24 Feb

4 WAYS TO MAKE THE MORTGAGE PROCESS SMOOTHER

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Mortgages are complicated—we get it! But there are steps that you as a homebuyer can take to make the process a much smoother one (plus let you walk away with the sharpest rate!) 1. Use a Broker This should be the first step you take when getting a mortgage! Enlisting a trusted broker to work […]

Read More
8 Mar

Ultimate Checklist for Selling Your Home.

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Ultimate Checklist for Selling Your Home. Selling your home can be an extremely stressful experience. Between thinking about moving logistics and financials, it’s easy to miss the small details in between the process. With that in mind, we’ve built this checklist for selling your home to help you keep track of the things that will […]

Read More
8 May

THE TOP 7 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT REVERSE MORTGAGES

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

The Top 7 Misconceptions About Reverse Mortgages How much do you really know about reverse mortgages? Maybe you know that reverse mortgages can help Canadians 55+ access the equity in their home, tax-free. Maybe you know that tens of thousands of Canadians are using a reverse mortgage as part of their financial plan. But did […]

Read More
30 Mar

WHY ARE MORTGAGE RATES RISING?

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Why Are Mortgage Rates Rising? Over the past month, the Bank of Canada has lowered its overnight rate by a whopping 1.5 percentage points to a mere 0.25%. Many people expected mortgage rates to fall equivalently. The banks have reduced prime rates by the full 150 basis points (bps). But, since the second Bank of […]

Read More
20 Jan

PAYMENT FREQUENCY

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

One of the decisions you will need to make before your new mortgage is set up, is what kind of payment frequency you would like to have. For many, sticking to a monthly payment is the default, however, different frequencies may end up saving you less interest over time. Monthly Payments Monthly payments are exactly […]

Read More
13 Dec

HOW TO VERIFY YOUR DOWN PAYMENT WHEN BUYING A HOME

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Saving for a down payment is one of the biggest challenges facing people wanting to buy their first home. To fulfill the conditions of your mortgage approval, it’s all about what you can prove (hard to believe – but some people have lied in the past – horrors!). Documentation of down payment is required by […]

Read More
5 Dec

5 MISTAKES FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS MAKE

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Buying a home might just be the biggest purchase of your life—it’s important to do your homework before jumping in! We have outlined the 5 mistakes First Time Home Buyers commonly make, and how you can avoid them and look like a Home Buying Champ. 1. Shopping Outside Your Budget It’s always an excellent idea […]

Read More
29 Nov

PAYMENT FREQUENCY

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

One of the decisions you will need to make before your new mortgage is set up, is what kind of payment frequency you would like to have. For many, sticking to a monthly payment is the default, however, different frequencies may end up saving you less interest over time. Monthly Payments Monthly payments are exactly […]

Read More
20 Nov

PRINCIPAL & INTEREST

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Principal and interest are the two components that make up a mortgage payment. Principal is the portion of your payment that goes towards paying down the outstanding balance of your mortgage. Interest is the other portion of your payment which goes directly into the pockets of your lender and does not contribute to paying down […]

Read More
5 Nov

MORTGAGES FOR EXPENSIVE HOMES – NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS

General

Posted by: Trina Tallon

Large home purchases that require a mortgage present unique challenges in the Canadian Mortgage market. Sliding scales, director approval, multiple reviews, it all adds up to difficultly getting larger mortgages approved, unless you’re working with an experienced mortgage broker. In 2012 the government of Canada removed the mortgage insurers ability to approve mortgages of $1 […]

Read More