4 Sep

Your mortgage broker is here to help

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Your mortgage broker is here to help For many people in Canada, they are first-time home buyers. Or if they are new to Canada, it’s their first home purchase in a new country. They may not be aware of the rules and guidelines. It’s the job of your mortgage broker to make you aware of […]

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30 Aug

What happens when your credit card account is closed

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

What happens when your credit card account is closed I have been working in the mortgage industry since 2005. I have had all sorts of clients over the years. Every once in a while I get someone who has a car loan , a couple of credit cards but there’s a collection from a credit […]

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23 Aug

Toys and buying a home

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

Toys and buying a home In 2005, I was asked to do a pre-approval by a couple hoping to buy a home. I went through the application with them and pre-approved them for $320,000. They were astounded. They told me that their bank told them that they were qualified to a maximum of $260,000. They […]

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1 Aug

5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A RURAL PROPERTY

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A RURAL PROPERTY 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 […]

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26 Jul

CMHC CHANGES TO ASSIST SELF-EMPLOYED BORROWERS

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

CMHC CHANGES TO ASSIST SELF-EMPLOYED BORROWERS As a self-employed person myself, I was happy to hear that CMHC is willing to make some changes that will make it easier for us to qualify for a mortgage. In an announcement on July 19, 2018, the CMHC has said “Self-employed Canadians represent a significant part of the […]

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20 Jul

BREAKING A MORTGAGE – CAN YOU DO IT?

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

BREAKING A MORTGAGE – CAN YOU DO IT? Do you have a mortgage? So do I! Looks like we have something in common. Did you know that 6 out of 10 consumers break their mortgage 38 months into a 5-year term? That means that 60% of consumers break a 5-year term mortgage well before it’s […]

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9 Jul

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTY

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTY With all of the rule changes imposed by the federal and provincial governments around mortgage financing and real estate it may be more difficult to access financing. But don’t take it personally – sometimes it’s not you it’s the property. When lenders underwrite your application for approval they look at […]

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6 Jul

ALL ABOUT PRE-APPROVALS

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

  ALL ABOUT PRE-APPROVALS Are you in the market for a new home? That’s great – but if you’re not already pre-approved from your mortgage broker, be sure to read on. Pre-approvals are very important for two reasons. They give you confidence in knowing that a specific amount of financing is available for you. A […]

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27 Jun

REVERSE MORTGAGE – SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

General

Posted by: Steven Brouwer

REVERSE MORTGAGE – SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS The words reverse mortgage carry some negative connotation. What does it really mean? What makes reverse mortgage different than a regular or demand mortgage in Canada? There are no payments required if 1 applicant lives in the home. Payments can be made if they wish, they are truly optional. […]

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