General Melanie Ward 15 Jun
Stay Away From Fear Based Market Decisions Until Real Data Has Come In. It’s hard not to panic in these trying times. With the news constantly throwing out alarm bells about a depression, and the economy on pause, it would be easy to give in to the desire to dump your investments, sell your properties, […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 7 Nov
Jobs that include a payout with pension are becoming increasingly rare in Canada. Gone are the days of slowly working your way to the top of a company and retiring with a secure pension. Most Canadians will change their careers at 5-7 times in their lifetimes, and the mega trends of technology and economics means […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 7 Oct
The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI) just rolled out on Sept 2 2019, and already Trudeau is promising to expand it if he gets re-elected. But while the FTHBI is promising to make home buying more affordable for young – or first time home owner – Canadians, just what is it exactly? What is the […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 7 Aug
Things just got a little easier in Canada with new changes to our mortgage stress tests. The Bank Of Canada lowered the rates for Canadian mortgage stress tests in July, the first drop since 2016. The mortgage qualifying rate dropped to 5.19 per cent from 5.34 per cent, where it had been locked since May […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 3 Jul
The reverse mortgage market has been increasing steadily in Canada over the past few years, and it’s no wonder. Canadians over the age of 65 have more than doubled in the last 30 years, and are set to double again in the next 20. This growing population of “retirees” are healthier than they have ever […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 28 May
Cash back mortgages can be a quick and easy way to get lump sums of money loaned back to you to do small renovations, reduce credit card debt, or pay off a more expensive car loan. Sometimes people get cash back mortgages when they are purchasing, but it is often when they are refinancing that […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 17 Apr
When clients are thinking of refinancing, or selling their homes, one of the first questions they ask is: how much is my house worth? Homeowners look at their assessed value, and maybe the sale price of their home, or even a property assessment done by a bank, and often these numbers seem all over the […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 29 Mar
When the Bank of Canada decided this month to keep its benchmark interest rates stable at 1.75%, it signalled the weakening economy makes it unlikely a rate increase is anywhere on the horizon. Inflation is not where it should be for a hike We’re not in a deflation mode right now, but inflation is under […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 28 Nov
Hey hot topic for sure in Canada right now…. great read from my colleague Chris… check it out Growing cannabis at home? Let’s weed through those mortgage issues! As many of you already know, Canada just became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Of course, this historic […]
Read MoreGeneral Melanie Ward 28 Nov
Variable Rate? To Lock In Or Not? This post applies if you are taking a new mortgage, whether it’s for a purchase, refinance, or renewal. The variable remains the main contender. Economists can be biased But what about all the economists saying if you are currently in a variable rate mortgage then you should rush […]
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