16 Mar

STARTLING GAP BETWEEN THE LIFESTYLE EXPECTATION AND REALITY OF CANADIANS 40+

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Over the last few years, we have seen many retired Canadians outliving their retirement savings and requiring a financial solution to help them live the rest of their retirement. In the media alone, there is a constant outpouring of articles relating to retirement planning, preparing enough savings for retirement, as well as numerous articles around […]

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15 Mar

5 COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN SHOPPING FOR A MORTGAGE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Avoid these 5 common mistakes, and you will have no problem getting your mortgage faster, more efficiently, and with a clear understanding of the process: 1. Thinking banks are the first and best place to go for a mortgage Mortgage brokers can often beat the bank rates by using different lending institutions. The bank is […]

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14 Mar

HOME FINANCING SOLUTIONS – PURCHASE PLUS IMPROVEMENTS

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Are you on the hunt for a new home but can’t find exactly what you are looking for? You’re not alone. House hunters experience this scenario every day. With real estate prices increasing you may not be able to buy your dream home the first go-round. Think about buying a fixer-upper. There are many potential […]

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13 Mar

HOW YOUR CREDIT SCORE AFFECTS YOUR PURCHASE PRICE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Your Credit Score that the lenders use, not to be mistaken by the Credit Risk Score you see when you check your own credit, is one aspect of determining your borrowing power. The better your score, the length of established credit and your payment history the better when it comes to mortgage financing. Let’s assume […]

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10 Mar

IS TODAY THE RIGHT DAY TO BUY YOURSELF A HOME OR NOT?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Q. Is today the right day to buy yourself a home or not? A. Today is the right day assuming one has found a specific property that works for them on all levels. This question arises on a near daily basis within our social circles and most of the chatter around the topic is largely […]

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8 Mar

HOW TO NOT QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

If you have no desire at all to qualify for a mortgage, here are some great ways to make sure you don’t accidentally end up buying a house and taking out a mortgage to do so. One of the best ways to ensure you won’t qualify for a mortgage is to be unemployed. Yep, banks hate lending […]

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7 Mar

4 CRITICAL QUESTIONS YOU MUST ASK YOUR MORTGAGE BROKER

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

We have often talked about understanding the personalities of your mortgage on our blog, but another part of that is working with your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker to ensure that you are getting the best product and sharpest rate possible. Asking critical questions will help you to not only understand your mortgage, but to […]

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6 Mar

INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE BOX MORTGAGES IN TODAY’S MARKET

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

As we truck along in 2017, Mortgage Brokers and Lenders are adjusting to the new risk based mortgage rate pricing that came into play after the Finance Minister changed Government backed mortgage default insurance regulations in late 2016. Lenders often choose to pay for mortgage default insurance on mortgages where the borrower was not required to […]

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6 Mar

STUCK IN A HIGH RATE 10 YEAR FIXED MORTGAGE?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

With low rate offerings over the past several years and a struggling economy, some homeowners chose to lock into a longer term mortgage even if the interest rate was a bit higher. If you are one of those people who feel stuck in a high rate 10 year fixed mortgage you may be wondering if […]

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