The Mortgage Gal
The ins and outs of mortgage insurance
First off, some happy news. It sounds like insurance companies are back to offering home insurance policies in our area. This is still on a case-by-case basis...
Mortgage renewal 'sticker shock' prompting difficult decisions
Currently, I am fielding a high number of calls from people looking for information about mortgage renewal options. In 2016, when the mortgage “stress...
The impact of wildfire on mortgages
This week it feels like almost every conversation starts with a question and answer and fire update. I am very fortunate in that my family lives just outside of...
Challenging times in the world of mortgages
Sometimes, when I sit down to write my column, I struggle to find a topic that I’d like to write about. Other times, like today, I have a clear idea of...
Plan on getting into the housing market? Consider an FHSA
Whether it is your first or subsequent venture into the housing market, it will likely look a bit different than it did even a few years ago. Rising interest...
What to do with your mortgage
The question I field most often right now is “what do I do with my mortgage?” Clients with mortgages coming up for renewal have seen rates almost...
Figuring out the right minimum mortgage down payment
Recently I worked with a couple who were selling their home in northern B.C. and moving to the Okanagan. It had been many years since they applied for a...
Wildfire impact and pre-build issues when it comes to mortgages
When I sat down to write this column, there were two themes from the last few weeks that jumped out at me. The two themes have come up in my conversations...
The importance of a mortgage pre-approval
The subject of mortgage pre-approvals has been beaten to death, but I am going to circle back to this from a different perspective. Over the last few months...
Buying property with your head, not your heart
For the last few months, I have felt a bit of a return to normal in the mortgage world. Fixed rates have been trending down and we’ve seen some great rate...
Bridging the gap between selling and buying
As always, before I sit down to write my column, I tend to notice a theme of what’s happened over the last few weeks. Recently, this has been the...
Read your mortgage renewal offer carefully and get help from a mortgage professional
Twice over the last week, I’ve had conversations with clients regarding their mortgage renewal offers that have really concerned me. If you are new to the...
Housing market appears to be rebalancing itself
Homes are starting to move. Fixed rates are trending down. It feels like things are picking up. My work is feeling a little different than it did over the last...
Refinancing may be the solution to dealing with debt
I feel many of us have the tendency to bury our heads in the sand while dealing with (or more specifically not dealing with) our finances. I also feel the last...
Avoid becoming a victim of a "Tinder swindler"
Mortgages and Tinder. What do the two have to do with each other? This week I learned a new term – "Tinder Swindler." This comes from a Netflix...
Deciding the best way to go when renewing your mortgage
If your mortgage is coming up for renewal soon it’s a great idea to do some research before you sign on the dotted line and stick with your traditional...
Finding a way to finance home renovations
In my last column, I wrote about looking at refinancing your home to consolidate debts or pull money for renovations to your home. It struck a nerve with...
Using equity in your home to deal with debt
Just over a year ago, I shared my thoughts about whether it might make more sense to stay in your current home and renovate as opposed to jumping into the...
Why do mortgage pre-approval numbers keep changing?
Why do mortgage pre-approval numbers keep changing? From a broker’s perspective, trying to nail down an upper price point for clients is a little like...
New B.C. law allows home buyers to back out of sales
What exactly is the Home Buyer Rescission Period (HBRP)? For months now, we’ve been hearing about a proposed cooling off period for home purchases. This...