16 May

5 WAYS YOU CAN KILL YOUR MORTGAGE APPROVAL

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

So, you found your dream home, negotiated a fair price which was accepted. You supplied all the needed documentation to your mortgage broker and you are waiting for the day that you go to the lawyer’s to sign the final paperwork and pick up the keys. All of a sudden your broker or the lawyer […]

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15 May

BROKERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Nearly half of all existing mortgage in Canada will be up for renewal in 2018. Stated in a Financial Post article by Armina Ligaya, CIBC Capital Markets estimates 47% of all existing mortgages will need to be refinanced in 2018. All of this coming on the heels of rising interest rates and changes to key […]

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14 May

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE RATE: AMORTIZATION & RENEWALS

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Have you spoken to a mortgage broker lately? When it’s time to renew your mortgage you have the freedom to do a number of things that are not possible at any other time without a financial penalty. Renewal time is an opportunity. Have you looked at your mortgage amortization lately? Let’s say that you started […]

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11 May

JOBLESS RATE REMAINS AT 40-YEAR LOW AS WAGE GROWTH ACCELERATES

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Statistics Canada announced this morning that employment was virtually unchanged in April (down 1,100) following a surge in March and the unemployment rate remained at 5.8%–its lowest level in four decades. Wages growth accelerated signalling tight labour markets. April’s stall was only the second time since mid-2016 that the job market did not grow. On […]

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11 May

IMPROVING YOUR CREDIT SCORE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Your credit score is a big factor when you apply for a mortgage. It can dictate how good your interest rate will be and the type of mortgage you qualify for. Mortgage Professionals are experienced helping clients with a wide range of credit scores so we can find you a mortgage product even if your […]

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10 May

5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A RURAL PROPERTY

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

After several years as a home owner, my friend was set to buy the home of his dreams. He always wanted to own an acreage outside of town. He had visions of having a few animals, a small tractor and lots of space. As a person with experience buying homes, he felt that he was […]

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9 May

WHY WE CHOSE A MORTGAGE BROKER

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

For Arthur Dubreuil, the recent purchase of his new house will sound like a similar story for many homebuyers. Looking to upsize to meet the needs of his growing family, the Toronto area resident looked east outside the city for a more affordable option. What he found was a perfect affordable 2,000 square-foot home on […]

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8 May

FAKE-ISH NEWS

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Fake(ish) News: ‘Mortgage Rates Went Up Last Week Real News: On April 27th TD increased their ‘posted rate’. What’s a posted rate? It’s the list price, the MSRP — you know that price that nobody actually pays…’rack rates’. Posted is not Prime, Prime is not Posted – there is no connection between Posted and Prime. […]

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7 May

6 HOME PURCHASE CLOSING COSTS

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

When you purchase your home, there are 6 additional costs to account for. They include: Home Fire and Flood Insurance Title Insurance Legal Fees Adjustments Land Transfer Tax GST Here’s an overview of what you can expect. Home and Fire Insurance. Mortgage lenders will require a certificate of fire insurance to be in place by […]

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4 May

WHAT IS A REFINANCE?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Refinancing a home is one of those things where people understand what it is but have trouble explaining how it works. To put it simply, refinancing your home allows you to access the equity you have built up, by changing the mortgage amount. Let’s say you bought a $300,000 condo and you paid 20% ($60,000) […]

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