Although it’s ideal to have your mortgage paid off by the time you retire, in today’s economy, that isn’t always possible. The cost of living is considerably higher than it has ever been, and as a result, a lot of Canadians are putting off retirement,...
“Debt servicing” is the measure of your ability to meet all of your financial obligations. There are two ratios that are examined by financial institutions to determine whether you can debt service a mortgage. The first one is called the “gross debt service” ratio (GDS)...
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ percent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 percent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ percent. Evidence has been accumulating that ongoing trade tensions are having a material effect on the global economic...
Thinking about buying a home with a rental suite? This can be a great idea if you want to help offset the cost of your home expenses, and it can also potentially help with qualifying for a mortgage on your new purchase, but there are...
Did you know that you can use your RRSP to help buy a home? In fact, you can, it’s called the RRSP Home Buyer’s Plan (or HBP for short). Here are a few things you need to know! It needs to be your first home (with...
If you've been hearing about a new incentive for First Time Home Buyers and wondering how it might impact you, look no further, below you will find all relevant information to date. As more information is released, you can expect to find it published here. From...
Have you ever wondered how much difference extra payments actually make in paying down your mortgage? Let's take a look and maybe do a little math. The first (and largest) factor to look at is the amortization, which is the remainder of your mortgage’s life. A...
The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1 ¾ per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 2 per cent and the deposit rate is 1 ½ per cent. Recent Canadian economic data are in line with the projections in the Bank’s April Monetary...
Although getting a mortgage is exciting as it allows you to become a homeowner, a mortgage is, in fact, a lot of debt. So if you have a mortgage, your goal should be to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Here are four things...
No doubt about it, buying a home is an emotional experience. It's a game of balancing needs and wants, while trying to be honest with yourself about those very needs and wants. It's hard to get it right, figuring out what's negotiable and what isn't...