Welcome to the second month of 2016! We have all had a few weeks to settle in now and get back to reality and, as always, getting our finances in order is at the top of mind for many of us. Today we are going to look at a few tricks to help you navigate […]

The bigger the better, right? We dream about our castle having an indoor swimming pool, a three car garage and a fully stocked wine cellar. The reality for most of us is something much more modest and there’s nothing wrong with that. Why have the castle if you’re worried about next month’s mortgage payment? All the […]

The most important strategy that a home buyer could ever have is putting together a team of Real Estate professionals to help them make the wisest decisions in regard to the biggest purchase they will ever make; a property purchase. It is so very important to align yourself with a Realtor who has excellent property and […]

Nearly everyone will buy a home and, in fact, most people will buy several, moving up from one to another more desirable home.  Each time they buy a home, the buyer‘s realtor will request a Real Property Report from the seller’s Realtor. A Real Property Report (RPR) is a legal document that clearly illustrates the location […]

Here is where you are currently sitting. You have successfully found your dream home. Negotiated like a true champion and kept your calm through the back and forth with the seller. Provided the endless supply of paperwork required by your lender to meet the financing condition. Set up all the things required for the big […]

Each year I update the data in this post, the rents increase, the asset value changes, and so the rate of return changes. I look forward to writing twenty more years of updates on this specific property. In the spring of 2012, after a 15-year roller-coaster ride on the stock market (huge gains and sharp […]

1. How the penalties are calculated if I break my mortgage early? Specifically, ask what rate they use to calculate the “interest rate differential”. Typically, if the lender has “posted rates” they use these to calculate the penalty. If this is the case, the penalty can be 3, 4 or even 5 times higher than […]

Did you know you can get a mortgage for renovating your home? Many home buyers and existing home owners are deciding to get more bang for their buck by purchasing a home that needs some improvements. Whether you are renovating at the time you buy or waiting for a few years, there are financing options […]

When signing your mortgage commitment letter you will have to choose your payment frequency. If your goal is to re-pay your mortgage as quickly as possible, then you need to understand how different payment options will affect your repayment schedule. So what are your options? In general, most lenders will offer the borrower the option […]

Credit scores are like report cards for grown‐ups. The score you get ranges from 300 to 900. Your score indicates your creditworthiness to potential lenders, banks, landlords, insurance companies, and even to some employers. The higher your score the better. 1. Get a Copy of Your Credit Report Make an inquiry once a year, twice […]