New 30 Year Amortization for First Time Buyers

General Trish Pigott 11 Jun

Calling all First Time Home Buyers! Did you know that as of August 1, 2024, you will be eligible for a 30 year Amortization when you have less than 20% down? Today the maximum time frame is 25 year amortization so this is a big help for affordability.   The example below is based on […]

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June 2024 Rate Announcement

General Trish Pigott 5 Jun

From our partners at First National Financial, here is some insight on the Bank of Canada announcement and rate drop. Today, the Bank of Canada reduced its overnight policy interest rate by 0.25% to 4.75%. This welcome and widely expected decision comes on the heels of evidence pointing to a deceleration of the rate of […]

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What Will the Bank of Canada do on June 5, 2024?

General Trish Pigott 4 Jun

Home owners and real estate and mortgage professionals have all been waiting patiently for the past two years for some relief in interest rates and June 5, 2024 may be our lucky day! Last Fridays reporting on GDP (gross domestic product) came in at a disappointing number for the Bank of Canada (BoC) at 1.7% […]

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Property Transfer Tax and Flipping Tax Update

General Trish Pigott 14 Mar

Our partners at Spagnuolo Real Estate Lawyers has provided some clarity to the recent changes announced for Property Transfer Tax in BC and First Time Home Buyers.  Here is an outline below: PTT Exemptions: Based on Completion Date or Contract Date? The Completion Date appears to be the only thing that matters. There does not […]

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March 2024 Rate Announcement

General Trish Pigott 14 Mar

On Wednesday, the Bank of Canada (BoC) left rates unchanged, noting it still remains concerned about the risks of inflation, even as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in at 2.9% in January. It also reiterated its pledge to continue its policy of quantitative tightening.  Although inflation came in under expectations and data is leading […]

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Housing Market Update from Dr. Sherry Cooper

General Trish Pigott 15 Feb

Canadian Home Sales Continued Their Upward Trend in January As Prices Fell Modestly The Canadian Real Estate Association announced today that home sales over the last two months show signs of recovery. National sales were up 3.7% between December 2023 and January 2024, building on the 7.9% gain in December. The chart below shows that […]

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Do You Have an Outstanding CEBA Loan?

General Trish Pigott 11 Jan

The Canada Emergency Business Account Loan is a program that offers interest free loans to small businesses and not-for-profit companies of up to $60,000. Thousands of businesses have taken advantage of these loans during the pandemic. Businesses have until January 18, 2024 to repay their CEBA loan. After this date, outstanding loans will convert to […]

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A Guide to Home Winterization

General Trish Pigott 13 Dec

Winter home maintenance is important to ensure your property remains in good condition & you and your family stay warm. Here’s a checklist to get you started and ready for whatever conditions come your way! Indoor Winter Maintenance: Heating System: Schedule a professional inspection and maintenance for your heating system. Replace the furnace filter to […]

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Decembers Rate Announcement

General Trish Pigott 6 Dec

Good news today with the Bank of Canada’s last announcement for 2023 and they have left the overnight target rate, which affects the Prime rate unchanged for the past 5 months.  Prime is currently at 7.20%. This means no rate or payment changes for Variable Rate mortgage holders.  Here’s a visual on what the BoC […]

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Mortgage Types 101

General Trish Pigott 29 Nov

Get to know the basics before you choose your mortgage. You must select the most important to you – lower rates or flexibility. Take some time to study mortgage types: Closed Mortgage: A closed mortgage is best if you want consistent rates. Interest rates are typically lower (and do not change with the length of […]

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