Category Archives: Financial Tips

How to Avoid Major Home Buying Errors

Housing affordability continues to remain stable across Canada, creating the perfect environment for savvy home hunters. With more houses available on the market, buyers are becoming much more competitive, rushing to complete their purchase agreements. Situations like this often lead to costly buyer errors, as anxious home hunters make hasty, uninformed choices. These mistakes are sometimes impossible to reverse, so be careful.  Continue reading

CAAMP Releases Highlights From Fall 2011 Consumer and Industry Surveys

The focus of these surveys was to gather Canadians’ opinions of the mortgage industry. The report includes specific questions on experiences with their mortgage professional as well as information and feedback from industry members.

The survey results were presented by Maritz Research at Mortgage Forum 2011 in Toronto.

Click here to review the entire report.

No Rate Change from the Bank of Canada

The Bank of Canada has opted to freeze rates for the 11th consecutive time, maintaining the 1.0% interest rate this morning.

The stay is consistent with Governor Mark Carney’s statements from October that forecasted no changes for the foreseeable future. The current Chairman of the Financial Stability Board insists that the Bank will remain flexible, in light of world and domestic future developments (specifically the never-ending European debt and banking crisis). Continue reading

How to Make Wealth-Building Real Estate Decisions

It’s a sad but stark reality: when buying real estate, far too many Canadians fail to take the basic precautions or perform standard due diligence prior to submitting an offer. Instead of running the numbers, comparing mortgage rates, and consulting with a professional mortgage broker, home hunters are simply throwing caution to the wind and diving into the housing market head first. This approach is crazy – real estate is typically the largest and riskiest asset someone could ever buy. The housing crisis of the past few years has certainly showed us how problematic and unpredictable investing in real estate can be.  Continue reading

Are Your Ready to Buy?

You’ve had it with your roommates and you’ve had it with paying rent. You’re ready to move out and you’re seriously considering taking the leap into homeownership. But just because you want to buy a home, doesn’t mean you should. Before you start planning your housewarming party, take a minute to sit down and consider everything that comes along with homeownership. From mortgage rate trends to better budgeting, there’s more to buying a house than simply signing an offer. Continue reading