If you are considering building a new home, then you need to be educated on the difference between draw and completion mortgages. When you meet with a builder, there is tons of terminology and information you should be aware of so you are properly covered.

Completion mortgage means that the builder does not expect any funds until you take possession of your new home. Before the building process begins, you will have to go to your mortgage professional to get your application verified for the build to start. The benefits of this option are that you don’t have to put down any payments before you take possession, you can add upgrades to the mortgage, and the lender doesn’t require all final information from you until 30 days before you take possession. During this build process you will want to take extra care of your finances to ensure nothing changes, which could put your initial approval in jeopardy. Any changes that could possibly change your financial position and your credit should be discussed with your mortgage professional. This can include things like switching jobs, buying a car, and taking out any new loan.

A draw mortgage is preferred by home builders because it allows them to receive portions of funds during predetermined stages of the build process. To obtain a draw mortgage, the beginning process is the same and you will have to go to your lender to be verified for the build to begin. The benefits of this option are that the builder is able to manage their cash flow, inspectors are sent to verify stages of development are met, and funds sent to the builder are handled through a lawyer. There are some extra costs associated with this option though. Inspections will incur a cost upon each stage met and interest payments may be incurred as well. You also do not have the option to add upgrades throughout the build process with a draw mortgage as the first advance sets the loan in stone.

As always, if you would like to discuss draw and completion mortgages in preparation for your new build contact us at Dominion Lending Centres! We are happy to help you figure out your financial future.

Courtesy of Alim Charania, AMP – DLC Regional Mortgage Group 

As the average age of our Canadian population gets older (according to Employment and Social Development Canada, our country currently has over 5 million people over 65 years old), it is no doubt that you or your loved one may be faced with growing concerns about the ability to live life without financial constraints or difficulties. It may be mounting medical expenses or the limitations of living within a fixed income, or carrying debt load into retirement.

On the other hand, it may be the time to enjoy travelling or helping out grandchildren with university tuition, even the purchase of a home in sunnier climes. Perhaps it’s time to enjoy an active retirement and downsize into a smaller home!

Whatever the situation may be, a Reverse Mortgage might just be the perfect fit for you to find that extra income you hold in your home.

WHAT IS A REVERSE MORTGAGE: A Reverse Mortgage is a loan secured against the value of your home. Unlike a loan or a regular mortgage, with this type of mortgage, you are not required to make payments. You only repay the loan when you move or sell your home. A Reverse Mortgage is a means for homeowners, aged 55 years or older, to access a portion of the stored value in their home to use today while still retaining ownership. In effect, converting the equity to cash, which can be received in a lump sum payment, regular payments or a combination of the two.

Advantages:

Payments from a reverse mortgage are tax-­â€free income.
There are no payments to make as long as you or your spouse lives in your home. The principal and interest are only due when your home is either sold or you move out..
The freedom to eliminate monthly payments can be a benefit for stretched budgets.
You can repay the loan at any time.
If the investment market takes a downturn, a reverse mortgage could fill the gap until your investments stabilize or reach maturity.
The amount you owe can never exceed the value of your property.
Advantages of Revers Mortgages Continued…  
You and your beneficiaries will not be responsible for any shortfall if interest rates increase and housing values drop.
Interest paid on the reverse mortgage is tax deductible if the proceeds were used to earn investment income

A CASE SCENARIO

Mr. and Mrs. Walsh 82 and 78 years old, found that the townhome they were in no longer suited them as Mr. Walsh has deteriorating health and was having trouble managing the stairs. They were ready to find a nice little condo to settle into.

Challenge: Mr. and Mrs. Walsh had some concerns, as, now that they were on pensions, they were unable to qualify for the difference they needed. They owned a $400,000 townhouse with a $250,000 mortgage.

Solution:

Sold their current home for $400,000.
Purchased a $230,000 condo with a $125,000 down payment, proceeds of which were from the sale.
They got a $105,000 CHIP Reverse Mortgage on the new property to cover the difference.
No income
No credit requirements and most of all no payments for as long as they live in their home
If one partner passes away, nothing changes
Provides them with complete control over their home and with peace of mind and living life on their terms!

There are some out of pocket costs associated with setting up this type of mortgage (Appraisal and legal advice) with the set up fees coming out of the proceeds of the loan. The interest rate is a bit higher than if you were purchasing a home but still competitive with variable or fixed rate options available.

Unlocking the value in your home with a Reverse Mortgage may just be the answer to bring you peace and security in your financial health. As always, get professional advice from Dominion Lending Centres so we can help you determine whether or not this product is right for you!

Courtesy of Jordan Thomson, AMP – DLC City Wide

A “Gifted” Down Payment is very common for first time buyers. Essentially, a buyer’s family member (usually very nice, warm and loving parents) will offer up money to go towards the down payment. Often this is done because their son or daughter doesn’t quite have enough funds saved up for the full 5% down payment. Or, because they want to make sure their child has enough money to make up 20% for a down payment to avoid CMHC premiums.

All that is required for documentation is a signed Gift Letter from the parents, which simply states that the money does not have to be re-paid, and a snapshot of the son or daughter’s bank account showing that the gifted funds have actually been transferred.

A gifted down payment is viewed as an acceptable form of down payment by almost all lenders. Talk to your Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Professional to make sure that your lender accepts “gifts” as an acceptable down payment.

Courtesy of Jeff Ingram, AMP – DLC Canadian Mortgage Experts

Not long ago, someone contacted us wishing to refinance their mortgage. They presently held a mortgage from one of the big banks. When this homeowner originally obtained her mortgage, the bank offered her a discounted rate of 2.99%. It matured in July of 2016, however, when they contacted us at Dominion Lending Centres, they wanted to refinance to improve their cash flow because of recent major renovations. The mortgage was over $600,000.

At first thought, an Interest Rate Differential (IRD) penalty might seem to be so small because of the effective rate of 2.99%, that only a 3 month penalty would apply to break their existing mortgage. Wrong. Because the rate for the original mortgage was discounted from 4.64%, 4.64% was used when calculating the IRD penalty. So, instead of paying $5,157 dollars, the client was told they had to pay over $23,000 in order to break their mortgage with the bank.

A mortgage broker-channel lender, and there are many, uses the contract, or effective rate, when they calculate the IRD penalty on fixed rate mortgages, unlike the banks. Because they use the actual contract rate, the penalty would have been the lower one in the example above. An amortization scenario would determine if breaking the existing mortgage would be worth it by seeing the crossover point in time for making up the difference in savings. In the case above, it was not worth breaking, and the client had to wait until their mortgage matured.

The banks have, in recent years, implemented a new way of registering mortgages to assist in these situations. They often now register the loan as a collateral charge loan rather than a mortgage. This allows the bank to refinance the home loan on a house without a penalty if the client needs extra cash in the future. The disadvantage to this is that in order to break the loan agreement, even at maturity, the client either has to pay a lawyer or title insurance company to help break the loan agreement, costing approximately $600-$1000. Aware of this, at renewal, the bank can price the renewal rate accordingly, as they are aware that the client must pay this fee in order to leave the bank.

When purchasing a home or renewing or refinancing, it pays to ask details about pre-payment privileges and the costs associated with discharging your mortgage before the maturity date, as well as how the loan is going to be registered, ie. as a regular mortgage or a collateral charge loan.

Courtesy of Daniel Lewczuk, AMP – DLC Parato Mortgage Group 

Whether you are a first time buyer, looking at buying a bigger house or downsizing, if you are looking at buying an investment property it is important to be prepared. This spring a sellers’ market is in full swing, which is more noticeable in certain areas of the Lower Mainland. With historically low interest rates, buyers are making the jump into homeownership, because for many, their mortgage payments will be less than what they are paying in rent. It is certainly a great time to get into the market. However, in a sellers’ market, buyers find themselves in competition with other buyers to purchase a home.

Buying a home can be exciting but having to compete for a home can add a bit more stress. In this case, a property’s asking price and what the property will sell for is quite different, and in most cases the selling price will be well above and beyond the listed price.

When a homebuyer goes into a multiple offer situation, they are less in control. As a buyer, you need to prepare yourself in doing work upfront and with the understanding that you might not get the property in the end.

During multiple offer situations, the seller is not obligated to negotiate or accept any of the offers. The seller has the liberty to choose the best offer to negotiate and they will accept the offer that best reflects their needs. While price is important, that will not be the only factor they consider. They will also look at things such as subject conditions, completion and possession dates.

Here are some things you can consider which may help you feel more in control of the situation when going into multiple offer situations:

• Get pre-qualified by a Mortgage Expert – One of the most important aspects of buying a home is knowing how much you qualify for. You will know what you are comfortable paying on a monthly basis but also what is the highest amount you can offer. While you might have been qualified, the lender still has to approve the property you are buying.

• Prepare and have all your documentation ready – It is important that you provide your Mortgage Expert with all the documentation the lender is going to require upfront. Especially since time will be of essence, you don’t want the added stress of getting documentation when you are in the middle of negotiations and during the subject condition period.

• Having the right real estate agent – It is critical that you have an agent that has your best interest in mind. As a buyer, it is not your job to seal the deal, it’s your agent’s responsibility to know what your limit is and respect that. Don’t let your agent try to upsell you on the price and encourage you to go above your budget. It’s their job to research comparable properties in the area and advise you, but you are the one that makes the final decision. After all, it’s your money.

• Set your boundaries – Once you set your budget, stick to it. Determine exactly how much you can go over if you end up in multiple offers. Don’t get sucked in by emotion and peer pressure because in the end, it can cost you a lot more money.

• Consider doing a home inspection ahead of time – The buyer could consider your offer more readily if it doesn’t include a “subject to inspection” clause.

• Be flexible – Winning a multiple offer situation might be as easy as agreeing to the seller’s conditions such as closing dates, buying the property “as is” or even tightening the subject removal dates. This is important if the seller has already bought another property and is anxious to move on. Agreeing to make the transaction as easy as possible could mean winning over a more generous offer. Buying a property “as is” and limiting the subject conditions (such as requesting that a missing knob or floor tile be replaced) might work in your favour too. If your agent is aware of any information about the seller’s situation and if you can be flexible in any way, take advantage of this opportunity that might help you get your offer accepted.

• Write it down – Perhaps you might want to write a quick letter to the seller explaining who you are and why you want to buy their home so much. Buying and selling a home is an emotional time for everyone, especially if the seller has lived in that home for a long time and raised their family there. Sometimes, it’s not about the highest offer but it can certainly also be about an emotional connection. Even though your offer might be lower than the others, some sellers might feel a strong connection to your story and decide that it’s not about the money but about someone who will really appreciate a great home!

• Know when it is time to walk away – Multiple offer situations can be stressful and sometimes listing agents strategically set the price of the home below market value to start a multiple offer situation. Make sure you stand firm.

Buying your home is about a great investment and you have to be smart about it. In the end, it’s about being comfortable on what you are paying a month and happy with the decisions you make. After all, it’s about finding a home that will be a great place to start building equity and creating memories.

Courtesy of Alisa and Jorge Aragon, AMP – DLC Mountain View

Okay, so here we are… we have worked together to secure financing for your mortgage. You are getting a great rate, favourable terms that meet your mortgage goals, the lender is satisfied with all the supporting documents, we are broker complete, and the only thing left to do is wait for the day the lawyers advance the funds for the mortgage.

Here is a list of things you should NEVER do in the time between your financing complete date (when everything is setup and looks good) and your closing date (the day the lender actually advances funds).

NEVER MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING ME. CHANGES TO YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION BEFORE YOUR MORTGAGE CLOSES COULD ACTUALLY CAUSE YOUR MORTGAGE TO BE DECLINED.

So without delay, here are the 10 Don’ts of Mortgage Closing… inspired by real life situations.

1. Don’t quit your job.

This might sound obvious, but if you quit your job we will have to report this change in employment status to the lender. From there you will be required to support your mortgage application with your new employment details. Even if you have taken on a new job that pays twice as much in the same industry, there still might be a probationary period and the lender might not feel comfortable with proceeding.

If you are thinking of making changes to your employment status… contact me first, it might be alright to proceed, but then again it might just be best to wait until your mortgage closes! Let’s talk it out.

2. Don’t do anything that would reduce your income.

Kind of like point one, don’t change your status at your existing employer. Getting a raise is fine, but dropping from Full Time to Part Time status is not a good idea. The reduced income will change your debt service ratios on your application and you might not qualify.

3. Don’t apply for new credit.

I realize that you are excited to get your new house, especially if this is your first house, however now is not the time to go shopping on credit or take out new credit cards. So if you find yourself at the Brick, shopping for new furniture and they want you to finance your purchase right now… don’t. By applying for new credit and taking out new credit, you can jeopardize your mortgage.

4. Don’t get rid of existing credit.

Okay, in the same way that it’s not a good idea to take on new credit, it’s best not to close any existing credit either. The lender has agreed to lend you the money for a mortgage based on your current financial situation and this includes the strength of your credit profile. Mortgage lenders and insurers have a minimum credit profile required to lend you money. If you close active accounts, you could fall into an unacceptable credit situation.

5. Don’t co-sign for a loan or mortgage for someone else.

You may have the best intentions in the world, but if you co-sign for any type of debt for someone else, you are 100% responsible for the full payments incurred on that loan. This extra debt is added to your expenses and may throw your ratios out of line.

6. Don’t stop paying your bills.

Although this is still good advice for people purchasing homes, it is more often an issue in a refinance situation. If we are just waiting on the proceeds of a refinance in order to consolidate some of your debts, you must continue making your payments as scheduled. If you choose not to make your payments, it will reflect on your credit bureau and it could impact your ability to get your mortgage. Best advice is to continue making all your payments until the refinance has gone through and your balances have been brought to zero.

7. Don’t spend your closing costs.

Typically the lender wants to see you with 1.5% saved up to cover closing costs… this money is used to cover the expense of closing your mortgage, like paying your lawyer for their services. You might think that because you shouldn’t take out new credit to buy furniture, you can use this money instead. Bad idea. If you don’t pay the lawyer… you aren’t getting your house, and the furniture will have to be delivered curb side. And it’s cold in Canada!

8. Don’t change your real estate purchase contract.

Often times when you are purchasing a property there will be things that show up after the fact on an inspection and you might want to make changes to the contract. Although not a huge deal, it can make a difference for financing. So if financing is complete, it is best practice to check with me before you go and make any changes to the purchase contract.

9. Don’t list your property for sale.

If we have set up a refinance for your property and your goal is to eventually sell it… wait until the funds have been advanced before listing it. Why would a lender want to lend you money on a mortgage when you are clearly going to sell right away (even if we arranged a short term)?

10. Don’t accept unsolicited mortgage advice from unlicensed or unqualified individuals.

Although this point is least likely to impact the approval of your mortgage status, it is frustrating when people, who don’t have the first clue about your unique situation, give you unsolicited advice about what you should do with your mortgage, making you second guess yourself.

Now, if you have any questions at all, I am more than happy to discuss them with you. I am a mortgage professional and I help my Dominion Lending Centres clients finance property every day. I know the unique in’s and out’s, do’s and don’ts of mortgages. Placing a lot of value on unsolicited mortgage advice from a non-licensed person doesn’t make a lot of sense and might lead you to make some of the mistakes as listed in the 9 previous points!

SO IN SUMMARY, THE ONLY THING YOU SHOULD DO WHILE YOU ARE WAITING FOR THE ADVANCE OF YOUR MORTGAGE FUNDS IS TO CONTINUE LIVING YOUR LIFE LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING IT! KEEP GOING TO WORK AND PAYING YOUR BILLS ON TIME!

Now… what about after your mortgage has funded?

You are now free to do whatever you like! Go ahead… quit your job, go to part time status, apply for new credit to buy a couch and 78″ TV, close your credit cards, co-sign for a mortgage, sell your place, or soak in as much unsolicited advice as you want! It’s up to you!

But just make sure your mortgage has funded first.

Also it is good to note, if you do quit your job, make sure you have enough cash on hand to continue making your mortgage payments! The funny thing about mortgages is, if you don’t make your payments, the lender will take your property and sell it to someone else and you will be left on that curbside couch.

Obviously, if you have any questions, please contact me!

Courtesy of Michael Hallett, AMP – Producers West Financial 

Have you ever needed to get out of your mortgage before the maturity date? It can be a confusing and surprising experience. Don’t forget that your mortgage is a legal contract, therefore, like most contracts it is expected that it would cost you something to break it.

The lending institution will have two options to determine how much you will pay, but first they will consider the type of mortgage term you have. Is it a variable rate or a fixed rate? If it’s a variable rate, you most likely will pay three months interest max, but if your term is fixed, you will pay either the Interest Rate Differential (IRD) or three months interest, whichever is greater.

Three Months Interest Penalty

Determining how much three months interest will cost you is usually pretty simple; take the remaining mortgage balance, multiply by the interest rate, divide by 365 to get the daily amount, then multiply by 90 (for three months) and you got it. Of course, you must verify your figures with your financial institution, but you get the picture.

Interest Rate Differential

IRD is more complex. In simple terms, the financial institution wants you to pay them back for the loss in revenue that they may experience when you pay out the mortgage early. So if you have two years left on your mortgage, and they can’t loan out the same funds for at least the interest rate you are paying they will want to be compensated for their loss.

For example; if your current rate is 5% but they can currently can only loan out those same dollars at 3%, they will want you to pay them the 2% loss.

With me so far? Here it comes…

Say your rate of 5% was a discounted rate at the time received, most are, and the posted rate at the time was actually 7%, the financial institution may actually charge you the difference between the 7% and the current 3%, or something even more complicated. Could be a difference of thousands of dollars!

Most banks and financial institutions have different ways of calculating their early discharge penalties, therefore, it is imperative that you find out how they will calculate this penalty upfront before you initially sign for your mortgage, especially if you think you might need to get out early.

A mortgage specialist will take a financial planning approach to sourcing your mortgage options and will help you throughout your decision making progress, making sure that you not only consider your current situation but make sure you look at future scenarios as well.

The good news is that we have access to lenders who will calculate your penalty using your discounted interest rate against the current discounted rate when calculating the penalty.

If you are considering paying out your mortgage early, it is vital that you contact your mortgage specialist or financial institution to obtain a written calculation on how this penalty will be calculated before finalizing your plans. Knowing the costs prior to making the final decision on a house sale/purchase or early discharge can save you thousands of dollars and a lot of stress!

Better to know up front, than being surprised later!

Courtesy of Anne Martin, AMP – Neighborhood DLC

I have something shocking to tell you. Mortgage brokers are human. Gasp!! But wait, so are lawyers, lenders, legal assistants and everyone else who is involved with your mortgage transaction. Why do I choose to draw attention to this and ruin your day you ask? It is so you will have a checklist of the things to confirm after the mortgage transaction closes so you are not gobsmacked down the road by a nasty surprise.

1. Property taxes– Even if you are certain that you indicated your preference to the mortgage specialist and the lawyer and anyone else who would listen, you really should take a minute to confirm just who is paying them. If you have changed from the Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPPS) to having the lender collect them on your behalf, then you may be facing a tax shortfall at the end of the year which will now require you to double on the tax portion of the payment to make up the difference.

2. Payment Frequency – There is a misconception that choosing the biweekly or weekly frequency will pay your mortgage down faster and this is very untrue. If your goal is to pay your mortgage down quickly, you must choose the accelerated option for either to get the benefit.

Let’s go over the numbers real quick. Based on a $300,000 mortgage with a 25 year am and a rate of 2.49%.

Monthly $1970.74 – 25 years to repay

Biweekly $619.23 – 25 years

Biweekly accelerated $671.20 – 22.4 years

Weekly $309.54 – 25 years

Weekly accelerated $335.60 – 22.4 years

As you can see, the accelerated payments are higher, which means more money goes directly to the balance of the mortgage. The benefit of the weekly or biweekly non-accelerated is mainly that it would line up with your pay schedule for the payments.

3. Mailing Address – If you live in one of the smaller areas and your mailing address is different than your home address, you should make sure your lender knows so you will receive your annual statement and other communication.

4. Phone number – Again, make sure the lender has your new number if you have moved to a new community.

5. Online Mortgage Systems – Most lenders now have an online system where you can opt to make extra payments or just check your balance. Something kind of nice about managing your mortgage on a Saturday in your pj’s while sipping your coffee.

All of the above can be handled in one phone call. That’s right – one! Call your lender a week or two after your mortgage closes to allow their system to register your new mortgage. Some lenders send a nice welcome letter after funding which will outline all of the above in which case all you have to do is take a minute to review. Of course, here at Dominion Lending Centres, we can help you with your mortgage, by getting organized for all these details surrounding your mortgage. Give us a call!

Courtesy of Pam Pikkart, AMP – Regional Mortgage Group 

For those looking to purchase rental properties, the minimum down payment has historically been at 20% for some time, and so it remains. In years gone by, this down payment money had to be proven to have originated from the buyers own resources, it could not be gifted.

In the case of an owner occupied purchase, the down payment can be (and often is) gifted from a directly related family member.

The big news from one of our key lenders at the start of July was an announcement that they would now allow gifted down payment (only from a related family member) to be applied to rental property purchases as well.

The credit score is a key focus with applicants scoring 740 and higher being eligible for 80% financing on investment properties with no mortgage insurance premium, no fees, and no higher than market rates.

For those with a credit score below 740, the down payment must be increased to 25% in order to avoid the mortgage insurance premium, although if the client opts to pay the mortgage insurance premium, then 80% financing is possible.

The 740 credit score relates only to the down payment amount, even for clients with a score under 740 the gifted option remains available.

This is a program designed to enable the smaller investor to pool resources with other family members and get into the Real Estate market. It opens the door of opportunity for many who have otherwise been locked out of buying additional properties.

Contact me for full details on this exciting new program.

Article courtesy of Dustan Woodhouse, AMP – DLC Canadian Mortgage Experts 

Most banks boast a higher than 90% renewal rate on their mortgages (some even higher than 95%). Since it costs them a lot more money to acquire a new client vs. keeping an existing one, banks love the savings of a simple renewal. So you would think that they would offer you the best rate up front on your renewal as it’ll save them money in the long run? Well…not necessarily.

With renewal rates being as high as they are, there is not much incentive for banks to give their clients the best rates up front. They know that most people will stay as they know it’s easier to just sign a form as opposed to applying for a mortgage at another bank. Hence the dreaded renewal letter that gets mailed out automatically prior to your renewal date.

The banks would love nothing more than for you to just pick the term, sign the document, and send it back to them. It costs them relatively little to process it and they don’t have to follow up with you after that (other than sending you a new copy of the agreement).

Since the renewal documents are printed automatically (and yes they may include a “preferred rate” which makes it even more tempting to sign) they don’t factor in any rate specials that may occur after they’re printed.

Recently a client’s mortgage was coming up for renewal and they received the automatic renewal letter. Just calling the 1-800 number saved them an extra .10%, which on a $500,000 mortgage was an extra $500 per year in interest. Not bad for a 5 min phone call.

There are also some important questions to answer:

-are you planning on selling your home anytime over the next 5 years?

-do you need to access any equity from your home for renovations, children’s education, etc.

-what are your long term goals with the property?

These are important questions to ask as they help us suggest the right product for you.

So it’s important to treat your renewal as if you’re obtaining a new mortgage and spend some time researching your options. When I worked at the bank I was always shocked at the number of people that just signed the form and sent it back.

That’s why (in addition to the financial institution where your mortgage is now) you need to contact your Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Broker and have them give you an unbiased view of which mortgage product is right for you, as they have access to hundreds of different financial institutions.

Courtesy of Joe Cutura, AMP – DLC Origin