In a move to help BC citizens and residents buy their first home, the BC government announced today that it is launching a new program to augment down payments for first-time buyers. The B.C. Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership program contributes to the amount first-time homebuyers have already saved for their down payment, providing […]
First Time Mortgage Tips
Accelerated Bi-Weekly vs Non
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 […]
Three Big Mortgage Complaints
I read this article and it’s bang on with a few main concerns I’ve noticed and seen in my lengthy career as an independent mortgage broker. I’ll touch on two up front.Penalties: The banks have penalties anywhere from 3-5 times higher than the non banks we use. Here’s the best illustration. Pre-approvals: Since pre-approvals are […]
Top 5 Questions To Ask Your Mortgage Lender
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 […]
Negative Amortization
Negative amortization is a situation where your mortgage payment is not enough to cover the interest due. The interest then builds up and your total principal owing increases instead of shrinking. Negative amortization can occur when you have a fixed-payment variable-rate mortgage and prime rate rises. When considering a variable product you should always consider one that […]