30 Jan

WHAT IS A CASH BACK MORTGAGE?

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Every once in a while, a bank will advertise a cash back mortgage. It sounds great but there are a few things to consider. When you purchase a home, you may find that you need some extra cash. You may want to renovate, purchase some furniture, or start on building a fence or landscaping.. Fortunately, […]

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29 Jan

WHAT IS A PROPERTY ASSESSMENT VS A HOME APPRAISAL?

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

It’s the time of year when many homeowners are getting their property assessments. The real estate market is the single biggest influence on market values. Market forces vary from year to year and from property to property. The market value on an assessment notice may differ from that shown on a bank mortgage appraisal or […]

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28 Jan

HOW MORTGAGE BROKERS HELP YOU GET APPROVED BY’A’ LENDERS

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Every year Canadian families are caught in unexpected bad circumstances only to find out that in most cases the banks and the credit unions are there to lend you money in the good times, not so much during the bad times. This is where thousands of families have benefited over the years from the services […]

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27 Jan

9 REASONS WHY PEOPLE BREAK THEIR MORTGAGES

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Did you know that 60 per cent of people break their mortgage before their mortgage term matures? Most homeowners are blissfully unaware that when you break your mortgage with your lender, you will incur penalties and those penalties can be painfully expensive. Many homeowners are so focused on the rate that they are ignorant about […]

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26 Jan

BANK OF CANADA RAISES RATES CAUTIOUSLY

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

As was widely expected, the Bank of Canada announced another quarter-point interest rate increase this morning, saying that more hikes are ahead. According to Governor Stephen Poloz, the “big cloud” over the Canadian economy is the uncertainty associated with NAFTA and he cautioned that it would be some time before interest rates return to normal […]

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25 Jan

BANK BROKER VS. MORTGAGE BROKERS/ HERE’S THE SCOOP

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Ask any mortgage broker and they can tell you that there are a handful of misconceptions that the public has about working with a mortgage broker. From questioning their credentials (we all are regulated and licensed with in our own province, and are constantly re-educating ourselves) to assuming that the broker does not have access […]

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28 Nov

MORTGAGE PAYMENT OPTIONS…WHICH IS THE BEST OPTION FOR YOUR SITUATION?

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Once your mortgage has been funded by your lender, you need to decide on how frequently you want to make your mortgage payments. Most people want to pay off their mortgage as quick as possible to save paying interest. We’ll discuss various mortgage payment options and then do the math by crunching mortgage numbers, keeping […]

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27 Nov

MORTGAGE INSURANCE 101

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

When you purchase a property, you may be a little overwhelmed by all the insurance offers related to the purchase of said property. Mortgage Insurance, Condo Insurance, Mortgage Default Insurance, Earthquake Insurance; the list goes on and on. It can be confusing, and it is important to know what insurance covers what. For instance, Mortgage […]

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26 Nov

I’VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT LENDER BEFORE

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

One of the benefits of working with an independent mortgage professional; compared to getting your mortgage through a single institution, is choice. And as there are even more mortgage rules coming into place January 1st 2018, now more than ever, having access to a wide variety of mortgage products is going to ensure you get […]

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25 Nov

MORTGAGES AND PAPERWORK

General

Posted by: Patti MacLennan

Paperwork-it’s a fact of life. You need it and we as mortgage professionals also need it. Below is a list of must have documentation BEFORE you start going through the mortgage approval process. Personal Information This will be the basic information we require to start your mortgage process. It will include your age, marital status, […]

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