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bi-weekly-and-accelerated-payments

How much do you save with bi-weekly payments?

bi-weekly-and-accelerated-payments

For years, we’ve been told to pay our mortgage bi-weekly. Magically, it will  pay your mortgage off faster. Hmm, let’s put that to the test.

(SPOILER ALERT!)  Around 10 years ago, I wrote an article showing some simple but effective math to explain this. I’m constantly getting emails from my readers asking me what they should do. Obviously, a topic worth taking another look at.

Let me also say, there is merit to paying bi-weekly… I’ll explain further on.

HISTORY OF BI-WEEKLY PAYMENTS

Back in the mid-’90s, there was a huge marketing blitz by the Big Banks that promoted making bi-weekly payments instead of the traditional monthly payments. The sales pitch was that you could save huge amounts of money and pay your mortgage off much faster, shaving 4 or 5 years off your amortization. Sound familiar? While offering some benefit, BI-WEEKLY PAYMENTS DON’T SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU MIGHT THINK!

And I’ll prove it… Here are the straight facts!

Continue reading “How much do you save with bi-weekly payments?”

Time to review your mortgage

How’s my rate?

Time to review your mortgageYou’re two years into your mortgage term. You’ve got a great rate, or so you thought? But now you aren’t sure. With so much talk about record low interest rates, you begin to question. Maybe there’s a better deal out there? Did you choose the right product and lender? Has your mortgage advisor or broker contacted you during those two years? Does this sound familiar?

We’ve all heard of buyer’s remorse. That’s when you make a purchase, only to regret spending the money days or weeks later. I’m seeing a lot of people second-guessing their mortgage decision recently. And I have news for you… RELAX! There is a way to check to and see if you made the right choice, and better still, there is a way to see if you can do better today.

Continue reading “How’s my rate?”

New year new home - Learn About the Home Buyers Plan

Home Buying Goals? A New Year’s Resolution to Keep.

New year new home - Learn About the Home Buyers Plan

New year, new home? It’s a good time to take another look at the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP).

If you’re planning to buy your first home anytime soon, you may be able to take advantage of a helpful federal government program. This enables you to withdraw money you’ve already contributed to your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) and use it towards anything related to your home purchase, including your down payment, closing costs or real estate fees.

But, the key is that the funds must be in your account at least 90 days before you can withdraw them under the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP).

You can withdraw up to $35,000 ($70,000 per couple) from your RRSPs tax- and interest-free to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself or a related person with a disability.

Continue reading “Home Buying Goals? A New Year’s Resolution to Keep.”

Getting divorced - Should I keep the family home

Getting divorced? What about the family home?

Getting divorced - Should I keep the family home

Having worked on 8,000+ mortgage applications at this stage in my career, I’ve witnessed my share of separations and divorces. While I have shared a financial and personal perspective on marital splits in the past, it is always worth revisiting for those out there that are going through these life changes now or in the future.

You’ve heard the stats: 1 out of every 2 marriages fails. Actually, I think the number of failed marriages is even higher now. Wait, let me rephrase that. A marital split is not a failure. I think that’s old-world thinking. A marital split is usually a positive move for all parties involved – for the spouses who are no longer in love and the kids who don’t have to see an unhappy married couple.

Marital splits can be a very emotional and difficult time in one’s life – especially when there are kids involved. There’s always one parent who wants to keep the house because the kids grew up there or have friends there or it’s just more familiar to them.

Continue reading “Getting divorced? What about the family home?”

You will never see a U-Haul following a hearse

I’ll say it again. You’ll never see a U-Haul following a hearse!

You will never see a U-Haul following a hearseThat’s right, I’ve said this before, and will say it again.

Our lifecycle goes something like this… Go to school. Find a job (and work hard for 40 years). Fall in love. Get married. Save money. Buy a house. Start a family. Retire on enough pension or savings. Enjoy the results of your hard work. Live in your house until death. Leave the house for your kids.

This is how most of us envision a normal lifecycle. But how often does this really happen? How many people really live happily ever after? What’s the big deal about tapping into home equity to fully enjoy life?

Continue reading “I’ll say it again. You’ll never see a U-Haul following a hearse!”