21 Feb

Mortgages and Corporations

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Mortgages and Corporations. If you are a self-employed client who owns your own business, you may have chosen to set that business up as a corporation. This means the business operates as essentially its own person. They have income through business revenue and expenses from marketing costs, materials, office space, etc. When it comes to […]

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30 Mar

Why Are Mortgage Rates Rising?

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Why Are Mortgage Rates Rising?   Over the past month, the Bank of Canada has lowered its overnight rate by a whopping 1.5 percentage points to a mere 0.25%. Many people expected mortgage rates to fall equivalently. The banks have reduced prime rates by the full 150 basis points (bps). But, since the second Bank […]

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24 Mar

Need to defer mortgage payments? Know the costs first

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

A word of caution before you defer your mortgage payments amid the COVID-19 pandemic: it will cost you in the long run. Remember, a deferral isn’t mortgage payment forgiveness. There seemed to be a collective sigh of relief when Finance Minister Bill Morneau, after consultation with the big banks, highlighted potential mortgage payment and credit card deferrals would […]

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12 Nov

Credit Reports: You’ve Scored! But Are You Playing the Game?

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Credit Reports: You’ve Scored! But Are You Playing the Game? For most people, your personal credit score and how a credit score is calculated are complete mysteries. How can you be expected to play and be successful if you aren’t even told the rules of the game? There are things borrowers can do to improve […]

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23 Oct

6 Things all Co-signors should consider

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

6 Things all Co-signors should consider Co-signing on a loan may seem like an easy way to help a loved one (child, family member, friend, etc. ) live out their dream of owning a home. In today’s market conditions, a co-signor can offer a solution to overcome the high market prices and stress testing measure. […]

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25 Sep

5 Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Should Avoid

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

5 Mistakes First Time Home Buyers Should Avoid Buying a home might just be the biggest purchase of your life—it’s important to do your homework before jumping in! We have outlined the 5 mistakes first time homebuyers commonly make, and how you can avoid them and look like a Home Buying Champ. 1. Shopping Outside […]

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