There you are, sitting down with your realtor and preparing an offer to purchase for that amazing home that you just looked at this afternoon. You get to the point in the conversation with your realtor about the need for a financing condition and you’re trying to remember what you talked about with your Mortgage Broker earlier in the week….were you approved? Pre-approved? Pre-qualified?

So here’s the thing, when it comes to placing an offer on a new property, the financing condition should always be there. The only reason for leaving the financing condition out of an offer is because you know that you could dip into your savings account right now and buy the house with cash if you had too.

If you cannot purchase the house with cash, then you really should have that pesky finance condition in the offer and here is why…

We know already that you’ve met with your Mortgage Broker, they have everything on file and they have told you that you’re pre-approved. It is important to understand that the pre-approval they issued is based on the information they have collected about you. However, they have no information about the house that you’re eventually going to purchase.

When your future lender reviews an application in full, there are two sides to your application. There’s you and then there’s the house. It’s important to note that the lender is investing in the whole package and at this point, no one knew what house you were going to buy. Your Mortgage Broker isn’t likely to receive any information on the specific property until you have an accepted offer. It is at that point when they will update your application and send in all of the details for a formal approval.

So you’re now wondering why all of this matters considering that during your pre-approval meeting your Mortgage Broker told you that you’re the perfect clients (great income, great credit, great down payment and just all around great people).

But what about the property? The lenders (and CMHC if you have less than 20% down) want to know that the same is true about the house you’re buying. Here are just a few questions that they are asking themselves about the house:

• Is it being purchased for fair market value?
• Is it located in a marketable neighborhood?
• Are there any major or obvious defects that could affect its value
• Is the house a previous grow op?

If something negative about the house comes back as part of the review, it could mean that the lender (or CMHC) could decline to finance the property. The financing condition gives you a way out of the agreement should something happen at this point. If you don’t have a financing condition, you could end up being legally tied to purchasing the home, with or without financing lined up. Definitely not a position you want to be in, so take the time to protect yourself by ensuring your offer to purchase includes a financing condition – and speak with us at Dominion Lending Centres.

Nathan Lawrence

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

mis-con-cep-tion (noun)– a view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding; mistaken notion; an erroneous conception.

With not knowing how to start this particular blog post, I decided to look for some images that might summarize the topic best – What is the difference between a RATE HOLD and a PRE-APPROVAL?

I thought this picture 100% represented how these terms are perceived, you say one thing but you mean the opposite. For most people the term PRE-APPROVAL is more commonly used than the latter. The term RATE HOLD is generally only used in the broker/lender sphere.

Many years ago (seems like the ice age ago) one could place a phone call to their personal banker and lock in a mortgage, then it switched to only requiring a paystub maybe a bank statement and T4s.  Whereas now one requires their entire biography and proof of net worth followed by a blood sample… somewhat facetious, but there is more involved as lenders need to make an accurate risk assessment.

Times have changed and so should our line of thinking. Underwriting mortgages is not cheap and lenders have upfront costs that take years to recoup.

Rate Hold

These are generally automated where nobody even looks at the application.  The system only analyzes basic criteria; beacon score, loan-to-value, name and birthdate. No documents are even reviewed. A rate hold is simply just that, a rate hold. It’s just a certificate guaranteeing the stated rate for a stated period of time, usually to a maximum of 120 days. Rate holds are mostly utilized for borrowers who are going to purchase or refinance in the near future.

Pre-Approval

The pre-approval approach is generally a more detailed process, with all documents being reviewed, except for the subject property. The lender will have to approve the covenant based on the information provided such as employment, source of the down payment and credit history criteria. Approval of these three pillars is NOT a guarantee that the mortgage application will be approved. The lender still has to do its due diligence on the fourth pillar (subject property) as it must still meet all the lender’s and insurer’s guidelines if there is less than a 20% down payment.

The most common question you will hear during the purchase process is, ARE YOU PRE-APPROVED?

I have to worked with numerous clients that thought they were PRE-APPROVED by their ‘bank.’ But during the subject removal timeline found out that they were NOT pre-approved, all for various reasons. Instead there should be a series of questions asked:

• Have you consulted with your Mortgage Expert?
• If so, when was the last time you had a conversation with her/him?
• Is there a rate hold or pre-approval in place? Do you understand the difference(s)?
• Have you sent her/him your complete package of documents that was requested?
• Are there any changes to employment, credit, the down payment or the purchase price?
• Have you discussed the ‘plan’ for this property? This will determine the term and mortgage product chosen.
• …and much more…

As you can see, there is much more to consider than just, ARE YOU PRE-APPROVED?

No one mortgage is exactly the same as someone else’s. The mortgage process is a complex labyrinth of puzzle pieces that have to fit together perfectly. Note that the puzzle pieces are constantly changing in this industry.

Due to the steep underwriting costs of each mortgage application, most lenders are electing to follow the RATE HOLD process. By analyzing a complete 4 pillar mortgage application package (credit, employment, down payment and subject property), the lender is able to maximize dollars spent to acquire a new client. Navigating the RATE HOLD/PRE-APPROVAL process should be left up to your trusted Mortgage Expert.

The best PRE-APPROVAL is the one that comes from your Mortgage Expert because they can analyze and do a pre-underwrite even before doing a RATE HOLD. With their expert advice you can construct a strategy that is tailored specifically to your mortgage financing scenario.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Dominion Lending Centres!

Michael Hallett

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

What is a credit report and why is it necessary? It’s easy, it provides proof of your creditworthiness. Plain and simple!

In this day and age, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have some form of credit. This can include credit cards, personal loans, lines of credit, car loans,  student loans, mortgages and more. Anything that reports to one or both of the main credit reporting agencies in Canada, Equifax and TransUnion.

What this basically says is what your credit history and repayment habits are like. It reports when you paid on time, late or didn’t pay at all and you now have a collections company after you. It also reports when a creditor writes off a debt along with when there has been a bankruptcy or a consumer proposal. They also provide information on how well you have made your mortgage payments.

Your credit report will also show how much of your available credit has been utilized. So if the limit on your credit card is $2,000 and you owe $1,999, it gives the impression that you might be tight for funds and are using credit to keep afloat. Having several maxed out and over the limit debts can be a warning sign to credit issuers, along with mortgage lenders.

All this info creates scores which rate your credit worthiness. The higher the score, the better, especially when you are asking to borrow the most money you will probably ever ask to borrow – a mortgage on a house!

We have several categories of lending institutions. The best interest rates and terms are found with prime lending institutions such as the banks, monoline lenders (available through mortgage specialists), credit unions, etc. These options are usually only available to those with the best credit ratings.

There are lenders who will grant mortgages to those who have experienced credit challenges. Rates and terms are higher, often brokerage and lender fees apply. These “subprime” lenders also offer opportunities designed to assist those having difficulties to get out of the corner and improve their situation. Most of the time, these lenders are used in the short term until the borrower qualifies with prime lenders with better rates and terms.

There are circumstances where private lenders are also utilized. A good mortgage specialist will be able to assess the situation and tell you when this is necessary.

Of course, you will be notified well in advance anytime a fee will be charged by the broker or the lender.

Here’s what makes up your credit score and what impact they have on the bottom line. Payment History (how well you paid), Credit Debts (how many debts you have and how much they are utilized), Age of accounts (how long you’ve had these debts, the longer the better), Type of credit (they all impact differently, Credit Enquires, (are you a shopper spending lots of money, or in trouble?).

To find out how long negative comments stay on your credit bureau, check out this page on the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s website.

The biggest threats to your credit score are payments later than 30 days, maxed out credit cards, collections, proposals and bankruptcies.

The moral of the story….. Keep a close eye on those debts, keep payments up to date, don’t overextend yourself, and if you are having issues, talk with an advisor before it gets out of hand. There are many ways to prevent a credit rating breakdown, we here at Dominion Lending Centres can help.

Anne Martin

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) is a program that allows you to withdraw up to $25,000 from your registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself or for a related person with a disability.

You must be considered a first-time home buyer.

You are not considered a first-time home buyer if you or your spouse or common-law partner owned a home that you occupied as your principal place of residence during the period beginning January 1 of the fourth year before the year of withdrawal and ending 31 days before your withdrawal. (Dec 31, 2010 or prior for anyone buying in 2015)

However, if you are a person with a disability, or you are buying or building a home for a related person with a disability or helping such a person buy or build a home, you do not have to meet this condition.

In addition, ALL of the following conditions must apply:

• You must enter into a written agreement (Offer of purchase) to buy or build a qualifying home. The agreement may be with a builder, contractor, realtor or private seller.
• You intend to occupy the qualifying home as your principal place of residence. When you withdraw funds from your RRSPs under the HBP, you have to intend to occupy the qualifying home as your principal place of residence no later than one year after buying or building it. Once you occupy the home, there is no minimum period of time that you have to live there.
• Your repayable HBP balance on January 1 of the year of the withdrawal is zero.
• Neither you nor your spouse or common-law partner owns the qualifying home more than 30 days before the withdrawal.
• You are a resident of Canada.
• You buy or build the qualifying home before October 1 of the year after the year of withdrawal.

Your RRSP issuer will not withhold tax from the funds you withdraw if you meet the HBP conditions and complete Form T1036.

You can withdraw a single amount or make a series of withdrawals throughout the same year and January of the following year, as long as the total of your withdrawals is not more than $25,000.

If you buy the home with your spouse or common-law partner, or other individuals, each individual can withdraw up to $25,000 from his or her RRSP, provided each of you meet the HBP conditions.

Your RRSP contributions must remain in the RRSP for at least 90 days before you can withdraw them under the HBP.

Your first repayment is due the second year following the year in which you made your withdrawals.

You have up to 15 years to repay the amount that you withdrew under the HBP. Generally, for each year of your repayment period, you have to repay 1/15 of the total amount you withdrew until the full amount is repaid to your RRSPs.

Len Anderson

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

First, let’s start with a definition of each.

Mortgage Terminology

Rate-Hold: a rate-hold is simply that. The financial institution holds a rate for a specific term and for a certain number of days. In Canada we typically hold rates for 120 days. You must close your mortgage on or before that date to secure the held rate. In addition, in the event that rates go up over that period of time you don’t have to worry, you have your rate guaranteed. If rates lower, then your rate lowers as well.

Pre-Approval: if you are house shopping then a pre-approval can help you shop with confidence. A pre-approved mortgage certificate outlines how much you qualify for and will also hold a rate for you. Unlike just the rate hold, a pre-approval is looked over by an underwriter working for the particular financial institution. The underwriter will look at all the data provided in the application, along with a credit history report, to determine credit worthiness. If the underwriter has not been given upfront documentation, for example employment and down payment information, then the pre-approval will come back with “conditions”. Essentially saying, yes, based on the info you provided we are ready to extend credit to you once you satisfy the following conditions. This can also be called pre-qualification.

Should you wish with absolute surety that you will not be denied credit, then it is best to submit your paperwork upfront.

In our fast paced society clients receive rate-holds, not pre-approvals. So please make sure you know what you are getting based on what you need.

Almost done. If you are putting less than 20% down on your home you will have to obtain mortgage insurance from CMHC or Genworth. Both of these institutions will not look at your file unless it is a “real deal”, and they can sometimes over-rule an approval from the financial institution. I’ve completed many mortgage transactions and while I have not seen this many times, it has happened if you are in the higher risk category, for example, your employment is just less than one year or credit history is not very long. If you are not in the higher risk category, then a pre-approval should give you the confidence to look for a house without worry.

Remember to always place a financial clause in your agreement of purchase and sale. Give yourself the time and the peace-of-mind.

Sandra Tisiot

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

ob-sess(ed): the act of being preoccupied or fill the mind continually, intrusively and to a troubling extend.

As mortgage consumers, we get obsessed with obtaining the best rate – we are caught in the cross-hairs of lender marketing. Lenders spend millions of dollars annually to pitch their message; some listen and some don’t. As consumers, we all want make sure we are getting the best value for our money. When entering into the world of purchase and owning real estate, there should be a detailed plan laid out for one to follow. We should make sure all our plans fit the mortgage products we inherently rely on. Would you put a square peg in a round hole?

Along with making sure the mortgage product is suitable, there is also an element of competition between friends, family members and even colleagues at work. Consumers thought process goes something like this (…and I was once part of this faculty)…”I need to get the lowest rate so that I supersede the rate that (enter name here) got…” That statement couldn’t be further from the truth – it’s 100% wrong.

We all want to pay as little as possible up front, but never put any thought into life’s uncertainties. What if you need to break the mortgage?, to consolidate some debt, require equity for a renovation, moving to another town/city where your current lender does not lend, leverage equity to take advantage of some financial planning strategies…the list goes on.

60% or 6 out of every 10 mortgages that originally opt for a 5 year fixed term are changed/broken/altered 38 months into the contract. The act of breaking one’s mortgage will yield a penalty on the outstanding balance for 22 months. The penalty will be either an Interest Rate Differential calculation or 3 month interest, whatever is greater. There is so much more to choosing a mortgage rate and term than just the 5 bold character,s ?.??%  being advertised.

Borrower’s have to look past the numbers and educate themselves on the terms of that rate being offered; the fine print!

Depending on the RATE and its terms, that penalty can be dramatically different. Lenders all have a suite of various products to fit you, the consumer’s, wants and needs. It’s up to you and your Mortgage Expert to navigate through the gauntlet of rate sheets and product information to find what works for you and your specific scenario. As Mortgage Experts, we here at Dominion Lending Centres have access to a wide range of lenders; major chartered banks, credit unions and investment lenders. At times there could be a difference of 10 to 20 basis points (0.10-0.20%) from lender to lender.

Let’s take for example a rate of 2.44% vs 2.64% for a 5 year fixed term. It’s obvious which one most borrowers would gravitate to, but is it worth it? What are the pitfalls? These two rates have drastically different penalty structures even though they are offered by the same lender. The 2.44% rate holds a 3% penalty on the outstanding mortgage balance (OSB). The 2.64% rate calculates the Interest Rate Differential (IRD) or 3 months interest, whatever is greater to determine the penalty.

Here is an example of what it would cost to exit these mortgage contracts early. We will use the 60% rule along with a starting balance of $330,000, 25 year amortization and $0 prepayments made to the principal for the first 38 months.

Rate 2.44% 2.64%

OSB @ 38 mos $298,401.05 $299,153.80

Penalty 8,952.03 $2,468.02

Difference $6,484.01

Monthly payment $1,468.45 $1,501.39

Difference over 38 mos $1,251.72

Same term but a different mortgage product yields a difference in penalty of $6,484.01. Over that same 38 month term, the higher interest will have an ‘out-of-pocket’ difference of $1,251.72. Now ask yourself, with all of life’s uncertainties, which would you prefer, the 2.44% or 2.64% rate? I would choose the higher rate and pay $5,232.29 less.

This is where having a knowledgeable Mortgage Expert from Dominion Lending Centres working for you pays off in spades. We will review your plan and recommend the best mortgage product. Make sure you examine all aspects of the mortgage, 60% of 5 year fixed mortgages are altered. Here’s yet another reason to always consider variable rate mortgages, much more flexible and only yield 3 month interest penalty on the OSB no matter where you are in the contract timeline.

If you are looking for personalized mortgage advice, contact me at Dominion Lending Centres anytime!

Michael Hallett

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage

We all know the real estate industry is hot right now and for many getting into the housing market, it can be a pipe dream. With tightening government and lending regulations, historically low interest rates and soaring housing prices, it can be a daunting endeavour for anyone.

Whether you are a first time home buyer, wanting to upsize to accommodate your growing family or purchasing an investment property, these are the factors that lenders will be looking at. This will determine which mortgage type and interest rate will be available to you.

Know Your 5 C’s:

Collateral – The property itself that you are hoping to purchase.

Capital – Where is your down payment coming from? At a minimum, you need 5% down for a “high ratio” insured mortgage or a “conventional” mortgage with 20% down. This money can come from your own resources or can be gifted from a family member. Requirements will vary, so make sure to check with your mortgage professional.

Credit – Do you have proven credit and show a good history of repayment?

Capacity – The most important by far! How are you going to pay for your mortgage? Proof of income and requirements differ depending on whether you are salaried, self- employed, paid hourly or somewhere in between!

Character – Are you a super person? This is the least important factor to lenders these days.

Just as important to consider, when deciding on your mortgage, is to determine your current financial situation and longer term goals. This will help you decide which mortgage term and amortization (for example a 5 year term with a 25 year amortization) and mortgage rate (variable or fixed) is best for you. Finally, don’t forget to discuss the FEATURES that come with your mortgage as this could save you thousands of dollars and potential grief over the term of the mortgage. These features can include pre-payment options, lower early payout penalties and portability, providing you with flexibility and options for paying down your mortgage faster or making changes, should the need arise.

Mortgages are NOT a one size fits all, so always make sure to contact and discuss your options with a licensed mortgage professional BEFORE preparing to find the home of your dreams.

Jordan Thomson

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage

Are you or someone you know above the age of 55 and having trouble making ends meet? Are funds needed to cover the costs associated with an illness, disability or life event? Perhaps it’s time for a home repair or renovation, such as a kitchen or bathroom. Pay for the kids education? Do you have a mortgage and can’t afford the payments anymore?

Perhaps the funds are just not available and you don’t have enough income to qualify for a mortgage but you have lots of equity in your home, or it might even be paid off.

Here’s where the CHIP program, also known as a “Reverse Mortgage”, becomes the solution. Yes, I’ve seen the commercials on TV and have heard the myths and negative “energy” around it. However, let’s first discuss what this mortgage can do.

• Borrow up to 50% of the value of the home and make NO PAYMENTS as long as you live in the home. The interest payments are added to the mortgage loan amount and are only due when you vacate.
• The amount that you are eligible to borrow is determined by your age and the location of your home, therefore, the younger you are the less you can borrow, eliminating the risk of eroding all your equity over time.
• You maintain full ownership of the home.
• Your only obligation is to keep the home in good condition, keep the property taxes and home insurance up to date.
• You will never owe more than the value of the home.
• You do not need to qualify for the loan.
• 99% of the time, equity is realized upon sale.

There are many myths out there about reverse mortgages, here are some –

1. The most common myth is that you will lose all your equity in your home. Untrue! You will be provided with a schedule showing you how the equity in your home is expected to grow over time using 3 possible growth scenarios. Figures that are used are conservative, therefore, you could realize even more equity when the home is sold by yourself or your estate.

The amount of remaining equity depends on how old you were when you obtained the mortgage and how long you’ve had the loan when you leave the home. Plus, the value of the home at the end of the loan.

2. If I die, my spouse will be left with a big mortgage to pay off. This is not true as the loan is not due until you or your spouse leave the home.

3. It is costly to set up this mortgage. Set up fees include a property appraisal, legal and admin fees; usually a few thousand dollars or less. The mortgage can be used to pay the fees. This is not much different than a high risk mortgage. Remember NO payments!

It’s important to understand that there is a growing senior population and people are living longer. Employment pensions are disappearing, government pension payments are small. CHIP offers an affordable solution for seniors who want to spend their retirement in a comfortable, stress-free way.

For more info, contact your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage specialist, we have the details and will only consider this option for you when it is in your best interest.

Anne Martin

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

Saving for a down payment is often one of the biggest challenges facing young people looking to break into the real estate market.  The source of your down payment could come from your own savings, a gift from a family member, your RRSP if you’re a first time home buyer or from the proceeds of selling your current home.

No matter where your down payment comes from, one thing that is for certain is your lender will be verifying your down payment prior to full approval.  It’s required by all lenders to protect against fraud and to prove that you are not borrowing your down payment, which can change your lending ratios and your ability to repay your mortgage.

Documents You Will Need To Show When Verifying Your Down Payment

1. Own Savings/Investments:  If you’ve saved enough money for your down payment, congratulations!  What your lender will want to see is a 3 month history of any source accounts used for your down-payment such as your savings account, TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account) or Investment account.

Your statement will need to clearly show your name and your account number.  Any large deposits outside of your normal contributions will need to be explained i.e.  you sold your car and deposited $12,000 or you received your bonus from work.  If you have transferred money from one account to another you will need to show a record of the money leaving one account and arriving in the other.  The lenders want to see a paper trail of where the money came from and how it got in your account.  This is mainly to combat money laundering and fraud.

2. Gifted Down Payment:  Especially in the pricey Metro Vancouver and Toronto real estate markets, the bank of Mom and Dad is becoming a more popular source of down payments for young home buyers.  You will need a signed gift letter from your family member that states the down-payment is indeed a gift and no repayment is required on the funds.

Be prepared to show the funds on deposit in your account no later than 15 days prior to closing.  Again, the lender wants to see a transaction record.  i.e. $25,000 from Mom’s account transferred to yours and a record of the $25,000 landing in your account.  Documents must show account number and name.

Gifted down payments are only acceptable from immediate family members (parents, grandparents, siblings). You can learn more about gifted down payments and get a sample gift letter here.

3. Using your RRSP:  If you’re a First Time Home Buyer, you may qualify to use up to $25,000 from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) for your down payment.  To see if you qualify for the Home Buyer’s Plan to use your RRSP’s as a down payment visit here.  You will need to complete a Form T1036 to withdraw your funds without penalty.

Verifying your down payment from your RRSP is just like verifying from your savings/investment accounts.  You will need to show a 3 month history via your account statements with your name and account number on them.  Funds must have been in your account for 90 days.

4. Proceeds From Selling Your Existing Home:  If your down payment is coming from the proceeds of selling your current home then you will need to show your lender a fully executed purchase and sale agreement between you and the buyer of your home.  If  you have an outstanding mortgage on the property, be prepared to provide an up-to-date mortgage statement as well.

5. Money From Outside Of Canada:  Using funds from outside of Canada is acceptable but be prepared to have the money on deposit in a Canadian financial institution at least 30 days before your expected closing date.  Verifying your down payment from overseas will also require that you provide a 90 day history of your source account.

No matter what the source is, verifying your down payment will require you to show documentation of where the money originated from and be ready to explain any large deposits.  Making regular contributions into your savings or investment accounts will help develop a pattern of deposits and avoid any red flags.  Don’t stockpile your cash and make large lump-sum deposits.

Most lenders will want to see that you have 1.5% of the purchase price on deposit as well to cover your closing cost.  If you buy a home for $650,000 you will need a minimum of 5% down ($32,500) and another $9,750 (1.5%), for your closing cost.  You will need to show a total of $42,250 available on deposit.

Brent Shepheard

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional

1. Make a double mortgage payment whenever you can. Doing this once a year can shave over 4 years off the mortgage! Sometimes you can skip a payment later on too…if you really, really need to. Try not to. If your payment is $2,000 a month, four years of no payments is $96,000!!

2. Increase frequency of payment. For Example going from monthly to bi-weekly accelerated can shave over three years off your mortgage! $2,000, three years of no payments is $72,000!!

3. Increase your payment. For example a one-time 10% increase can shave 4 years off the mortgage. That’s $96,000! Imagine if you bumped the payment 10% every year from the get go!!! You would be mortgage free in 13 years! Start to finish! Can’t do it? How about 5% every year….you would be mortgage free in 18 years! How about increasing the payment by the amount of your annual raise?

4. Lump sum payments…same idea…mortgage is gone way faster! Even just one payment a year equivalent to 1 monthly payment will give you similar results as #2 above! How about using your annual work bonus?

5. Renegotiate whenever rates drop to save interest and pay mortgage faster! Generally a good idea however *Caution* get independent professional advice (a cost benefit analysis) to make sure it makes sense for you at that time. I can help. A 1% reduction on a $300,000 mortgage will save $250 a month…times 5 years…that’s $15,000!!

6. Keep your credit rating high for best rate. Always pay on time. Never let payments slip past their due date. Always keep balances low in relation to credit limits on credit cards, lines of credit, etc. 50% or less is best even if you pay the balances in full every month. What generally reports to the credit bureau is the statement balance each month. So if your credit limit is $3000 and you are running $3000 a month through the card each month (to collect all those points you never spend or can’t use in blackout periods) and paying in full, it will look like you are maxing out your credit limit and your credit score will drop accordingly.

7. Increase your mortgage! Yeah I know sounds backwards! Do it to roll in your credit cards, line of credit, car loan etc for a better rate and a set payment plan. Oh you say you don’t want to extend the repayment period of that stuff by rolling it into your mortgage or you have a low or promo rate credit card (those never end well) I agree! Then keep the total payment amount the same but pay it in one neat monthly payment to the increased mortgage.

8. Make an RRSP contribution and use the refund to pay down your mortgage.

9. Go variable rate with your mortgage but keep payments as if fixed rate. Variable rates usually win out over fixed rates. By paying a higher payment you will pay off the mortgage faster. It’s also a buffer in case the rate rises above the fixed rate for short periods of time. *Caution* variable rates are not for everyone. Get independent professional advice to find out what is best for you. I can help!

10. Take your mortgage with you when you change properties to avoid penalty or higher rate on a new mortgage. This is called “porting”. Make sure that your mortgage has this feature. It is not widely known and could save you a ton of dough.

11. Set up auto savings every paycheque, even $10, when it reaches the amount of one mortgage payment, apply it to the mortgage. This concept goes nicely with #4 above.

12. Unhook from the money drip…stop paying with your fancy points credit or debit card. Way too easy to overspend! Go old school, go off the grid…PAY CASH, it works!

13. Don’t ever buy on layaway, you know, six months don’t pay schemes. You think…No problem I’ll just pay it in six months, it will be okay. Yeah right!

14. Downsize your house. Two good friends and clients of mine, having followed many of the tips here, are in great shape except they have a six bedroom house! Two people, six bed house – go figure! They are nearly debt free so no biggy, but can you say the same? Circumstances change, make the adjustments along the way!

15. Don’t want to move? Convert the basement/rooms to rental and use the income to pay down debt.

16. Convert your mortgage to tax deductible. If you are self-employed, own rental property or have investments, this is likely possible. I won’t go into details here, just ask me how.

17. Have a payment priority.

18. Pay off the highest interest rate first.

19. If you have tax deductible loans, pay them off last, slowest. Pay the non-tax deductible loans first and fastest.

20. Pay off ugly debt first. Stuff like credit card purchases.

21. Payoff bad debt next. Stuff like car loans, boat loans. Things that depreciate in value.

22. Pay off good debt (or shall I say “not so bad debt”) last. Stuff like mortgages, investment loans. Things that hopefully appreciate in value.

23. Buying a car? Finance it if you have to, don’t lease! *Exception* If you are self-employed it might make sense.

24. You have $20,000 in a secret bank account for a rainy day fund and $20,000 owing on a line of credit. Seriously? The bank account is paying you next to nothing (which is taxable income to boot) and the line of credit rate is way higher (and not tax deductible). You know what to do. You can keep the line of credit open and on standby for rainy day funds. Make it the secret line of credit that you have but never use.

25. Give your Banker more money. No really. Keep enough in your chequing account to meet the minimum requirement to waive your service charges. My bank charges $10 a month for 25 transactions and nothing, zero, zilch, zip if I keep $2,500 in the account. Let’s see $10 x 12 is $120 a year to pay off debt. I’d have to earn 5% with the $2,500 in my savings account to come out ahead. No brainer here. Oh yeah, if you need more than 25 transactions a month…see #12 above.

26. #26? BONUS TIP and MOST IMPORTANT. Let’s face it, you’re not the Government and you’re not a Bank, you can’t run deficits forever and you won’t get a bailout….stop procrastinating already! See 1 through 24 above and take action now!

Sidenote: *Caution* beware of some too good to be true ultra-low rate mortgages. These “no frills” mortgages are often loaded with restrictions like pre-payment limitations, fully-closed terms, stripped-out features, or unusual penalties. You really need to compare product to product. If you’re not looking at what you’re giving up, you may regret it in the future. This alone could prevent you from taking advantage of tips #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 16 and 22!

Len Anderson

Dominion Lending Centres – Accredited Mortgage Professional