7 Sep

Subject Free Offers; Still Risky!

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

The majority of my clients have stellar qualifications: established careers and businesses, excellent credit ratings, solid down payment funds, etc. They are truly awesome individuals who will almost certainly receive mortgage financing without a hitch. Almost certainly. With multiple offers, bidding wars, and over-asking-price bids now common as far afield from Vancouver proper as Port […]

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6 Sep

4 Mortgage Steps to Overcoming High Consumer Debt

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

Client success stories are what make our job WORTH IT (We think most mortgage brokers would agree). So, with this in mind, we are sharing a recent client’s story that allowed them to not only purchase the home they wanted, but also pay down their own debt. Mortgage Problem: We had a young couple with […]

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5 Sep

Bridge Loans

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

If you have ever sold your home in order to help with the purchase of your next home, chances are you have heard of bridge financing. Bridge financing is an option available to homeowners if they find themselves in a little bit of a pinch when it comes to two different completion dates. A situation […]

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31 Aug

Your mortgage broker is here to help

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

For many people in Canada, they are first-time home buyers. Or if they are new to Canada, it’s their first home purchase in a new country. They may not be aware of the rules and guidelines. It’s the job of your mortgage broker to make you aware of what is expected from you to avoid […]

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30 Aug

Is easy money coming to an end?

General

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

In a previous post, I discussed interest rates and their effect on real estate values. I argued that they did indeed alter buyer perceptions, and consequently value and price. But what about absolute interest rate levels? Is easy money coming to an end? Many lack any experience of high interest rates In a June 5, […]

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29 Aug

What happens when your credit card account is closed

General

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

I have been working in the mortgage industry since 2005. I have had all sorts of clients over the years. Every once in a while I get someone who has a car loan , a couple of credit cards but there’s a collection from a credit card, a dentist or some other creditor. When I […]

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24 Aug

Buying a home as a new Canadian

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

Canada is made up of hundreds of thousands of people, and while some did not start here, they have made it their home. Buying a home, especially when you are new to Canada can be mind boggling, BUT, we have a mortgage for you! The New to Canada Program is designed to help new Canadians […]

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23 Aug

Toys and buying a home

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

In 2005, I was asked to do a pre-approval by a couple hoping to buy a home. I went through the application with them and pre-approved them for $320,000. They were astounded. They told me that their bank told them that they were qualified to a maximum of $260,000. They wanted to know how I […]

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20 Aug

Mortgage brokers have solutions

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

A lot of people are getting stressed out by Canada’s new mortgage stress test. In the past, if you had a good sized down payment (ie 20%) someone with a low income could purchase a home even if they did not meet the debt level guidelines for insured mortgages of 32/40 . Later this was […]

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10 Aug

A tailor-made solution for some borrowers

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Darick Battaglia

Recently, two of my lenders came out with new products – Interest only mortgages. We have had these available from private lenders for many years but at much higher interest rates. They are useful for real estate investors and people who have consolidated debts and need six months to a year to get back on […]

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