sure you treat it like any other business decision: the numbers need to make sense first, then you need to figure which parts of your WANT and NEED list you can live with and live without.

For more details on changes to the mortgage rules, please read DLC’s “Chance of Space: New Mortgage Rules” guide by CLICKING HERE.

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

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#bestmortgageforme #executive #firstimehomebuyer

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