Qualify for a Mortgage – 5 things to know

Top 5 Reasons People Can’t Qualify for a Mortgage. I receive calls every month from people who want to know how to qualify for a mortgage because they were declined by their bank.  In many cases I can help them and in some cases they have to wait – but we identify what they need […]

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Non-Residents buying real estate in Canada

With all the changes to mortgage rules it can get confusing for Non-Resident home-buyers to know if they can qualify for a mortgage and how much money they have to put down.  Here is a simplified example to help… Joe is a non-resident of Canada and wants to buy a condo in Vancouver. He is considering what […]

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Mortgage Rate Party Over?

Canada’s mortgage party has come to an abrupt halt. (MAJOR BANKS CUT BACK WHILE LOWER RATES BY OTHER LENDERS STILL AVAILABLE) The bonanza of dirt-cheap mortgages offered by some of the country’s biggest lenders in recent weeks has been shut down sooner than expected, as banks pull their offers in the face of higher funding […]

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Mortgage Penalties – Eliminating the confusion

One of the most common issues with refinancing a home is the interest rate penalty that comes with ending a mortgage term before maturity. Due to the sometimes complex calculations the banks use to determine this amount – consumers have been left in the dark when trying to make a decision on whether the cost […]

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The dark side of low interest rates

There is a cost to low interest rates. Just ask savers pondering the merits of the Royal Bank’s so called “high interest” e-savings account, a typical offering in Canada. The rate: 1.2 per cent. For U.S. dollar savings, the return is positively microscopic, only 0.25 per cent. As markets await the results of Thursday’s policy-setting […]

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Cash Back Mortgages – are they still available?

Changes by the Ministry of Finance announced in June 2012 affected the maximum amortization for high ratio mortgages, loan to values on secured lines of credit and debt servicing ratios for qualifying. In addition the discontinuation of cash back mortgages of 5% used for down payment have taken affect with some lenders while others will […]

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Bank of Canada Holds Overnight Lending Rate

The Bank of Canada announced Wednesday it will maintain its overnight rate at 1 per cent, also hinting at the future withdrawal of that stimulus. “In Canada, while global headwinds continue to restrain economic activity, underlying momentum remains at a pace roughly in line with the economy’s production potential,” writes the Central Bank in its […]

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Women are leading the way when it comes to purchasing their first home.

Across B.C. and Canada, recent reports show that females are more likely than men to be first-time homebuyers. Courtesy of: M.J. Whitemarsh is chief executive officer of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of B.C. A new HGTV Canada show called Buy Herself premièred April 16 to show how single women have shifted from being a […]

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Scotia to buy ING

The gods may be listening to brokers with channel lender Scotia announcing it has reached a definitive agreement to purchase ING Direct Canada. “ING DIRECT has had proven success in meeting the needs of those Canadians who are not looking for the added services, advice and relationships provided by traditional banking channels,” said Rick Waugh, […]

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