21 Feb

5 REASONS WHY YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

It’s not just because of finances. As a mortgage broker I receive calls from people who want to know how to qualify for a mortgage. Most of the time it comes down to finances but there are other reasons as well. Here are the 5 most common reasons why your home mortgage loan application could […]

Read More
20 Feb

TAX REBATES FOR HOMEOWNERS

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

It’s getting to be that time of year when we are collecting our tax receipts to file taxes and hopefully get a nice cheque back from CRA. 1st time homebuyer’s Tax Credit If you purchases a home in 2018 don’t forget to apply for the $5,000 tax credit. This could result in up to $750 […]

Read More
19 Feb

GROWING CANNABIS AT HOME? LET’S WEED THROUGH THOSE MORTGAGE ISSUES!

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

As many of you already know, Canada just became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Of course, this historic moment in Canadian history has cannabis activists jumping for joy while others are not s-toked on the idea. With legalization comes the realities of growing your own pot […]

Read More
15 Feb

3 REASONS WHY YOUR REALTOR WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE A GARAGE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Your realtor will be happy to list your property and sell it for you. However, if you have a garage, they will be much happier. Why? Here’s the reasons why realtors prefer to sell homes with garages: 1 – Homes with a garage, attached or detached sell faster and for more money, usually $20-30,000 more. […]

Read More
14 Feb

HIGH RATIO AND CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

There are two different types of mortgages when it comes to their balance in relation to the value of your home- high ratio or conventional. When you applying for a mortgage, lenders use a ratio called loan to value. Your loan to value is exactly what it sounds like, the size of your mortgage in […]

Read More
13 Feb

7 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A GARAGE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Besides the obvious advantage of not having to go lug your groceries into the house in the rain, sleet or snow, there are a number of less obvious but important reasons to consider buying a home with a garage or building it sooner rather than later. 2- I just had $3,200 worth of hail damage […]

Read More
12 Feb

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’RE READY TO BUY HOUSE?

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Here are 7 signs that you’re ready to buy your first home… 1. You have saved enough for the down payment Most people think the biggest hurdle to overcome when buying a house is saving up a down payment. You normally need to save at least 5% of the purchase price as a down payment. […]

Read More
11 Feb

HOW TO GET A FREE COPY OF YOUR CREDIT BUREAU

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Think of your credit score as a report card on how you’ve handled your finances in the past. A credit score is a number that lenders use to determine the risk of lending money to a given borrower. There is always someone willing to lend you money however, higher risk = higher rates! Step 1 […]

Read More
7 Feb

GET TO KNOW TITLE INSURANCE

General

Posted by: Mike Hattim

Are you officially Mortgage Free? CONGRATULATIONS! That is a monumental milestone to achieve! With that significant accomplishment, you should look at obtaining a Title Insurance Policy. What most people don’t realize is that when you had a mortgage, the lender will likely have had this in place for you. Once your mortgage is paid out […]

Read More