How likely is a Canada housing crash?

General Iko Maurovski 1 Apr

Despite concerns surrounding overheated activity, a Canadian housing crash is unlikely unless there’s a spike in mortgage rates or a significant tightening of housing policy, according to a new report by Oxford Economics.

A housing bubble might be forming due to a pandemic-driven shift in buyer preferences, steadily depleting supply, and record-low mortgage rates, but this is ultimately unsustainable. On the contrary, the market’s probable trajectory is an eventual cooling, report co-authors Tony Stillo and Michael Davenport wrote.

“We then expect housing to increasingly reflect slowing underlying demographic fundamentals due to an ageing population that will experience slower growth,” the duo said. “We expect house price growth will slow to below the pace of household income growth for the rest of the decade. House prices should remain within household borrowing capacity despite a forecast of rising mortgage rates.”

Oxford Economics estimated that the nation’s senior population will almost double to nearly 12 million over the next three decades. This will make the elderly’s share of the Canadian population go up from one in five in 2020, to one in four by 2050.

Aside from an aging population, a decelerating trend in the number of new households will lead to a markedly cooler market over the long term.

“By 2050, the average private household will have 2.36 occupants compared with 2.43 people per household today,” Stillo and Davenport said. “Accordingly, we expect the rate of new household formation to steadily slow from its near-term 200,000 annual pace to 130,000 new households in 2050.”

 

Your Interest is my Only Inters

Iko M.

Canadian Economy Took a Record Nosedive in Q2

Latest News Iko Maurovski 2 Sep

 

Canadian real GDP plunged 11.5% in the second quarter, or -38.7% at an annualized rate, the worst quarterly decline on record (see chart below). This followed an 8.2% plunge in Q1. The worst of the contraction occurred early in the quarter as the lockdown in March and April wreaked havoc on activity. Since then, the economy has shown surprisingly strong signs of recovery.

StatsCan revealed today that GDP rose 6.5% in June following the 4.8% rise in May and an estimated 3.0% growth in July. Even so, Canada’s recovery is expected to be bumpy and long. No doubt, not all businesses and sectors will expand in sync, and not all jobs will be recovered.

One of the brightest spots in the recovery has been housing, where activity surged in July, reflective of record-low mortgage rates and pent-up demand. Apparently, many homebound Canadians are reassessing their housing needs. Demand for increased space, especially in the suburbs or exurbs, has been robust.

Virtually every sector of the economy was battered in Q2. Household spending dived 43% while business investment collapsed at a 57% annual rate. Virus containment weighed on both, with a fall in oil prices exacerbating the decline in oil & gas investment. Net exports were the only sector that added to economic activity, but only because imports fell more than exports as housebound consumers and shuttered businesses had little need for imported products.

On a year-over-year basis, the monthly rise in June and July will leave GDP down a much milder 5%, but still worse than the -4.7% drop during the financial crisis. The surge in June–itself a record bounce–reflects the gradual re-opening of the economy, with retail, wholesale and manufacturing leading the way. Retail trade jumped 22.3% in June, surpassing its pre-pandemic level of activity. Motor vehicle dealers contributed most to growth.
Following a 17.3% jump in May, the construction sector rose 9.4% in June as a continued easing of emergency restrictions across the country contributed to the return to nearly normal levels of activity at construction sites. Residential construction grew 7.1% as increases in multi-unit dwellings construction and home alterations and improvements more than offset lower single-unit construction. Non-residential construction rose 11.0%, surpassing the pre-pandemic level of activity, as all three components were up.

Real estate and rental and leasing grew 2.5% in June. Activity at the offices of real estate agents and brokers jumped 65.2% in the month, following a 56.4% increase in May, as home resale activity in all major urban centres saw double-digit increases. The output of real estate agents and brokers was about 7% below February’s pre-pandemic level, but other data show it was up sharply in July, hitting new record highs.
Government Provided A Much-Needed Cushion 

Household disposable income surged last quarter despite the pandemic thanks to government income support (see chart below). The rise in income, coupled with the massive decline in consumer spending as well as the deferral of mortgage payments for many triggered a surge in the savings rate. The household saving rate jumped to 28.2% from 7.6% in the prior quarter. Savings rates, of course, are generally higher for higher income brackets.
Bottom Line

The plunge in economic activity in the second quarter–though awful–was not as deep as the Bank of Canada expected (-43%) in its most recent Monetary Policy Report. As well, the rebound since the end of April has been stronger than expected, especially in the housing sector. To be sure, labour market conditions are still very soft with the jobless rate at 10.9% in July, but the new programs announced last week by the federal government to replace CERB will help ease the transition for people still looking for work. 

A possible resurgence in the virus remains a risk unless an effective vaccine can be distributed. The economy will operate below capacity into the next year, but perhaps not as drastically below capacity as previously feared.
Yours Interest is my only Inters

Iko Maurovski

Mortgage Broker

By:

Dr. Sherry Cooper
Chief Economist, Dominion Lending Centres

Housing Market Another Victim of the Virus  

Latest News Iko Maurovski 15 Apr

Data released this morning from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) showed national home sales fell 14.3% on a month-over-month (m-o-m) basis in March, the first national indication of the early impact of social isolation. The economic disruption and massive layoffs caused both buyers and sellers to increasingly retreat to the sidelines over the second half of the month.Transactions were down on a m-o-m basis in the vast majority of local markets last month. Among Canada’s largest markets, sales declined in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) (-20.8%), Montreal (-13.3%), Greater Vancouver (-2.9%), the Fraser Valley (-13.6%), Calgary (-26.3%), Edmonton (-13.2%), Winnipeg (-7.3%), Hamilton-Burlington (-24.9%) and Ottawa (-7.9%).

Actual (not seasonally adjusted) sales activity was still running 7.8% above a quiet March in 2019, although that was a considerable slowdown compared to the y-o-y gain of close to 30% recorded in February.

“March 2020 will be remembered around the planet for a long time. Canadian home sales and listings were increasing heading into what was expected to be a busy spring for Canadian REALTORS®,” said Jason Stephen, president of CREA. “After Friday the 13th, everything went sideways. REALTORS® are complying with government directives and advice, all the while adopting virtual technologies allowing them to continue showing properties to clients already in the market, and completing all necessary documents.”

“Numbers for March 2020 are a reflection of two very different realities, with most of the stronger sales and price growth recorded during the pre-COVID-19 reality which we are no longer in,” said Shaun Cathcart, CREA’s Senior Economist. “The numbers that matter most for understanding what follows are those from mid-March on, and things didn’t really start to ratchet down until week four. Preliminary data from the first week of April suggest both sales and new listings were only about half of what would be normal for that time of year.”

New Listings
The number of newly listed homes declined by 12.5% in March compared to the prior month. As with sales, the declines were recorded across the country.

With sales and new listings each falling by similar magnitudes in March, the national sales-to-new listings ratio edged back to 64% compared to 65.4% in February. While this is down slightly, the bigger picture is that this measure of market balance was remarkably little changed considering the extent to which current economic and social conditions are impacting both buyers and sellers.

Based on a comparison of the sales-to-new listings ratio with the long-term average, two-thirds of all local markets were in balanced market territory in March 2020. Virtually all of the remainder continued to favour sellers.

There were 4.3 months of inventory on a national basis at the end of March 2020. While this is up from the almost 15-year low of 3.8 months recorded in February, it remains almost a full month below the long-term average of 5.2 months. With the overall number of listings on the market continuing to fall in March, the m-o-m decline in the months of inventory measure was entirely the result of the outsized drop in sales activity.

The number of months of inventory is well above long-term averages in the Prairie provinces and Newfoundland & Labrador. By contrast, the measure is running well below long-term averages in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces. The measure remains in balanced territory in British Columbia.

Home PricesWith measures of market balance at this point, little changed from recent history, and most of the impact on sales and listings from the COVID-19 situation only showing up towards the end of March, the impact on housing prices will likely take a little longer to become apparent. Price measures for March 2020 were strongly influenced by very tight markets and a very strong start to the spring market in many parts of Canada before physical distancing measures were implemented.

The Aggregate Composite MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) rose 0.8% in March 2020 compared to February, marking its 10th consecutive monthly gain.

The MLS® HPI was up in March 2020 compared to the previous month in 16 of the 19 markets tracked by the index. (See the Table below)

Looking at the major Prairie markets, home price trends have ticked downwards in Calgary and Edmonton to start 2020 but have generally been stable since the beginning of last year. Prices in Saskatoon have also been stable over the last year, while those in Regina have continued to trend lower. Prices in Winnipeg have been on a slow upward trend since the beginning of 2019.

Meanwhile, the recovery in home prices has been in full swing throughout British Columbia and in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region. Further east, price growth in Ottawa, Montreal and Moncton continues as it has for some time now, with Ottawa and Montreal prices accelerating to start 2020.

Bottom Line: Clearly this is only the beginning, but the plunge in sales and new listings in the second half of March is indicative of the stall out in housing market activity likely until social distancing is removed and people feel safe enough to resume normal activities. No doubt, at that point, there will be buying opportunities, but right now, housing is just another contributor to the collapse in the economy.

By: Dr.Sherry Copper

Your Interest is my only Interest

Iko M.

 

Change in the Stress Test

Latest News Iko Maurovski 28 Jan

This is great news and sounds exactly like what I have been hearing from other sources. It is also consistent with Evan Siddall leaving CMHC and it reduces the power of the banks that set the posted rate and keep it excessively above contract rates.

MPC Pres & CEO Paul Taylor was at C.D. Howe today, listening to a speech by OSFI’s Ben Gully. It became more of a big deal for our mortgage brokering community than would have been expected. The Globe and Mail just reported on it this hours. Not sure if the story is paywalled, so here it is for BTBB:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-banking-regulator-reviewing-key-component-of-mortgage-stress-test/

Banking regulator reviewing key component of mortgage stress test
JAMES BRADSHAW – Globe and Mail

Canada’s banking regulator says it is reviewing a key component of its stress test for mortgages for the first time, but continues to defend its core tenets as good policy for the housing market.

The hotly debated stress test, introduced in 2018 by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), has been applied to uninsured mortgages – those with a down payment of at least 20 per cent of the purchase price – since 2018. It forces lenders to make sure borrowers could handle an increase of at least two percentage points in their mortgage interest rate.

To set the test’s threshold for each borrower, mortgage providers must either add two percentage points to the loan’s actual rate, or use the Bank of Canada’s five-year benchmark mortgage rate – whichever is higher. But OSFI is now considering whether the central bank’s benchmark should still be part of the calculation.

OSFI has staunchly defended the stress test, insisting it was necessary to clamp down on loose mortgage underwriting standards that posed a risk to lenders, and to the broader financial system. But the rule change has drawn criticism from mortgage professionals and would-be homeowners, who see the stress test as too onerous and inflexible. Some have suggested it was primarily a response to hot housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver, applied bluntly to all Canadian mortgages, though OSFI says it wants consistent underwriting across the country.

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau was tasked with considering ways to make the mortgage stress test “more dynamic” in his mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and will review recommendations from financial agencies.

Introducing the stress test “was not a popular decision,” said Ben Gully, assistant superintendent for OSFI’s regulation division, in a speech to the C.D. Howe Institute in Toronto. “This certainly tested our mettle.”
He defended the stress test again, saying “the qualifying rate is working.” But he also said that the Bank of Canada rate used to set it may need to be changed. At current levels, that benchmark rate is making it even tougher to qualify for an uninsured mortgage.

When the regulator chose to use the Bank of Canada’s benchmark, it was “the best available rate at the time,” Mr. Gully said, but it “is not playing the role that we intended.” That’s because the gap between that rate, now at 5.19 per cent, and the average mortgage rate has widened to roughly 2.3 percentage points, making it “less responsive to market changes than when it was first proposed,” Mr. Gully said.

OSFI is now reviewing whether it should still use the benchmark as part of the stress test, and the findings “will help to inform the advice OSFI might provide to the Minister, as requested in the mandate letter to him,” Mr. Gully said.

But OSFI maintains that a threshold of two percentage points – or 200 basis points – is a reasonable buffer to ensure borrowers can manage unforeseen shocks such as a job loss or a rise in interest rates. “This will therefore remain a key part of OSFI’s guideline B-20,” the regulation that outlines the stress test, he said.

Mr. Gully took over OSFI’s regulation division last April after his predecessor Carolyn Rogers, a key architect of the stress test, was appointed as the first Canadian secretary- general of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, a standard-setter for global banking regulation.

 

Iko M.

Mortgage Broker

Choosing the right mortgage for you in today’s rate environment

General Iko Maurovski 15 May

Spring has arrived and we’re starting to get a better sense of the real estate market in Canada this year. Sales and listings have been on the decline, but we’re still seeing small price increases in parts of the country. This isn’t a huge surprise since sales are typically slow during the winter so we may see some movement in the near future.

Recognizing that affordability is still an issue for many first-time home buyers, the federal government proposed a $1.25-billion incentive program that would help finance five to ten per cent of a prospective buyer’s mortgage as part of a shared equity program as long as they have a minimum down payment for the home purchase. They also plan to increase the amount that first-time buyers can withdraw from their RRSPs, from $25,000 to $35,000, per individual.

This news may help new buyers, but there are many other factors that all potential buyers need to consider when they start looking for a home.

Fixed vs Variable rate mortgages

Studies going back to 1950 show that, in general, borrowers tend to save money when they choose a variable rate mortgage instead of a fixed rate mortgage. A five-year fixed rate mortgage – by far the most common mortgage term in Canada – typically comes with a higher interest rate than variable rate mortgages or shorter term fixed rate mortgages.

Fixed rate borrowers pay a premium for predictability, knowing their mortgage payments won’t be upset when the Bank of Canada hikes interest rates.

Variable or floating rate borrowers, on the other hand, will see their rates rise and fall whenever the prime rate moves. These borrowers are betting that interest rates won’t rise above the current fixed rate, or that rates rise much later in the mortgage term when they’ve already made significant savings on the spread.

The variable mortgage argument has been less compelling lately as the spread between fixed and variable rates narrows.

Take current 5-year adjustable rate mortgage of 2.95% versus its 5-year fixed mortgage rate of 3.14%. The spread is just 19 basis points and so all it takes is the Bank of Canada to increase rates by 1/4 of a percent for variable rate borrowers to see their rate surpass the fixed rate.

A good rule of thumb to follow is when the spread between fixed and variable rates is less than 50 basis points, go ahead and lock-in the fixed rate. When the spread is closer to 75 or 100 basis points, the variable rate is more attractive.

Despite the historical data which many of your clients may be aware of, now is a good time to educate them about the current interest rate environment and how it affects them so they can pick a mortgage that fits their lifestyle.

Why a Credit Score is important for home ownership

Home buyers need a strong credit profile to access the best mortgage rates and terms. That starts with a solid credit score. Typically, a borrower with a credit score above 700 will qualify for the best mortgage options. It starts to get more difficult to qualify for the best rates and terms once your score dips below 680.

Lenders don’t focus solely on the credit score, however, as they’ll also examine payment history, outstanding debts, total debt load, number of open accounts, and the age of accounts.

Some of your clients might consider cancelling open credit cards or reducing credit limits, but that could be a mistake and can actually lower their credit score. Reducing the amount of credit you have access to lowers your credit utilization – a key component that makes up 30% of your credit score. Cancelling a credit card – especially an older card – reduces the average age of your accounts, and the credit bureaus prefer to see accounts with a long established history of credit use.

If your clients want to increase their credit score before buying a home, they could check their credit report for any errors, keep all credit accounts open, increase the credit limit on any existing accounts (to lower their overall utilization), pay off bills on time, and keep their credit balances at no more than 30% of available credit. They’ll also want to avoid applying for new credit, as an inquiry can lower their score temporarily by 10 points or so.

Picking a mortgage that works for your client in decreasing rate environment

Interest rates have been on the rise with five rate hikes between mid-2017 and last fall. But now, Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz is signalling a slow downand has even left the door open for stimulative rate cuts.

Picking a mortgage in a decreasing rate environment can be equally as tricky as selecting one while rates are rising. Borrowers don’t want to leave money on the table by locking in to a higher rate, only to watch rates fall in the near term.

That’s where a shorter term mortgage can come in handy. While as many as two-thirds of borrowers choose a five-year fixed rate mortgage term, Canadians do have the option to select a one or two year mortgage term.

Possible advantages to selecting a short term fixed rate mortgage include that short term mortgage rates are typically lower than longer term rates. A short term also preserves the borrowers negotiating power rather than locking it in for five years. In a decreasing rate environment, the more opportunities one has to negotiate their rate, the more money they’ll typically save over the long term.

Imagine locking into a 1-year fixed rate mortgage at 2.99% when the 5-year rate is at 3.14%. If rates have fallen when it’s time to renew the following year, you may have the option to lock-in for five years at a lower rate, or continue to go with a shorter term as they ride the rate curve down even further.

Your Interest is My Only Interest

Iko M.

647-200-0723

 

Author : Joe Flor
Equitable Bank

 

Accessing your home’s equity to invest

General Iko Maurovski 10 May

To tap into your home’s equity, it all starts with refinancing your home. If you own a home, the equity you have built up in it is one of the most valuable assets you have available to you. It is also much more accessible than taking out a large loan. In many cases, home equity loans and lines of credit can offer you a lower interest rate as compared to other types of loans while providing you with access to credit for investment purposes. You can view an excellent comparison of loans here.

Often times we see clients who refinance in order to:

  • Renovate their home
  • Purchase a secondary property for investment purposes
  • Debt consolidation
  • Business Development
  • Assisting their children’s post-secondary education
  • Financing through a “life event” such as illness

 

In this particular article, we are going to highlight the value of utilizing your home’s equity to reinvest in other investments such as:

  • rental properties
  • stocks
  • bonds
  • mutual funds
  • RRSP’s
  • RESP’s

The first question that people ask is how much can I borrow? Generally speaking, you can borrow up to 80% of the appraised value of your house. For example, if your home value of $650,000 assuming one qualifies, they can access up to 80% of $650,000 which would be $520,000, if their current mortgage is $450,000 they may be able to get a
home equity line of credit for $70,000 (totaling $520,000).

Working with your mortgage broker, you can go through the refinance and approval process if this is something you are interested in accessing. It is always a good idea to consult with your broker and understand the personality of your mortgage—there may be limitations of how much equity you can access and the conditions relating to the refinancing. There are also potential costs associated with this type of refinance including:

  • appraisal fees
  • title search
  • title insurance
  • legal costs

Keep in mind that these potential costs can be rolled within your new loan amount and will not be “out of pocket.”
Now, if you have been approved and are utilizing your home equity for one of the above investments (after speaking to your financial planner/advisor first) and can expect to see a higher rate of return than the interest you are paying to borrow the money, then it is worth considering. We emphasize that you should always proceed with caution and get advice from sound professionals before choosing to invest your hard-earned money.

We have found that this type of investing works extremely well for many and is a safer and less risky way to access funds for further investment purposes. We recognize that this option may not be suitable or comfortable for some, but it is a viable way to capitalize on the equity sitting in your home and make it work for you! If you have questions or are interested in learning more, please do not hesitate to contact a mortgage professional near you.

Your Interest is my only Interest

Iko M.

647-200-0723

RRSP – USE HOME BUYERS’ PLAN (HBP) MORE THAN ONCE

General Iko Maurovski 12 Apr

Under the home buyers’ plan, a participant and his or her spouse or common- law partner is allowed to withdraw up to $35,000 from his or her RRSP to buy a home. Before 1999, only the first- time home buyers are permitted to buy a home under this plan. Now a person can take an advantage of HBP plan more than once, two, three, four or more times as long as the participant in this plan fulfills all other conditions. The house can be existing or can be built.

Are you a first – time home buyer?
You are considered a first-time home buyer if, in the four year period, you did not occupy a home that you or your current spouse or common-law partner owned. The four-year period begins on January 1st of the fourth year before the year you withdraw funds and ends 31 days before the date you withdraw the funds.
For example, if you withdraw funds on March 31, 2013, the four-year period begins on January 1, 2014 and ends on February 28, 2018.
If you have previously participated in the HBP, you may be able to do so again if your repayable HBP balance on January 1st of the year of the withdrawal is zero and you meet all the other HBP eligibility conditions.
Qualifying home – a qualifying home is a housing unit located in Canada. This includes existing homes and those being constructed. Single-family homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses, condominium units, and apartments in duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, or apartment buildings all qualify. A share in a co-operative housing corporation that entitles you to possess, and gives you an equity interest in a housing unit located in Canada, also qualifies under strict conditions.

Repayment of withdrawal amount into RRSP
Generally, you have up to 15 years to repay to your RRSP, the amounts you withdrew from your RRSP(s) under the HBP. However, you can repay the full amount into your RRSP(s)
Each year, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will send you a Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) statement of account, with your notice of assessment or notice of reassessment.
The statement will include:
• the amount you have repaid so far (including any additional payments and amounts you included on your income tax and benefit return because they were not repaid);
• your remaining HBP balance; and
• the amount you have to contribute to your RRSP and designate as a repayment for the following year.

If you have any questions contact

Iko M.

Your Interest is my Only Interest

647-200-0723

 

TRANSFERS AND SWITCHES

Mortgage Tips Iko Maurovski 1 Mar

Transfer/Switches are when you opt to transfer your mortgage to a new lender in order to take advantage of a lower rate. A transfer/switch does not include additional money to the existing mortgage balance owing, your mortgage amount will remain the same, however lenders will allow you to increase the mortgage up to $3,000 to cover legal costs, possible appraisal fees and if applicable, penalty fees – more on that below.

*Note: If you do require new money or funds (more than $3,000.00) this would then be considered a refinance.

There are two scenarios where you would utilize a Transfer Switch:

1. When your mortgage term is up, and the mortgage is renewing with your existing lender. If you choose to transfer/switch your mortgage at renewal you will not have to pay a penalty. You will still need to qualify and there may be legal and appraisal costs associated with the transfer/switch, just as you would with a new mortgage. However, many lenders offer you the option to include the legal and appraisal fees into you new mortgage and some lenders may cover these costs for you.
2. The second scenario you may choose to do a transfer/switch is when you are in the middle of the term of your mortgage. The only reason you would do this is to take advantage of a lower rate which means a lower monthly payment. This would have to make sense financially for you to do as you will have a penalty associated with breaking the current mortgage.

If your mortgage is up for renewal, or if you are considering a transfer/switch in light of recent rate changes, a mortgage broker can assist you in making the right decision. Similar to when you first financed your mortgage, having a broker assist you gives you:

A DEDICATED INDIVIDUAL SHOPPING FOR YOU:
Reputable brokers have your best interest in mind first!

Your mortgage professional will shop the market to find the best overall cost of borrowing for the client. Broker’s will look at all angles of the product to ensure that the client is getting one that will suit their unique and specific needs. Not once will the client be expected to shop their mortgage around or to speak to the lender.

ACCESS TO THE BEST RATES & PRODUCTS
A mortgage professional has access to:
• Tier 1 banks in Canada
• Credit Unions
• Monoline Lenders
• Alternative Lenders
• Private Lenders

This extensive network of lender options allows brokers to ensure that you are not only getting the sharpest rate, but that the mortgage product is also aligned with the client’s needs.
Now, a few details that you should know before you transfer/switch your mortgage:

YOU WILL HAVE TO SUPPLY DOCUMENTS
Just like when you went through the process the first time, you will have to supply documents to the new lender in order to transfer/switch.

YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY OUT CERTAIN COSTS
As mentioned above, there costs associated with your transfer/switch. If your mortgage is up for renewal and you are opting to transfer/switch these may include admin and legal fees. If you are opting to transfer mid-term to take advantage of a lower rate with a different lender, these may include your penalty and legal/admin fees. However, many lenders will offer up to $3,000 financed into your mortgage to assist in covering these if applicable

YOU WILL HAVE TO QUALIFY UNDER CURRENT REGULATIONS
With a transfer/switch, you are required to pass any and all regulations and stress testing measures may be applicable, however If you are looking at a transfer/switch and your previous mortgage funded prior to November 30, 2016 old mortgage rules apply (no stress test is required). This means
• You are grandfathered in previous under mortgage rules
• You can qualify at the contract rate rather than the stress test of contract rate plus 2% or the benchmark rate (currently at 5.34%)
• In simple terms: no stress testing required.

Before you consider moving, you should run through the numbers with a broker and ensure you qualify. To find out more about stress testing measure, click here.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR PENALTY
If you are switching/transferring mid-term a penalty will apply to your mortgage.  If you are up for renewal and are looking to transfer, you will not have to pay a penalty and may or may not have the aforementioned fees associated with setting up the new mortgage with a new lender.

Remember, a broker is there to work with you to determine if a transfer/switch is right for you and to help you establish which lender will give you not only the best rate, but the most suitable mortgage product too!

Your Interest is my Only Interest

Iko M.

647-200-0723

PRE-APPROVALS & PRE-QUALIFICATIONS

Mortgage Tips Iko Maurovski 30 Jan

Throughout the mortgage and home buying process, there are many steps and many checkpoints a buyer will need to complete before they can move on to the next one. A buyer will not be able to close on a purchase if they do not have a lawyer. Financing conditions need to be lifted after confirmation from a mortgage broker that a file is broker complete. A buyer should never write an offer on a home until they have a realtor working for them. Most importantly, a buyer should never be looking at property they are considering buying until they have been pre-qualified and pre-approved.

Now, one thing we need to make clear- pre-qualified and pre-approved are two different things. Pre-qualified is when someone completes a mortgage application with a mortgage broker or a bank representative and is told how much they can afford. Pre-approved is when someone has written confirmation from a lender stating they are willing to lend based on what is stated in an application and the applicant’s current credit history.

The difference?

Pre-qualifications are based solely on the knowledge and experience (sometimes even opinion) of a broker or bank rep. A pre-approval on the other hand is backed by the lender actually willing to give you the money. When someone says they are pre-qualified, that means they have taken an application with a mortgage broker or bank and in broker or bank rep’s opinion, they can afford “x” amount on a home. A pre-approval is a written letter from a lender stating based on applicants current credit history, declared income on application and current assets, we will lend “x” amount pending confirmation everything stated in the application is verifiable and the property meets all lender requirements.

As you can probably tell, one can be more reliable than the other, especially if you are working with a mortgage broker or bank rep that is inexperienced in the industry. Pre-approvals also usually come with a rate hold. What a rate hold does is guarantee you the interest rates that lender is offering today for a certain amount of time (usually 120 days), and if you put an offer on a place within that time period, they will give you that previous rate even if they went up. If rates go down, they will allow you to access the lower interest rate as well.

You must always get yourself pre-qualified before you begin looking at homes so you know what you can afford. Once you have and you are actively looking, it is very important you try and get a pre-approval before you write an offer. It will give you that extra confirmation your application is acceptable, and protect you against interest rate increases while you look.

If you require a pre-qualification, pre-approval, or want to speak with someone about your current situation, please call:

Iko M. @ 647-200-0723

Yours Interest is my Only Interest

5 REASONS WHY REALTORS WANT YOU TO HAVE A PRE-APPROVAL

General Iko Maurovski 18 Jan

You’ve decided that you want to buy a home and you call up a realtor to show you a listing and the first question they ask is “ How much are you pre-approved for?” Many realtors will refuse to book home viewings until they can confirm that you are pre-approved. Why?

1- It shows that you are seriously committed to a home purchase. I have been told stories by realtors of people booking a series of homes to see and then being dropped off at McDonald’s to be picked up by another realtor to see some more homes.

2.- People have an idea of how much home they can afford. Sometimes this amount is way off. Lines of credit, installment plans, alimony or child support payments or high condo fees can make the amount of house you can afford a lot less than you would expect.

3- Surprises on your credit report. Many times home buyers haven’t checked their credit report before house hunting. An unpaid bill or a dispute with a contractor may result in a lien or collection showing on your credit. There may even be something from a person with a similar name. It’s important to make sure your credit is clean and that it is yours and not someone else’s.

4 –Income issues. A lot of people run out to get a new home when they receive a promotion at work. If the promotion includes a pay hike, is it salary or are they relying on overtime? Mortgage rules demand a two-year history for communion, overtime or self-employed income. This also can curtail how much you qualify for.

5.A – Credibility of the realtor.  When a realtor makes an offer on a home for you, they are not only investing their time and the listing agent’s time but their reputation. Making offers that will not result in a firm sale hurts their reputation in the industry. Trustworthiness and reputation are very important to realtors as they are guiding you in the largest purchase you make in your lifetime.

5.B- Negotiating Strength.  In a situation where there are competing offers on a property, the sellers agent will encourage the sells to take the offer that is backed by a pre-approval over another offer that does not have a pre-approval to support it. Your chances of getting your dream home are greatly increased with it.

My one recommendation is that you take the time to contact your favorite Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker and get pre-approved. It will save everyone time and help avoid disappointment for everyone.

Your Interest is my Only Interest

Iko M.

647-200-0723

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