News, Views and Trends!
While average mortgage size and average real estate prices have gone up, interest rates have not. They’ve actually done the opposite. And they have gone significantly lower.
A $400,000 mortgage will cost you $1400 per month today. Compare this with $1682 per month from a few years ago. Or how about a payment of $2,182 per month From 15 years ago.
Continue reading “How to benefit from record low interest rates”
As a follow-up to my previous post on Cash Flow, I wanted to dig deeper into how we can help, as well as the good and bad around some of the relief programs being offered.
First, How can we help? We are finding that many of our clients are able to save by refinancing their debts into one low payment.
Continue reading “How can we help?”
The beginning of the year is typically tough financially for most of us. Holiday bill payments, RRSP contributions, property tax bills, etc. And, if you’re self-employed, you probably have to make some sort of business tax or corporate tax payment. If December is the Holiday Season, then January and February feel like a hangover!
Banks and credit card companies love this time of year because this is when we’re most likely to carry a balance, forcing us to pay those crazy interest rates that range from 9% to 24%.
But, wait! Before you get too depressed, there may be a better option. There’s a less expensive way to manage your debt.
Continue reading “Debt Consolidation Tip: Pay less interest!”
It’s September…and as green turns to gold we return refreshed to the rhythm of our daily routines. It’s our seasonal cue. Autumn is the perfect time to “get back to business” with a fresh look at your finances. Maybe you spent a little extra on that summer vacation, or the little home reno job that grew. That’s okay. Get out your calculator and get back on track.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RECORD LOW RATES!
Mortgage rates have hovered around historic lows for longer than anyone thought they would or could. That’s created a golden moment of opportunity for Canadian homeowners. In fact, the right mortgage can build your wealth… and save you thousands of dollars.
Thinking about a cottage or investment property? Wondering if it’s the right time to expand your space… or find a new one? Looking at ways to reduce your debt? Talk to an experienced Mortgage Broker. A good broker will provide a free, no-obligation review of your situation – wherever you are in your current mortgage journey.
Your best interest is my only interest. I reply to all questions and I welcome your comments. Like this article? Share with a friend.
Steve Garganis 416 224 0114 steve@mortgagenow.ca
It’s March, 2012. How will you look back at this month in 5 years time? There are certain dates in history that stand out for all of us. Some are more personal than others, like the birth of my son, the day I met my wife, my first trip overseas, NHL pro hockey camp, etc.
And then there are dates where I look back at missed opportunities.
-October 1984, I had a chance to buy a waterfront lot on Balsam Lake in Ontario’s cottage country, for $22,000…. now selling for $400,000. There was a new condo in east Toronto for $82,000 in September 1987…. now selling for $392,000….(and yes, I think I was 5 years old…Lol!)..
-Or how about that semi-detached house at Danforth Ave and Woodbine, in Toronto, for $175,000 in 1990….now selling for $500,000. More recently, I could have bought a house for $320,000 in 2005, near the water in Burlington, Ontario…..that same house sold for $800,000 last year.
The point it, I think we will look back at March 2012 as the month when the Banks declared mortgage war against each other… Only in this war, there is a winner… YOU, the consumer, YOU the borrower, YOU the investor. We are seeing record low mortgage rates. And they won’t last forever. In fact, this mortgage war is probably going to accelerate interest rate hikes… almost like starting a campfire with gasoline soaked wood… It’s burning red hot but it won’t last for long.
With interest rates are record lows, isn’t this the time to borrow? A $300,000 mortgage will carry for $1196/mth.. and that’s with a 5 year fixed rate term. Bond yields are climbing… 5 yr bond yields are up to 1.71%.. that’s up 30bps in less than a month… 5 year fixed rates follow bond movement… i think it’s safe to say, we should expect rates to climb in the near future… and the reason they haven’t moved yet is because of the Mortgage wars…
We are hearing the cries by the govt and some bankers, telling us not to borrow too much. Personal Debt level concerns are plastered all over the internet and media. But we aren’t seeing many articles telling us how to borrow and invest wisely…. borrow when rates are low instead of borrowing when rates are high… borrow when you qualify instead of borrowing when you don’t… borrow when you don’t need the money… Isn’t that when Banks want to lend you the money?
We have just seen a draft guideline, Bill B-20, entered in for review with a May 1st decision date. These new regulations are aimed at tightening lending rules even further.. and this time it’s targeting Home Equity Lines of Credit.. That’s right, they want to make it even harder to qualify for these products and possibly make the repayment terms more strict…
Opportunity is knocking… answer the door..
CanadaMortgageNews.ca 