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Posted 1 Comment on Looking to boost Cash Flow? New Flexible Mortgage could be a game-changer! Money saving tips

Looking to boost Cash Flow? New Flexible Mortgage could be a game-changer!

Blog Image, Interest Only Flex, July 2018There’s a great new flexible interest-only mortgage product that could prove beneficial for a number of borrowers, including first-timers, real estate investors, professionals, seasonal workers and others looking for lower monthly mortgage payments.

Designed to help borrowers increase monthly cash flow by providing maximum flexibility, this product can be used for both purchases and refinances.

I recently tried this product out and was really impressed!

Continue reading “Looking to boost Cash Flow? New Flexible Mortgage could be a game-changer!”

Posted 4 Comments on Got a mortgage? Good news: Bank of Canada didn’t raise rates yesterday! Bank News

Got a mortgage? Good news: Bank of Canada didn’t raise rates yesterday!

Blog Image, Your Best Mortgage is About More than Rate, Feb Mar 2018

Yesterday, Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor, Stephen Poloz, left rates unchanged. This kept the bank prime rate at 3.45%.

This also, indirectly, affects fixed mortgage rates. Great news for anyone with a mortgage. Go ahead, it’s okay to feel good about paying a low interest rate on what’s probably the biggest debt of your life!

ARE ECONOMISTS RIGHT?

For months we’ve heard economists forecasting 2-4 BoC rate hikes for 2018. So far, we’ve had one increase – in January. Should we be expecting three more increases? Only time will tell, since the BoC raises its rate when inflation rises above the target inflation rate… currently the range is between 1% and 3%, and sits at an acceptable 2.10%. Some believe inflation has increased temporarily, in part, due to increased minimum wage.

Continue reading “Got a mortgage? Good news: Bank of Canada didn’t raise rates yesterday!”

Posted 4 Comments on Credit counselling, Consumer proposal or Bankruptcy… Which option is most favourable? Case study

Credit counselling, Consumer proposal or Bankruptcy… Which option is most favourable?

Debt Image, March 2018

A couple in their 30s contacts me for a mortgage. They want to buy a new home. She’s a high school teacher and he’s a computer firm manager. Incomes are good. I check their credit.

Let’s stop here for a minute… If they have good credit, an approval is simple and we can provide the clients with several mortgage options.

But let’s assume that this couple ran into some debt and credit issues three years ago… and they made three different choices about how to resolve those credit problems: 1) Credit Counselling; 2) Consumer Proposal; or 3) Bankruptcy. I want to take you through each scenario and show you how long each of these three options affects your ability to finance a home. I bet the results will surprise you! Continue reading “Credit counselling, Consumer proposal or Bankruptcy… Which option is most favourable?”

Posted 4 Comments on Mortgage Awards of Excellence Marketing Campaign of the Year Finalist! Mortgage News

Mortgage Awards of Excellence Marketing Campaign of the Year Finalist!

Steve Garganis Marketing Campaign of the Year Badge - Mortgage Awards of Excellence 2018

I’m honoured to be named a finalist for Marketing Campaign of the Year at the inaugural Mortgage Awards of Excellence 2018 for this news site!

Thank you to my amazing clients and loyal readers!

Winners will be announced live during the awards on May 3, 2018. Regardless of the outcome, I’m thrilled to be named a finalist for something I truly enjoy doing

This site continues to evolve because you want to learn more about the mortgage industry, and you have trusted me to offer facts and my true opinions since I started this site in 2009.

I enjoy helping educate Canadians on the value of using a mortgage broker when making among the largest purchases of your lifetime – buying real estate!

Continue reading “Mortgage Awards of Excellence Marketing Campaign of the Year Finalist!”

Posted 3 Comments on Rent is up, vacancy is down… rental properties make sense Interest rates

Rent is up, vacancy is down… rental properties make sense

Real Estate Investment Image, Feb 2018

Rental properties are a secure long-term investment. Note the emphasis on “long-term”.

Check out any seven-year period over the past 50 years (anyone who has read this news site knows that I always recommend buying and holding for at least seven years). Property values have almost always risen.

Sure, the last five or 10 years have seen fantastic appreciation in almost every part of Canada. But, let’s leave capital appreciation out of the equation for now.

Why aren’t we talking about rental income? Or, how about the equity growth through your mortgage being paid down each year?

RENTAL INCOME IS UP, UP, UP!

Rents have definitely gone up with inflation (or even higher, in many cases, as we have seen in urban markets like Toronto and Vancouver). This is part of what makes rental properties attractive – rent rises with inflation and, in many cases, even higher. This is how you create your own pension or retirement income! Continue reading “Rent is up, vacancy is down… rental properties make sense”