1 May

HOW TO PICK THE BEST MORTGAGE FOR YOUR SITUATION!

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Most Canadians are conditioned to think that the lowest interest rate means the best mortgage product. Although sometimes that is true, a mortgage is much more than just an interest rate. You can save yourself a lot of money if you pay attention to the fine print for the total cost of your mortgage. In […]

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30 Apr

ACCESSING YOUR HOME’S EQUITY TO INVEST

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

To tap into your home’s equity, it all starts with refinancing your home. If you own a home, the equity you have built up in it is one of the most valuable assets you have available to you. It is also much more accessible than taking out a large loan. In many cases, home equity […]

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29 Apr

PRE-APPROVALS & PRE-QUALIFICATIONS

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Throughout the mortgage and home buying process, there are many steps and many checkpoints a buyer will need to complete before they can move on to the next one. A buyer will not be able to close on a purchase if they do not have a lawyer. Financing conditions need to be lifted after confirmation […]

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26 Apr

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

When applying for any sort of loan, one of the most important metrics a lender is going to look at is your credit score. But what really is a credit score, who keeps track of it, and most importantly, how can you improve yours? There are a few simple ways to keep your credit score […]

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25 Apr

THE FAMILY PLAN PROGRAM EXPLAINED

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Genworth Canada, one of the three mortgage default insurers in Canada, offers a program called Family Plan. It provides you with a solution which only requires a 5% down payment to take advantage of its unique solutions to family problems. In the past, I have used this with clients who want to purchase a home […]

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24 Apr

STOP THE AGEIST STEREOTYPE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

As a society, we are continually evolving in our acceptance of past stigmas. But while we are evolving, why is ageism still so prominent and accepted. And what can we do to shine a light on this issue? Overrepresentation of an underrepresented cohort A recent research study with Brainsights reveals that many of us don’t […]

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23 Apr

BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME? – THESE TIPS WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

So you’re wanting to buy a new home? That is some very exciting news. First question, are you prepared?! We all know big-item purchases are scary. It’s expensive, you are fully committing to this household – there is no turn backing without that pricey consequence. We totally get it. The ultimate first-step is to do […]

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17 Apr

FLAT YIELD CURVE. BEST NEWS, OR BORROWER BEWARE?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

A Flat Yield Curve In our post entitled A Flat Yield Curve, we discussed the implications of a flat yield curve. At the time of the post, early summer 2018, rates were rising. The reverse seems now to be true, with rates recently softening, however the results are similar, a flat yield curve. Typically a […]

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16 Apr

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN A HOME PURCHASE AGREEMENT

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

While a home purchase agreement may seem simple and straight forward, there are many differences that you can encounter that can be a big surprise to first-time homebuyers. While you expect the date of possession and the full purchase price to be outlined in the agreement, there are items that you may not be aware […]

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15 Apr

5 REASONS WHY REALTORS WANT YOU TO HAVE A PRE-APPROVAL

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

You’ve decided that you want to buy a home and you call up a realtor to show you a listing and the first question they ask is “ How much are you pre-approved for?” Many realtors will refuse to book home viewings until they can confirm that you are pre-approved. Why? 1- It shows that […]

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