March 20, 2024

Mortgages & Retirement

  A generation ago – most retirees did not have mortgages. Mortgage planning was not part of retirement planning. This was primarily because of two reasons: […]
December 1, 2023

Cash Flow and Mortgage Payments

The increase in the Banak of Canada Prime rate over the past 20 months, aimed at tackling rising inflation, has left numerous Canadians cash-strapped until the anticipated lowering of the Prime rate in 2024. So what can be done?
November 25, 2023

Should you Refinance or Get a Second Mortgage?

Choosing whether to refinance your existing mortgage or getting a second mortgage depends on your financial goals. If your existing mortgage has a good rate and a noticeable time left in its term, you should probably think of keeping it rather than refinancing it and getting a second mortgage instead.
April 28, 2022

Interest Rates Are Important, But Not The Most Important

    When it comes to interest rates, an expression One Cannot See Dollars from the Pennies is frequently true… We pay attention to getting the […]
March 7, 2022

Where to Buy Next?

With the prices skyrocketing over the past year, it is very difficult to find a multi-bedroom property for a decent price.   That said, if you […]
February 17, 2021

Should I Refinance for a Lower Rate?

It’s time to revisit your mortgage strategy. Mortgage rates are down, both on the fixed and variable sides. It’s all over social media and the news. […]
December 7, 2019

The Power of HELOC

So you own a home and would like to buy an investment property, but all of your savings have been locked up in your home? The answer to your problem is a Home Equity Line of Credit or HELOC.
November 15, 2018

Interest Rates

  Those of you who know me well, know that I shy away from making predictions on interest rates.  There are simply too many factors at […]
September 27, 2018

So you want to buy an investment condo…

It’s no secret that as house prices in the GTA have risen over the past 10 years, many of us have become overnight “millionaires”.  Who would […]
April 3, 2018

Cost of Borrowing – The Only True Measure 

  When comparing various financing options, the biggest mistake you can make is to concentrate on the actual nominal rates alone. Instead, you should pay attention […]
March 11, 2018

How to Get Arount the New Mortgage Rules?

The new mortgage rules have essentially lowered the qualifying power of mortgage applicants by approximately 20%. Whether you’re buying and need a mortgage, or are simply […]
February 5, 2018

Have you thought about a commercial property as your next investment?

Commercial properties are somewhat an unknown territory to most of us. They require larger down payments. Interest rates are higher. Still, they can still be a […]
November 9, 2017

Should You Lock In or Not?

  That depends. Over the past 7 years, there were many indications that variable rates will go up and many pressures on those with variable rates […]
October 18, 2017

Do You Have a Home Equity Line of Credit?

When the Prime rate went up by 0.5%, my feelings were mixed… Yes, my variable rate mortgage payments went up and I wasn’t happy about it, […]
September 22, 2017

Why You Should Refinance Now

If you are considering a refinance for any reason – to consolidate your debt, pay for your kids’ education, renovate your home or buy an investment […]
April 7, 2017

R&R… Refinance & Renovate

A well know Toronto scenario: “Our tiny bungalow is now worth $1M dollars! We should sell it!…” Which then begs the question – “Where would we […]
March 12, 2017

Government Changes and What They Mean

On October 3rd the federal government announced a series of regulations that govern the access and limitations of mortgages requiring insurance. The rules were put in […]
December 4, 2015

Welcome to the World of Private Mortgages

Over the course of the last decade or so, the percentage of private mortgages within my portfolio grew from some 5% to an astonishing 30%… There […]
November 11, 2015

Mortgages Are All About the Numbers

Getting the best mortgage is not only about securing the lowest “nominal” interest rate that many of us tend to get obsessed with. As a matter […]