High interest debt on credit cards, auto loans, or other consumer loans can be tough to pay off. Sometimes it feels like we’re getting nowhere by just making those high interest only payments each month. Not only that, no one likes the feeling of having multiple higher payments to make every month. Your poor pay … Read More
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Purchase Plus Improvements
As the housing market is starting to pick up, people are looking to buy their first home, second home or maybe just fix up their first home. I’ve been asked by a few people in the recent weeks about whether they can make their mortgage more to do some renovations to their new home. The … Read More
Property Tax Payment Explained
June 30 – a dreaded day in Brandon. The day property taxes are due for the current calendar year. If you own a home and you have not already received your property tax bill in the mail, be sure to contact the city as they are due whether you receive your bill or not! Since … Read More
Financing An Acreage
Some people love the big city life but others long for a big beautiful home in the country. Financing country homes on numerous acres can be a little tricky so there are a few things you need to be aware of if this is your dream. The first thing to look at is the zoning … Read More
Mortgage Insurance – We Have a Better Option
As a Mortgage Broker with CENTUMÂ Mortgage Choice, we care about our clients and we want to do what is best for them. It bothered me to watch this investigative report but it also compelled me to let folks know that not all insurance providers that offer life and/or disability insurance on your mortgage treat their … Read More
Not All Mortgage Penalties Are Equal
This is a story about Joe and Sue. Two different people with similar mortgages, but very different prepayment penalties. Joe and Sue each buy a house at the exact same time for the exact same price and get a mortgage for the exact same amount. The only difference is Joe uses a Big Bank, and … Read More
Stated Income Mortgage Q & A: Business for Self with Non-Traditional Income Verification
What is a Stated Income mortgage? It is a specialty mortgage that goes by a few different names, Stated income, Alt A, or Low Doc, but it is essentially a program for people that are Business for Self that can’t prove their income by traditional means. It is often used by business owners that have lowered … Read More
Understanding Why Mortgage Rates Are Dropping
The Bank of Canada announced a surprise quarter-percentage-point cut to its key interest rate Wednesday – a move it calls “insurance†against the potentially destructive effects of the oil price collapse. The reduction in the bank’s overnight rate to 0.75 per cent from 1 per cent – its first move since September, 2010 – comes as … Read More
Interest Rate Hike: 4 Ways Canadians Should Prepare
The Bank of Canada is expected at some point in the year to hike interest rates, and even a small and gradual hike would affect millions of Canadians with car loans, mortgages and lines of credit. “Definitely not going to take much of a hike to make a difference and impact your payments,” says Toronto-based financial planner Jason Heath. “As soon as there’s a quarter-point increase in interest rates, I … Read More
Your Home Buying Team
Purchasing a home is likely to be the largest investment you will ever make, and that means that it is very important you have a team of professionals working with you throughout the entire process. Here are the key players you will need. More and more clients are discovering the benefits of utilizing the services … Read More