The Mortgage Gal
Mortgage up for renewal?
An active spring mortgage market means that five years later there are many mortgages up for renewal. The majority of clients initially sign a five-year...
Avoid a collapsing deal
Over the last few months, several of our clients have walked away from the homes they were purchasing because of items that were uncovered by thorough home...
Changing with the times
The holiday season means different things to different people. For some it is a time of: Joy Reverence Celebration. For others, it’s a time of family...
Improving your credit score
As we move into the holiday season, mortgages are not top of mind for most of us. However, over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed that our housing market...
Not all lenders are equal
Last week, a client asked why I chose a particular lender for them. It was a great question, so I spent some time breaking down why we went the route we did....
Get mortgage insurance
I’ve touched on mortgage insurance before, but after a few conversations the last two weeks, I feel it is worth revisiting. When you are working on your...
Creative financing
Part of what we do as mortgage brokers is explore options for clients. This past week, I worked with two families whose financing had been declined by their...
Support those who back you
Every once in a while I read something that really seems to hit home. Last, week I came across something on Facebook that I’d like to share with you. This...
Get title insurance
When you get down to the nitty-gritty of buying a home, you need to make a lot of decisions in a short time. Regardless of how prepared you are, it can feel a...
Do your paper work
“Why do they need that?” “It wasn’t like this the last time I bought a house.” One of the common frustrations shared by mortgage...
Info for first-time buyers
Last week, I sat in on a webinar hosted by CMHC that covered more information about the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive Program. The intent of the plan is to...
Summer mortgage success
Happy news on the mortgage front. Rates are continuing to drop. If you are looking to buy a home over the summer, my suggestion is to think carefully about...
Say yes to what you want
"In order to say yes to your priorities you have to be willing to say no to something else.” I saw this quote on Facebook and felt it summed up a few...
Your home-buying team
Buying a home can be both exciting and overwhelming. One of the best things you can do is to surround yourself with professionals you trust. Key members of...
First-time buyer incentive
More details about the FirstTime Home Buyer Incentive program were rolled out last week. The intent of the plan is to help make mortgages more affordable for...
Mortgage homework
Most first-time home buyers I work with are better prepared then they think. There is a wealth of information available at their fingertips, so by the time they...
Courage to choose
Choose courage over comfort. This phrase has been running through my head since I heard it. And this story does circle back to mortgages, I promise. On Saturday...
Honesty best policy
Finding the right mortgage broker is important. Whether you choose to work with a mortgage broker, a branch employee, or a mortgage specialist tied to one bank,...
Mortgage-fee red flags
Twice over the last week I’ve fielded questions about mortgage fees, so I thought this might be information worth sharing. It is important to note that...
Timing your mortgage
After a bit of a slow start to the year, the spring market is in full swing. For many clients, it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg game: Do I list my...