Can You Afford a Home?

If you're in the very beginning stages of home buying, you may be wondering if you can really afford to buy. Sure, mortgage interest rates are pretty much the lowest they've ever been, but what about all the other costs that you will incur as a home owner?

This straightforward presentation from CMHC walks you through the thinking process of figuring out your readiness for buying a place of your own. Take a look, and let me know if you have any questions!

Home and Mortgage Essentials - January 2012 Issue!

The latest issue of our newsletter covers some great topics - how to choose the right home for you, the final days of the Eco rebates, and some housing market stats. Click at left to get the newsletter. If it doesn't appear properly on your computer, please don't hesitate to get in touch, and I will email you the PDF version. Enjoy!

Let's resolve... to clear these holiday bills and start building wealth!

Most Canadians suffer with their highest personal debt load in January, when the “holiday hit” arrives and our credit card statements let us know just how much we spent on the festive season. It’s especially hard if you already had a burgeoning debt load before the holidays.

This year, make the best New Year’s resolution ever: resolve to clear that debt, and start building wealth. With the right plan in place, this year could be the beginning of a strong new financial life. Start now, and every month you could be seeing the difference: a boost to your monthly cash flow, one easy payment, faster debt paydown, and potentially thousands of dollars in interest savings.

We can show you how to use your home equity to consolidate your high-interest debt into a new or existing mortgage. In almost every case, you’re better off rolling large amounts of high-interest debt into a mortgage. Why? Because we are benefiting from mortgage rates that continue to be among the lowest in decades. Just compare mortgage rates with what you’re paying on your credit cards and other debts.

First we’ll do an assessment of your situation. Here’s an example – mortgage, car loan and credit cards total $225,000. Roll that debt into a new $233,000 mortgage, including a fee to break the existing mortgage, and look at the payoff:

Current Situation*

Monthly payments on $175,000 mortgage - $969
Monthly payments on $25,000 car loan - $495
Monthly payments on $25,000 in credit card balances - $655

Current total monthly payments: $2,119

New Situation*

Monthly payments on $233,000 mortgage (debts + early payout penalty on mortgage) - $1,176
Monthly payments on paid off car loan - $0
Monthly payments on paid off credit cards - $0

New total monthly payments: $1,176

That’s $943 less each month! Now decide how to use that $943. If you put $500 into your mortgage payment, you’ll reduce your amortization from 25 years to 15. Or you could invest in RRSPs or RESPs and reap some tax benefits. Or consider putting some funds aside each month into a “December” fund – so you never have the financial pain of that “holiday hit” again!

It’s a new year. Make it the start of a new financial life. We’d love to help you crunch some numbers to see what kind of life you could be living, something to really celebrate about next New Year’s Eve!


~ Powered by Mortgage Intelligence

*4.5% current mortgage, 3.6% new mortgage, 25 year am. Credit cards 19.5% and car loan 7%, both at 5 year am. OAC. Subject to change. For illustration purposes only.

Photo credit: [c] Asif Akbar for stock.xchng

Top Ten for 2012!

Everyone loves to make forecasts for the New Year. With that in mind, we’ve put together a glimpse into the year ahead for Canadian homeowners – so you can plan for some great opportunities!

1. Low rates early in the year! So many financial experts were wrong last year when they predicted we’d see a rise in mortgage rates. But their loss is your gain. We are beginning 2012 once again at historically low mortgage rates.

2. “Green” money available until the end of March. The popular Eco-Energy Retrofit Grant is still available until March 31, 2012. You can access up to $5000 for improvements for energy-saving renovations to your home, but you’ll need to act fast. Before you begin work, you must arrange for an NRCan-licensed energy advisor to perform a residential energy assessment of your home. After the work is complete, a post-retrofit evaluation must be done by March 31, 2012. Full details are available at www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca. To register, go to www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/register.

3. The wealth train is leaving the station! At some point rates will begin to rise to more normal levels of 5 or 6 per cent, and it’s possible the trend upward might start in 2012. If you are carrying household debt outside your mortgage, you have a great opportunity right now to board the “wealth train”. Roll your high-interest debt into a low-rate mortgage. Start spending sensibly, saving smart, and you’ll be well on your way to slashing your debt and building your wealth. When interest rates begin to rise, debt derails even the best financial plan. Do it now.

4. Never renew with your eyes closed. When your mortgage comes up for renewal your lender sends out a note suggesting you renew at their current offer. Never renew your mortgage with your eyes closed! This is your moment of opportunity to negotiate the best possible deal. Who knows if the same lender is the best choice? If a renewal is in your financial future this year, bring us your renewal notice. There are some great options out there; we’ll help you look around.

5. Check out the re-advanceable mortgage.  This is a terrific mortgage concept for those who want to pay down their mortgage and have flexibility should an unexpected opportunity or expense arise. The re-advanceable mortgage is the perfect solution. If an emergency comes up, an unexpected investment opportunity, or a special renovation project, you can access your equity without a fuss. It may be the “last mortgage you’ll ever need”.

6. Time to build an income buffer? It’s a bit ironic, but it’s always hardest to get money at the very time that you need it. If there is even a chance that your household income could take a hit this year, then talk to us about building a financial buffer using today’s low mortgage rates. Maybe you won’t need it. But if you do, you’ll be grateful you made the arrangements when you did. With the European debt crisis still wreaking economic havoc worldwide, unemployment and income fluctuations are still a risk.

7. Speed up your mortgage pay-down. Before rates rise, take the opportunity to beat down your mortgage principal. Build a plan to take advantage of your lender’s prepayment privileges! Consider changing from monthly payments to weekly or bi-weekly payments, and take some or all of your tax refund and put it against your mortgage principal. Your interest costs will go down with every dollar you’ve reduced on your principal amount.

8. Build a financial cushion. Your high-interest credit card should never be your emergency fund. This year, build a financial cushion: get in the habit of putting a small sum from every paycheque into a special emergency fund. A nice plump emergency fund is smart saving.

9. Staying put? Instead of moving to get the home you want, consider the many benefits of staying put. The right renovation – an addition, a new family room, a fresh kitchen – might be all it takes to turn the house you’re in, into the home of your dreams. It is almost always less expensive to renovate than to relocate – if an upgrade to your lifestyle is what you’re after!

10. Get your annual mortgage checkup. It’s your financial “medical”; early detection of problems can save your financial life! We like to know how your mortgage is working for you – and look for opportunities to make the most of your greatest budgeting asset! Book a mortgage review and make sure your plan incorporates what may be ahead in 2012: it could pay big dividends in the year ahead!

~ Powered by Mortgage Intelligence

Photo credit: [c] Gábor Suhajda for stock.xchng