Cost Effective DIY
How can you ensure a do-it-yourself home renovation won’t end up costing you an arm and a leg (figuratively and literally!). Here’s some DIY best practices. READ MORE
Readvanceable Mortgage
What if you had access to additional funds at great mortgage rates that you could borrow at your leisure? Sound like a dream? With a readvanceable mortgage you can actually make the equity you have built in your home work for you now, rather than later. Here’s how. READ MORE
Debt Consolidation Home Equity (HELOC)
The largest debt you will face as a homeowner is your mortgage. With proper budgeting, and a steady income, making each and every mortgage payment on time and in full certainly sounds doable. READ MORE
Our First Time HomeBuyer's Guide is a series of 14 daily emails that will take you through each step of this exciting process. Think of it like a two week boot camp to get you into shape for buying your first home.
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BANK OF CANADA RATES
A reference interest rate used as a basis for other lending rates, such as variable-rate mortgages and personal loans. Each bank will have their own Prime Rate (they all tend to be fairly similar), the Bank of Canada will discount the lowest and the highest of these rates, then take an average of the three remaining to calculate Canada's Prime Rate.
Qualifying Rate: 5.44%
When you are looking for a variable rate mortgage or a fixed mortgage with a term higher than 5 years, you will likely need to qualify at a rate often higher than the actual rate you are applying for. This helps the lender ensure that if rates go up, you will still be able to afford your mortgage payments. All variable and 1- to 5-year fixed mortgages with a down payment of less than 20% will be qualified using the Bank of Canada posted 5-year fixed rate.
