1. What’s the best rate I can get?

• Your credit score plays a big part in the interest rate for which you will qualify, as the riskier you appear as a borrower, the higher your rate will be. Rate is definitely not the most important aspect of a mortgage, however, as many rock-bottom rates often come from no frills mortgage products. In other words, even if you qualify for the lowest rate, you often have to give up other things such as prepayments and porting privileges when opting for the lowest-rate product.

 2. What’s the maximum mortgage amount for which I can qualify?

• To determine the amount for which you will qualify, there are two calculations you’ll need to complete. The first is your Gross Debt Service (GDS) ratio. GDS looks at your proposed new housing costs (mortgage payments, taxes, heating costs and 50% of strata/condo fees, if applicable). Generally speaking, this amount should be no more than 32% of your gross monthly income. For example, if your gross monthly income is $4,000, you should not be spending more than $1,280 in monthly housing expenses. Second, you will need to calculate your Total Debt Service (TDS) ratio. The TDS ratio measures your total debt obligations (including housing costs, loans, car payments and credit card bills). Generally speaking, your TDS ratio should be no more than 40% of your gross monthly income. Keep in mind that these numbers are prescribed maximums and that you should strive for lower ratios for a more affordable lifestyle. Before falling in love with a potential new home, you may want to obtain a pre-approved mortgage. This will help you stay within your price range and spend your time looking at homes you can reasonably afford.

3. How much money do I need for a down payment?

• The minimum down payment required is 5% of the purchase price of the home. And in order to avoid paying mortgage default insurance, you need to have at least a 20% down payment.

4. What happens if I don’t have the full down payment amount?

• There are programs available that enable you to use other forms of down payment, such as from your RRSPs, a cash-back product, or a gift.

5. What will a lender look at when qualifying me for a mortgage?

• Most lenders look at five factors when determining whether you qualify for a mortgage: 1. Income; 2. Debts; 3. Employment History; 4. Credit history; and 5. Value of the Property you wish to purchase. One of the first things a lender will consider is how much of your total income you’ll be spending on housing. This helps the lender decide whether you can comfortably afford a house. A lender will then look at your debts, which generally include monthly house payments as well as payments on all loans, credit cards, child support, etc. A history of steady employment, usually within the same job for several years, helps you qualify. But a short history in your current job shouldn’t prevent you from getting a mortgage, as long as there have been no gaps in income over the past two years. Good credit is also very important in qualifying for a mortgage. The lender will also want to know that the house is worth the price you plan to pay.

 6. Should I go with a fixed- or variable-rate mortgage?

• The answer to this question depends on your personal risk tolerance. If, for instance, you’re a first-time homebuyer and/or you have a set budget that you can comfortably spend on your mortgage, it’s smart to lock into a fixed mortgage with predictable payments over a specific period of time. If, however, your financial situation can handle the fluctuations of a variable-rate mortgage, this may save you some money over the long run. Another option is to opt for a variable rate, but make payments based on what you would have paid if you selected a fixed rate. Finally, there are also 50/50 mortgage options that enable you to split your mortgage into both fixed and variable portions.

7. What credit score do I need to qualify?

• Generally speaking, you’re a prime candidate for a mortgage if your credit score is 680 and above. The higher you can get above 700 the better, as you will qualify for the lowest rates. These days almost anyone can obtain a mortgage, but the key for those with lower credit scores is the size of the down payment. If you have a sufficient down payment, you can reduce the risk to the lender providing you with the mortgage. Statistics show that default rates on mortgages decline as the down payment increases.

8. What happens if my credit score isn’t great?

• There are several things you can do to boost your credit fairly quickly. Following are five steps you can use to help attain a speedy credit score boost: 1) Pay down credit cards. The number one way to increase your credit score is to pay down your credit cards so they’re below 70% of your limits. Revolving credit like credit cards seems to have a more significant impact on credit scores than car loans, lines of credit, and so on. 2) Limit the use of credit cards. Racking up a large amount and then paying it off in monthly instalments can hurt your credit score. If there is a balance at the end of the month, this affects your score – credit formulas don’t take into account the fact that you may have paid the balance off the next month. 3) Check credit limits. If your lender is slower at reporting monthly transactions, this can have a significant impact on how other lenders view your file. Ensure everything’s up to date as old bills that have been paid can come back to haunt you. Some financial institutions don’t even report your maximum limits. As such, the credit bureau is left to only use the balance that’s on hand. The problem is, if you consistently charge the same amount each month – say $1,000 to $1,500 – it may appear to the credit-scoring agencies that you’re regularly maxing out your cards. The best bet is to pay your balances down or off before your statement periods close. 4) Keep old cards. Older credit is better credit. If you stop using older credit cards, the issuers may stop updating your accounts. As such, the cards can lose their weight in the credit formula and, therefore, may not be as valuable – even though you have had the cards for a long time. Use these cards periodically and then pay them off. 5) Don’t let mistakes build up. Always dispute any mistakes or situations that may harm your score. If, for instance, a cell phone bill is incorrect and the company will not amend it, you can dispute this by making the credit bureau aware of the situation.

 9. How much will I have to pay for closing costs?

• As a general rule of thumb, it’s recommended that you put aside at least 1.5% of the purchase price (in addition to the down payment) strictly to cover closing costs. There are several items you should budget for when it comes to closing costs. Property Transfer Tax is charged whenever a property is purchased. The tax will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but I can help with the calculation. GST/HST is only charged on new homes, and does not affect homes priced at less than $400,000. Even homes that exceed the price threshold are only taxed on the portion that exceeds $400,000. Certain conditions may apply. Please contact you lawyer/notary for more detailed information. Your lawyer/notary will charge you a fee for drawing up the mortgage and conveyance of title. The amount of the fee will depend on the individual that you use. The typical cost is $900. If you’re purchasing a single-family home, you’ll need to give your lender a survey certificate showing where the property sits within the property lines. Some exceptions are made, however, on low loan-to-value deals and acreage properties. A survey will cost approximately $300-$350, but the lender will often accept a copy of an existing survey. Other costs include such things as an appraisal fee (approximately $200), title insurance and a home inspection (approximately $350). 

10. How much will my mortgage payments be?

• Monthly mortgage payments vary based on several factors, including: the size of your mortgage; whether you’re paying mortgage default insurance; your mortgage amortization; your interest rate; and your frequency of making mortgage payments. You can view some useful calculators to find out your specific mortgage payments: www.dominionlending.ca/mortgage-calculators

The next time you’re looking for a mortgage for that new house or you’re up for renewal on your existing mortgage, think about using a mortgage broker – their services are free and they offer you an abundance of choices the banks simply can’t compete with.

Mortgage brokers have access to a vast array of lenders – up to 90+ institutions, including some of the big banks – which enables these professionals to negotiate the best possible mortgage products and rates on your behalf. In comparison, if you approach your bank with a mortgage request, they can only offer you a narrow choice – namely, their own products.

Mortgage brokers do their homework on available mortgage products and keep themselves abreast of any new products, or changes to existing products, to ensure they find the best mortgage to fit your specific needs.

Unlike the banks, mortgage brokers can also cater to self-employed borrowers as well as those who have suffered credit blemishes due to life experiences such as divorce or illness. Brokers will listen to your story, whereas the banks have a very narrow view of what fits into their financing box – and this is unnegotiable.

If you’re thinking of buying a home, Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professionals can find the best mortgage rate and term for your unique situation.

Top Reasons for Using a Broker:

Choice – access to multiple financial institutions 

Costs – using a broker is free and they can negotiate lower rates for you 

Knowledge – brokers stay up-to-date on available products and services 

Flexibility – mortgage products are even available for the self-employed or those who have credit blemishes 

Have you considered leasing your business-related equipment as opposed to buying it outright? Leasing enables business owners to pay for the product as it is being used while the revenue generated by the equipment ‘pays’ for itself. Virtually any other financing demands a substantial down payment, deposit or compensating bank balance. By leasing, business owners can quickly acquire use of the required equipment without major cash outlay.

 Leasing can be an especially attractive option given that lease payments can be 100% tax-deductible, which may mean a more rapid write-off for business owners. And because the lease term is generally shorter than the depreciable life of the equipment, payments can be expensed in a shorter duration.

 National mortgage brokerage firm Dominion Lending Centres has a leasing division – Dominion Lending Centres Leasing – that offers leasing programs providing 100% financing and requiring minimal investment for the ‘purchase’ of the equipment. Business owners can immediately take advantage of the benefits of the new equipment without using existing capital or credit, and continue growing their businesses. As an alternate credit source, leases don’t interfere with established credit lines, which, in turn, expands available working capital.

 With today’s rapidly changing technology, some equipment can become obsolete relatively quickly. Leasing frequently enables business owners to acquire the new equipment they need without having to keep costly equipment working years beyond its profitable lifespan.

Vendor finance allows equipment vendors to offer customers another financing option besides cash-on-delivery or 30-day terms. On high-ticket items, this can be a major benefit, since it may not be possible for some customers to meet immediate payment terms. By extending the financing option through a Dominion Lending Centres Leasing professional, the vendor provides a choice that allows customers to better maintain their own cash flow. 

Vendor finance is also known as vendor leasing and helps build vendor-customer relationships while improving vendor sales volume. Customers can view the vendor as a one-stop shop where they can fulfill their orders and get financing, rather than having to seek financing beforehand from a bank or other lending institution. 

Dominion Lending Centres Leasing experts can even break up large-dollar transactions into multiple leases across a number of funders to ease and simplify the approval process. 

As with any licensed mortgage agent who is also a leasing professional, they work for business owners and consumers – not lenders – ensuring all efforts are made to acquire the best available products and rates with their clients’ interests front and centre.

If you are looking for a new home, be sure you are pre-approved. With a mortgage pre-approval, a licensed mortgage professional can do a more complete verification prior to sending you shopping for a home, and with that done, the dollar figure you are going shopping with is actually what you can spend.

The mortgage professional that you work with to get pre-approved will let you know for certain what you can afford based on lender and insurer criteria, and what your payments on a specific mortgage will be.

Licensed mortgage professionals can lock-in an interest rate for you for anywhere from 60 – 120 days while you shop for your perfect home. By locking in an interest rate, you are guaranteed to get a mortgage for at least that rate or better. If interest rates drop, your locked-in rate will drop as well. However, if the interest rates go up, your locked-in interest rate will not, ensuring you get the best rate throughout the mortgage pre-approval process.

In order to get pre-approved for a mortgage, a mortgage professional requires a short list of information that will allow them to determine your buying power. A mortgage professional will explain to you the benefits of shorter or longer mortgage terms, the latest programs available, which mortgage products they believe will most likely meet your needs the best, plus they will review all of the other costs involved with purchasing a home.

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is something every potential home buyer should do before going shopping for a new home. A pre-approval will give you the confidence of knowing that financing is available, and it can put you in a very positive negotiation position against other home buyers who aren’t pre-approved.

There is an endless supply of different types of homes available for purchase – ranging from condos to townhouses to fully-detached homes. The key is to decide what you can afford and which amenities you prefer before heading out shopping for a new home.

Your best first step is to seek the advice of a Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Professional and get pre-approved on a mortgage. That way, you already know what your price range is – and, therefore, which type of home you’re in the market for – before you begin shopping.

Budgeting is also an important part of preparing yourself for the purchase of a home. If you save for a down payment and up-front costs, such as closing costs and emergency reserves, much sooner, you’ll be sure to save enough to cover the many expenses facing a new homeowner, including moving, utility hook-ups, tools, maintenance supplies, window coverings, etcetera.

Once you have the money available to make your home purchase a reality, you should weigh the following options to help decide what type of home is right for you:

Condo

A condo makes a great first home because it typically costs less than a townhouse or a detached home, which translates into a smaller down payment. But there are, however, monthly maintenance fees you must take into consideration when budgeting for a condo.

Condos are also ideal for those who do not want to maintain a lawn or worry about clearing snow away from walkways and driveways.

Townhouse

If the condo life is not your forte and you’re not looking for a big yard to maintain, a townhouse may be your best home purchase option.

A townhouse costs less than a fully-detached home and results in cheaper property taxes as well.

Many townhouses also come with monthly maintenance fees unless they are freehold townhouses. In situations where you pay a monthly fee, however, you won’t have to worry about outdoor maintenance or snow removal.

Detached Home

If it’s privacy you’re seeking as well as a larger yard, a detached home is your ideal choice. Still, prices can vary drastically based on such variables as whether you’re seeking a spot in the city, a place in the suburbs or a more rural location.

Other Considerations

The size of the home and property (if you decide not to opt for a condo) are also important things to consider before you head out shopping. While everyone has their dream home in mind, this is not always a practical purchase choice, especially if this is your first home purchase.

When it comes to location, think about in which area or neighbourhood you’d like to make your purchase, and which home features are absolutely essential – including what you can live without and what aspects are entirely out of the question.

Take a look at real estate ads for the area(s) you’re interested in to see what’s on the market and the price ranges. Also drive around a few neighbourhoods and see what’s for sale or visit Open Houses. This can help crystallize what you want or don’t want in a home.

By making your first purchase a modest and affordable ‘starter’ home, you will be putting money towards a mortgage that will build equity in that home. And once you’ve paid down a significant portion of that first home’s mortgage, you will then have more money to put towards an upgrade into your dream home.

Mortgage professionals can protect their clients’ families and their homes through a mortgage life insurance policy.

Mortgage life insurance is simply a life insurance policy on the homeowner which will allow their family or dependents to pay off the mortgage on their home should something tragic happen to them. This is not to be confused with mortgage default insurance, which lenders require to cover their own assets if you have less than 20% equity in your home. Mortgage life insurance is meant to protect the family of a homeowner and not the mortgage lender itself.

While it is nice to think that if you were to pass away your mortgage would be paid off, is it really necessary for you to pay for this service? If you already have an adequate amount of life insurance then the answer might be no.

If you are the primary breadwinner in your home and your death would leave your family without the means to pay for the mortgage, then mortgage life insurance might be a good option.

When looking at mortgage life insurance policies, it’s important to know if the policy that you choose is portable, and if it’s backed by a large organization. A mortgage professional will take you through the ins-and-outs of mortgage life insurance. By evaluating what you really need, and the differences in coverage and costs, you can make the best decisions for you and your loved ones.

Today the provincial government announced a new tax for foreign buyers and our fantastic partner, Tony from Spagnuolo & Co. Lawyers confirmed what they know so far about the new tax:

1. A foreign national is one who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. If it is company that is purchasing, a foreign company is one that is not incorporated in Canada, or incorporated in Canada but controlled in whole or in part by a foreign national or other foreign corporation;

2. The increased tax only applies to properties in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and does not apply elsewhere in the Province, or the Tsawwassen First Nations Lands;

3. The tax only applies to residential properties, not commercial;

4. This is in addition to the regular Property Transfer Tax to be paid, and is paid on closing;

5. The increased tax is effective August 2, 2016, regardless of when the contract is signed. Even if the contract was signed weeks ago, if it completes after August 2, 2016 there is a higher tax;

6. We need to confirm the clients SIN number and compare it to an official government document, such as a passport or SIN card. Prepare your clients to have such ID;

7. The additional tax is payable even if there would normally be an exemption available. Transfers between related individuals, transmission to surviving joint tenant and other such items now attract the additional tax.

Once we receive further details we will do our best to keep you posted.

With the high cost of holiday gift-buying and entertaining now behind you, this may be the perfect time to get the New Year off to a fresh start by refinancing your mortgage and freeing up some money to pay off that high-interest credit card debt.

 By talking to mortgage professional, you may find that taking equity out of your home to pay off high-interest debt associated with credit card balances can put more money in your bank account each month.

 And since interest rates are at a 40-year low, switching to a lower rate may save you a lot of money – possibly thousands of dollars per year.

 There are penalties for paying your mortgage loan out prior to renewal, but these could be offset by the extra money you could acquire through a refinance.

 With access to more money, you will be better able to manage your debt. Refinancing your first mortgage and taking some existing equity out could also enable you to make investments, go on vacation, do some renovations or even invest in your children’s education.

 Keep in mind, however, that by refinancing you may extend the time it will take to pay off your mortgage. That said, there are many ways to pay down your mortgage sooner to save you thousands of dollars. Most mortgage products, for instance, include prepayment privileges that enable you to pay up to 20% of the principal (the true value of your mortgage minus the interest payments) per calendar year. This will also help reduce your amortization period (the length of your mortgage), which, in turn, saves you money.

 If homeowners fail to take the time to thoroughly research their options through a mortgage professional and, instead, simply sign renewal offers received from their bank, credit union or other lender, they could end up paying thousands of dollars more per year in interest. Simply by shopping your mortgage with a qualified mortgage professional, you can access the banks as well as other lenders that you may not have considered, but which can often offer interest rate specials or other attractive terms.

 In the current credit-crunched lending environment, now more than ever it’s important to take the time to contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional to find out your options.

 By refinancing now and paying off your debt, you can put yourself and your family in a better financial position. It’s very important to not rack up your credit cards after refinancing, however, so set your goals and budgets, and stick to them!

The decision to choose a fixed or variable rate is not always an easy one. It should depend on your tolerance for risk as well as your ability to withstand increases in mortgage payments. You can sometimes expect a financial reward for going with the variable rate, although the precise magnitude will ebb and flow depending on the economic environment.

Fixed rate mortgages often appeal to clients who want stability in their payments, manage a tight monthly budget, or are generally more conservative. For example, young couples with large mortgages relative to their income might be better off opting for the peace of mind that a fixed-rate brings.

A variable rate mortgage often allows the borrower to take advantage of lower rates — the interest rate is calculated on an ongoing basis at a lenders’ prime rate minus a set percentage. For example, if the prime mortgage rate is 5.5 percent, the holder of a prime minus 0.5 percent mortgage would pay a 5.00 percent variable interest rate.

As a consumer, the best option is to have a candid discussion with your mortgage professional to ensure you have a full understanding of the risks and rewards of each type of mortgage.

As credit has become more and more abundant in our society, your credit report, and thus your credit rating, has become more important in your daily life. Your credit rating affects all aspects of your financial activities when it comes to borrowing money. Your credit rating also has the ability to affect the job you get, the apartment you rent, and even the ability to open a bank account.

Your credit report itself is simply a listing of all of your mortgage and consumer debt. Here in Canada, the two main credit reporting agencies are Trans Union and Equifax. Both agencies have a credit history file on anyone who has ever borrowed money. Every time you borrow money, or make a payment on a loan or credit card, the lender then reports the information about the transaction to these two agencies. In addition to credit information, you will also find liens and judgments on your credit report as well as your address and possibly your work history. The accumulation of all of this information is called your credit report.

The information on your credit report varies based on your creditors and what they have reported about you. Potential lenders and others, such as employers, view your credit history as a reflection of your character. Whether we like it or not, our financial habits have a lot to say about the way in which we choose to live our lives.

The credit score, or beacon score, is a number which gives mortgage lenders an idea of your lending risk.

Credit scores range from 300 to 900, the higher your credit score the better. The mortgage products and interest rate that you will qualify for are often determined by your credit score.

One thing that many people do not know is that you have the legal right to obtain a copy of your credit report. A mortgage professional can help you obtain a copy of this report and go through it with you to verify that all of the information is true and correct.

The good news is that your credit report is a working document. This means that you have the ability over time, to repair any damaged credit and increase your credit score.