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 […]

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 […]

Committing to a mortgage for five long years exposes people to the most insidious aspect of residential financing: prepayment charges. And when it comes to such charges – the penalties you pay come when you back out of your mortgage early – some lenders take a greater toll on your bank balance than others. Big […]

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 […]

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. […]

Mortgage renewals with the same lender are on the rise, but should you just sign on the dotted line? If you’re in a mortgage that’s coming up for renewal in the coming months and you’re considering just staying with your current lender, you wouldn’t be alone. According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) […]

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 […]

First Time Home Buyers Incentive Program The new First Time Home Buyer Incentive program from CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation) was officially released on September 2. This program was met with mixed reactions across the mortgage industry, but we wanted to take a minute to give you the facts regarding the program. Below are […]

4 Ways to Make the Mortgage Process Smoother Mortgages are complicated—we get it! But there are steps that you as a homebuyer can take to make the process a much smoother one (plus let you walk away with the sharpest rate!) 1. Use a Broker This should be the first step you take when getting […]