by Frances Hinojosa | Sep 9, 2020 | Announcements, Blog
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at the effective lower bound of ¼ percent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly ½ percent and the deposit rate is ¼ percent. The Bank is also continuing its quantitative easing (QE) program, with...
by Frances Hinojosa | Sep 4, 2020 | Blog, Homeownership, Mortgage
Both a home appraisal and an inspection are important steps within the home buying process, so it’s well worth your effort to distinguish the differences between them and learn how they can both be used to your advantage to uncover detailed information about a...
by Frances Hinojosa | Aug 28, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Finance, Homeownership
We’re capable of convincing ourselves of pretty much anything, especially concerning our personal spending habits and debt levels. When we start spending beyond our means, there are many short-term things we can do that will help put a band-aid on our debt...
by Frances Hinojosa | Aug 21, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Finance, Homeownership
The Canadian real estate market was in good shape heading into 2020, but the busy spring season was delayed a bit thanks to COVID-19. The good news is that it has come back white hot, breaking records throughout the summer and showing no signs of slowing down anytime...
by Frances Hinojosa | Aug 14, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Finance, Homeownership, Mortgage
Your credit rating affects all aspects of your financial activities when it comes to borrowing money, as it helps lenders determine the level of risk associated with lending money to you. If you have a solid credit score, lenders believe you’re more likely to make...
by Frances Hinojosa | Aug 7, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Homeownership, Mortgage
Canadian seniors who are feeling the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are showing interest in reverse mortgages as a way to stay in their current homes. With a reverse mortgage, Canadians aged 55+ can borrow funds against home equity. No payments are...
by Frances Hinojosa | Jul 24, 2020 | Blog, Homeownership, Mortgage
If you’re thinking of buying your very first home, one of your biggest concerns is likely centred around how much money you need to have set aside for your down payment. And this can, no doubt, seem extra nerve-wracking when you haven’t yet done the math. The minimum...
by Frances Hinojosa | Jul 17, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Homeownership
It’s important not to subscribe to the doom and gloom media reports about the Canadian housing market, especially in the midst of COVID-19 emergency measures. The reality is that, regardless of what you’re reading in the mainstream media, people are still...
by Frances Hinojosa | Jul 10, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Finance, Homeownership
It’s important to pay attention to the little things that can make or break your chances of qualifying for a mortgage – and keeping your approval all the way through to closing. Did you know that it’s fairly common practice for mortgage lenders and insurers to...
by Frances Hinojosa | Jul 3, 2020 | Blog, Economy, Homeownership
When you took out your current mortgage, you were required to make a number of key decisions, such as the type of rate you wanted – fixed or variable – the amortization period, whether it was open or closed as well as what term you wanted. A mortgage term...
