31 Mar

What is the First Time Homebuyer Incentive?

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

The first-time homebuyer incentive program is a shared-equity mortgage with the Canadian government that helps qualified first-time buyers reduce their monthly mortgage payments to better afford a home! The Incentive: This program allows you to obtain an incentive from the government to assist with your down payment, thereby lowering your overall mortgage amount and, in […]

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28 Mar

What is an Uninsurable Mortgage?

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

When it comes to mortgages, insurance is necessary to protect the lender on these types of loans, which deal in large sums of money. There are three different tiers relating to insurance, which all have different minimum down payment amounts and varying premium insurance fees. Insured mortgages typically have a less than 20% down payment […]

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24 Mar

3 Things You May Not Know About Cash-Back Mortgages

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

It can get pretty exciting to see campaigns around “cash-back mortgages” but, before you get too far along, here are three things you might not know about these types of mortgages: Occasionally you will see campaigns on cash-back mortgages, so don’t jump at the first one you see! These types of mortgages are available through […]

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22 Mar

Canada’s Headline Inflation Cools in February

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

Further Decline in Inflation in February Will Keep the Bank of Canada On Hold in April All eyes will be on the Federal Reserve tomorrow when they decide whether to hold rates steady because of the banking crisis or raise the overnight rate by 25 basis points (bps). Before the run on Silicon Valley Bank, […]

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13 Mar

Preparing for the Spring Market

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, the Spring market is anticipating a drop in home prices edging down approximately 6% from 2022, putting the average home price at $662,103 in 2023. The downward trend stems from rising interest rates and continued uncertainty in the marketplace. In some cases, sellers have taken their homes off […]

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7 Mar

Selling Your Home in the Spring

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

Are you looking to sell your home? We have a few tips to help you make the most of the spring season! Hire an Experienced Realtor: Before preparing your home for the Spring market, you will want to hire an experienced realtor! A good realtor will serve as your guide through the entire sales process, […]

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1 Mar

Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You?

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

A reverse mortgage is a versatile and flexible financial solution for Canadians in their retirement years. Homeowners 55+ are unlocking their home equity for tax-free funds that don’t have to be repaid until they decide to sell their homes. Consider these four reasons Canadians 55+ turn to the CHIP Reverse Mortgage by HomeEquity Bank: 1. […]

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22 Feb

Canadian Inflation Slows in January Assuring a Rate Pause At March 8 BoC Meeting

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

Further decline in inflation in January affirms Bank of Canada pause in March. Canadian inflation decelerated meaningfully in January despite the continued strength in the economy. Labour markets remain very tight, and retail sales continue strong. Nevertheless, the Bank of Canada’s jumbo rate hikes over the past eleven months have tempered inflation from a June […]

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17 Feb

Canadian Housing Market Remains Weak

General

Posted by: Mark Couto

The Canadian Real Estate Association says home sales in January were the lowest for the month since 2009 and fell 37.1% from a year ago. The Canadian housing market has been sliding for eleven consecutive months as the unprecedented rise in interest rates–up from 25 basis points to 4.5% for the policy rate–has moved buyers […]

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