5 Dec

What’s an acceptable down payment for a house?

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Ask people this question and you will get a variety of answers.  Most home owners will say 10% is what you should put down. However, if you speak with your grandparents, they are likely to suggest that 20% is what you need for a down payment. The truth is 5% is the minimum down payment […]

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22 Oct

CMHC Changes to Assist Self-Employed Borrowers

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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 Canadian workforce. These policy changes respond […]

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18 Oct

Bank or Mortgage Broker?

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Mortgages are like vehicles. A bank is similar to the brand, Ford or Toyota for example. How long you have a mortgage before it’s time to renew is like the model, a Fusion or Camry. The rate is similar to the car’s paint color, and the mortgage benefits such as prepayment privileges and portability are […]

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7 Oct

What should come first, the house or the car?

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So you just got a shiny new car, and now you want a shiny new home to go with it. Will that new car payment affect your mortgage pre- approval? The short answer… absolutely it will. Recently, I have encountered many people looking to pre-approve for a home purchase that do not qualify. While it […]

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28 Sep

Is your Line of Credit Killing your Mortgage Application?

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Some of the last round of changes from the government regarding qualifying for a mortgage were that if you have a balance on your unsecured line of credit, then to qualify for mortgage the lenders require that we use a 3% payment of the balance of the line of credit. Simple math is, if you […]

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13 Sep

Keeping Your Credit Score Healthy

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There is a lot of misinformation floating around about credit bureaus, credit reports and credit scores – not only that, but a large amount of the clients I work with have never even seen their credit report or score before! I’d like to shed a bit of light, as they say, on the importance of your […]

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5 Sep

Bridge Loans

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If you have ever sold your home in order to help with the purchase of your next home, chances are you have heard of bridge financing. Bridge financing is an option available to homeowners if they find themselves in a little bit of a pinch when it comes to two different completion dates. A situation […]

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24 Aug

Buying a home as a new Canadian

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Canada is made up of hundreds of thousands of people, and while some did not start here, they have made it their home. Buying a home, especially when you are new to Canada can be mind boggling, BUT, we have a mortgage for you! The New to Canada Program is designed to help new Canadians […]

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22 Aug

7 Sure-Fire Ways to Grow Your Credit Score

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Have you ever wished for a simplified guide on how to actually GROW your credit score? Well today is your lucky day! We have had years of experience working with individuals who come to us with poor or damaged credit and we have found 7 steps that prove to be tried and true in fixing […]

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14 Aug

Why we chose a DLC mortgage broker – Our House Magazine

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Cindee and Dwayne Roy had always planned to get back to country living. The Alberta couple had done the big city and small town thing, but always had one eye on the simple life. After five years of searching, they finally found their dream home outside of Wainwright, Alta. It was a sprawling property, featuring […]

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