23 Mar

WHAT IS A “MONOLINE” LENDER?

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

What usually follows once someone hears the term “Monoline Lender” for the first time is a feeling of suspicion and lack of trust. It’s understandable, I mean why is this “bank” you’ve never heard of willing to loan you money when you’ve never banked with them before? In an effort to help you see the […]

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15 Mar

MORTGAGE PAYMENT OPTIONS… WHICH IS THE BEST OPTION FOR YOUR SITUATION?

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

Once your mortgage has been funded by your lender, you need to decide on how frequently you want to make your mortgage payments. Most people want to pay off their mortgage as quick as possible to save paying interest. We’ll discuss various mortgage payment options and then do the math by crunching mortgage numbers, keeping […]

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15 Mar

WHERE ARE CANADIAN MORTGAGE RATES GOING IN 2018?

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

2017 was a year of change for the Canadian Mortgage Market. With the announcement of the B-20 guideline changes requiring all insured or uninsured mortgages to undergo stress testing. In addition, the removal of mortgage bundling and the continued rate rises from the Bank of Canada have led to significant changes in mortgage rates. This […]

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2 Feb

BANK VS. CREDIT UNION – A WHO IS WHO IN BORROWING

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

Banks and Credit unions are often grouped together into one category under “financial institutions”. While they may have several similarities in terms of financial service offerings, in the world of mortgages the banks and credit unions have little in common. As mortgage professionals, we work with both of them and are well versed in the […]

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31 Jan

8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET THE BEST RENEWAL

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

With 47 per cent of homeowners scheduled to renew their mortgages this year, 2018 is a year of change for lots of Canadians. Here are the top 8 things you can do to get the best renewal: 1. Pull out your mortgage renewal now, and start early. When you are proactive instead of reactive you […]

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31 Jan

FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES, CASH (FLOW) IS KING

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES, CASH (FLOW) IS KING Ask pretty much anybody about mortgages and the first, sometimes only thing they want to talk about is the interest rate. In my business as a Mortgage Professional, my job is to educate clients that while interest rate is definitely a cornerstone of your mortgage decision, it is […]

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24 Jan

GET AHEAD OF THE ‘RATE TRAIN’

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

GET AHEAD OF THE ‘RATE TRAIN’ A recent article featured on www.mortgagebrokernews.ca brings up some interesting points to consider. With approximately 47% of mortgages in Canada coming up for renewal in 2018 and in a rising rate climate, it would be wise to consider the impact on our personal mortgage. What will these increases mean for you? […]

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13 Jan

BANKS & CREDIT UNIONS VS MONOLINE LENDERS

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

We are all familiar with the banks and local credit unions, but what are monoline lenders and why are they in the market? Mono, meaning alone, single or one, these lenders simply provide a single yet refined service: to fulfill mortgage financing as requested. Banks and credit unions, on the other hand, offer an array […]

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13 Jan

2018 SPRING MARKET PREDICTION & WARNING

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

2018 SPRING MARKET PREDICTION & WARNING Most Realtors I speak with on a day-to-day basis have buyers starting to stack up like cordwood, and a very limited supply of properties to show said buyers. Turns out the Pacific Ocean, US border, North shore mountains, and the ALR all remain intact. No expanded land supply in […]

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1 Dec

MORTGAGE INSURANCE 101

General

Posted by: Shari Letsos

When you purchase a property, you may be a little overwhelmed by all the insurance offers related to the purchase of said property. Mortgage Insurance, Condo Insurance, Mortgage Default Insurance, Earthquake Insurance; the list goes on and on. It can be confusing, and it is important to know what insurance covers what. For instance, Mortgage […]

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