There are 9 million Millennials in Canada, representing more than 25 percent of the population. Born between 1980 and 1999, the eldest are in the early stages of their careers, forming households and buying their first homes. Buying a home is a daunting process for anyone, but especially so for the first-time home buyer. This […]

Approximately 32 per cent of Canadians are in a variable rate mortgage, which with rates effectively declining steadily for the better part of the last ten years has worked well. Recent increases triggers questions and concerns, and these questions and concerns are best expressed verbally with a direct call to your independent mortgage expert – […]

It has been said that there are two certainties in life; death and taxes. Well, as it relates to your mortgage, the single certainty is that you will pay back what you borrowed, plus interest. However, how you make your mortgage payments, the payment frequency, is somewhat up to you! The following is a look […]

By now the media, along with multiple mortgage brokers’ social media feeds, have likely let you know that more changes to your ability to get a mortgage are arriving soon. But so what? Should you care? SHORT VERSION; Probably Not. LONG VERSION; The five ’W’’s follow to help answer the above questions and more; Who […]

Although home prices in Toronto and Vancouver seem to have stabilized recently, they are still at historical levels. The average home price in these two major Canadian cities are still well over $1 Million. Unsurprisingly, first-time homebuyers are finding it increasingly difficult to get onto the “property ladder”. It is now harder than ever for […]

When signing your mortgage commitment letter you will have to choose your payment frequency. If your goal is to re-pay your mortgage as quickly as possible, then you need to understand how different payment options will affect your repayment schedule. So what are your options? In general, most lenders will offer the borrower the option […]

This week, OSFI (Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions) announced that effective January 1, 2018 the new Residential Mortgage Underwriting Practices and Procedures (Guidelines B-20) will be applied to all Federally Regulated Lenders. Note that this currently does not apply to Provincially Regulated Lenders (Credit Unions) but it is possible they will abide by […]

Why, why, why it is so challenging for entrepreneurs to obtain a mortgage in Canada? If you’re among the 2.7 million Canadians who are self-employed, regrettably your income is not as easy to document as someone who’s traditionally employed. Since 2008, mortgage regulations in Canada have made it more challenging for those who work for […]

It is great feeling buying your first home, but for most of us the first step is preparing to get a mortgage. Your credit rating and cash flow are based on a minimum of a two-year history. As mortgage rules continue to change, the credit rating is becoming even more important as a higher credit […]

I had a client, who at 84 years old sold his home in order to purchase a home closer to his daughter and her teenage son. Although most people prefer to age in their own homes, this client lived far away from his family, and at this stage in his life, he preferred to be […]