Some of Our Featured Rates

 Featured Rates

TERM

 

RATES

 

Variable Rate Mortgage As low as Prime -.80%
3 Year Closed Rate As low as 2.49%
4 Year Closed Rate Mortgage As low as 2.84%
5 Year Closed Rate Mortgage As low as 2.89%
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC Up To 80%) As low as Prime +.25%
5 Year Cash Back for Down Payment As low as 4.49%

Rates and terms subject to change without notice, conditions may apply.

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Want to keep up to date with rates click here!

Tough questions to ask when buying a home

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(NC) Home ownership is part of the Canadian dream, according to 90 per cent of Ontarians who participated in a recent study by the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA). Achieving that dream however, requires serious planning, says Costa Poulopoulos, president of OREA.
“Buying a home is a major financial decision and maintaining it requires a great deal of discipline,” Poulopoulos continues. “Home buyers should be prepared to make some tough choices in this pursuit.”
Some of these choices include:
Condo, house or other: Before deciding to buy a detached or semi-detached house, a condo or other form of home, consider your lifestyle, current and anticipated needs, and your budget. It's a good idea to create a prioritized list of features that you are looking for. Finding the right home involves balancing your "must-haves" with your "nice-to-haves".
Fixed or variable mortgag e: A fixed rate mortgage offers security and is guaranteed not to change for the term of the mortgage. A variable rate mortgage, on the other hand, offers possible long term interest savings, but with the risk of interest rate increases. The 'right' mortgage depends on your tolerance for risk, as well as your current goals and life stage.
More than, or less than, 20 per cent down payment: If you buy a home with anything less than 20 per cent down, you'll have to buy high-ratio mortgage insurance. The lower your down payment, the more expensive the insurance. If you don't want to pay mortgage insurance, you'll need at least 20 per cent down. A bigger down payment also means that you'll pay less interest in the long run.
Conditional or unconditional offer: In a multiple offer situation, some buyers might be tempted to waive all conditions in the hope of securing the sale. Conditions are in place to protect the buyer. If you decide to waive conditions on an offer that gets accepted, you'll be in a bind if you have trouble securing a mortgage, or end up with a home that needs costly repairs.
“It doesn't end there,” adds Poulopoulos. “As a home owner, you'll be faced with choices every day. But we believe that the sense of pride, security and the long-term investment value that comes with home ownership, makes it all worth it.”
More information is available at www.wedothehomework.ca.
www.newscanada.com
www.philrom.com  
***this article only applies for Ontario

Are you ready for your First Home

 (NC) Buying a house is one of the biggest investments of our lifetime – and it's a journey that is usually filled with questions around affordability, impact on savings, and lifestyle changes.
There are a number of online calculators and tools that can help answer many of these questions and give you a good sense of how much 'house' you can afford and what your monthly mortgage payments will look like. Take a look at these three tips for first-time homebuyers, courtesy of the mortgage specialists at RBC:
Know how much you can affordbeyond the mortgage amount, don't forget to consider ongoing home ownership costs and your lifestyle needs. Use the How much home can I afford calculator available at www.rbcadvicecentre.com to find out where you stand.
Get a pre-approved mortgageshop for a home with confidence and let everyone know you are a serious buyer. Additional benefits for pre-approval include being able to put in your offer faster, and potentially beating out another prospective buyer who hasn't done their homework.
Know your mortgage optionstake advantage of flexible pre-payment privileges to cut years off your mortgage. There is always more to your mortgage than the interest rate, so be sure you know what options are available in each mortgage type, and how they can be used to save you money. Use online tools and calculators to test out different scenarios.
Additional information, including mortgage tools and tips, is available at
www.rbcadvicecentre.com
www.newscanada.com
www.philrom.com

Cash back for Down Payment

 

Cash back for  Down Payment

Mortgage!!!!   .....as low as 4.85%

5 Year closed term!!!!

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If you do not have the minimum 5% down payment, you may still have an opportunity to purchase a home!!! If you have good credit ( a minimum beacon score of 650), a steady job and the money to pay for a lawyer and the closing costs, you may qualify for the  Cash back for Down Payment Mortgage

The way it works is quite simple, the lender will provide you with 5% of the purchase price as a cash back to be applied as the 5% down payment on your purchase, so you still have 95% financing but did not have to get a gift from family or wait to save up the 5% yourself.  This program allows buyers who have been putting of the purchase decision to finally get into the Real Estate Market!

To find out if you can qualify? please contact me and discuss your options!

 

 

 

10 Worst First Time Buyer Mistakes

  10 WORST FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER MISTAKES

Are you gearing up to buy your first place? Arm yourself with these tips to get the most out of your purchase and avoid making 10 of the most costly mistakes that could put a hold on that sold sign.

1. Not Knowing What You Can Afford


As we’ve all learned from the subprime mortgage mess, what the banks says you can afford and what you know you can afford or are comfortable with paying are not necessarily the same. If you don’t already have a budget, make a list of all your monthly expenses (excluding rent). Subtract this total from your take-home pay and you’ll know how much you can spend on your new home each month.

 

2. Skipping Mortgage Qualification


What you think you can afford and what the bank is willing to lend you may not match up, so make sure to talk to your mortgage broker and get pre-approved for a loan before placing an offer on a home. Beware that even if you have been pre-approved for a mortgage, your loan can fall through at the last minute if you do something to alter your credit score, like finance a car purchase.

3. Failing to Consider Additional Expenses


Once you’re a homeowner, you’ll have additional expenses on top of your monthly payment. You’ll be responsible for paying property taxes, insuring your home against disasters and making any repairs the house needs. If you’re purchasing a condo, you’ll have to pay maintenance costs monthly regardless of whether anything needs fixing because you’ll be part of a building strata.

4. Being Too Picky


Go ahead and put everything you can think of on your new home wish list, but don’t be so inflexible that you end up continuing to rent for significantly longer than you really want to. First-time homebuyers often have to compromise on something because their funds are limited.

5. Lacking Vision


Even if you can’t afford to replace the hideous wallpaper in the bathroom now, it might be worth it to live with the ugliness for a while in exchange for getting into a house you can afford. If the home meets your needs in terms of the big things that are difficult to change, such as location and size, don’t let physical imperfections turn you away.

6. Being Swept Away


Minor upgrades and cosmetic fixes are inexpensive tricks that are a seller’s dream for playing on your emotions and eliciting a much higher price tag. If you’re on a budget, look for homes whose full potential have yet to be realized. First-time homebuyers should always look for a house they can add value to, as this ensures a bump in equity to help you up the property ladder.

7. Compromising on the Important Things


Don’t get a two-bedroom home when you know you’re planning to have kids and will want three bedrooms. Don’t make a compromise that will be a major strain.

8. Neglecting to Inspect


Before you close on the sale, you need to know what kind of shape the house is in. You don’t want to get stuck with a money pit or with the headache of performing a lot of unexpected repairs.

9. Not Choosing to Hire an Agent or Using the Seller's Agent


Once you're seriously shopping for a home, don't walk into an open house without having an agent. Agents are held to the ethical rule that they must act in both the seller and the buyer parties' best interests.

10. Not Thinking About the Future


It's impossible to perfectly predict the future of your chosen neighbourhood, but paying attention to the information that is available to you now can help you avoid unpleasant surprises down the road.

(Source: Globe & Mail)

 

 

 

October News and Rate Advisor

Welcome to the October issue of the News & Rate Advisor.

Current Discount Mortgage Rates Oct 2014
Variable Rate 2.45%
1 Year 2.89%
2 Year 2.34%
3 Year 2.69%
4 Year 2.77%
5 Year 2.99%
7 Year 3.79%
10 Year 4.49%
Prime Rate 3.00%
* Rates subject to change and OAC.

Canadian Qualifying Rate Oct 2014
Rate 4.79%
Source: Bank of Canada

Current Posted Mortgage Rates Oct 2014 Oct 2013 Oct 2012
1 Year 3.14% 3.14% 3.10%
3 Year 3.44% 3.95% 3.70%
5 Year 4.79% 5.34% 5.24%
Source: Bank of Canada

Nationwide Building Permits Aug 2014 Aug 2013 Aug 2012
Residential $4,150,876,000 $3,938,247,000 $4,223,624,000
Commercial $2,501,345,000 $2,495,214,000 $3,234,985,000
Total $6,652,221,000 $6,433,461,000 $7,458,609,000
Source: Stats Canada - preliminary figures

Current Bank of Canada Rate & Prime Rates Oct 2014 Oct 2013 Oct 2012
Bank Rate 1.25% 1.25% 1.25%
Prime Rate 3.00% 3.00% 3.00%
Source: Bank of Canada


Average House Prices by City Aug 2014 Aug 2013 Aug 2012
Yellowknife $411,733 $318,363 $433,300
Vancouver $802,763 $784,567 $725,086
Victoria $497,608 $479,978 $475,550
Edmonton $368,597 $348,758 $334,391
Calgary $454,994 $432,576 $400,277
Saskatoon $333,434 $327,281 $320,903
Regina $294,338 $311,860 $304,513
Toronto $546,303 $503,094 $479,095
Hamilton-Burlington $397,938 $376,284 $364,464
Ottawa-Carleton $361,730 $348,822 $347,673
Quebec City $278,517 $268,104 $263,113
Montreal $328,745 $327,165 $331,721
Fredericton $180,401 $177,192 $164,707
Saint John $166,548 $176,632 $170,057
Halifax-Dartmouth $276,080 $272,069 $270,170
Winnipeg $270,246 $261,666 $248,301
Source: CREA - Most Recent Month Reported

Average House Prices by Province Aug 2014 Aug 2013 Aug 2012
National $398,618 $378,369 $350,192
Yukon $299,839 $362,507 $300,095
Northwest Territories $411,733 $318,363 $433,300
British Columbia $560,318 $533,400 $491,145
Alberta $397,701 $381,642 $356,488
Saskatchewan $285,476 $286,809 $269,967
Manitoba $262,685 $253,297 $239,234
Ontario $408,847 $386,444 $366,797
Quebec $271,679 $269,421 $276,170
New Brunswick $162,110 $164,824 $161,080
Prince Edward Island $146,055 $159,432 $145,586
Nova Scotia $210,370 $212,268 $208,749
Newfoundland $293,548 $288,660 $262,436
Source: CREA - Most Recent Month Reported
www.philrom.com

Financial News
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Winning the lottery without losing your head

16 Oct 2014 13:06:09

A year ago I wrote about my client who called me up on a Sunday morning to tell me that he and his wife had won the lottery. I hadn't even had my first cup of coffee yet and he needed to speak with me about what to do with his winnings of more than $10 million.

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French bank allows clients to tweet money

14 Oct 2014 17:45:17

Money is now only a tweet away for French people, after a bank in the country on Tuesday launched a novel way to transfer money on the social networking platform.

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Commercial break: Mr. Bean, Ikea, Barncancerfonden

07 Oct 2014 14:49:11

Mr. Bean shows off his martial arts skills, Ikea invents a talking mirror and a Swedish charity uses hair-raising techniques for a good cause. Here is our pick of the most interesting new ad campaigns happening right now.

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Coca-Cola's name campaign means big sales: Reports

06 Oct 2014 17:00:00

How do you get an increasingly health conscious consumer base to buy more soda?

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Canada a top pick for global job-seekers: Report

06 Oct 2014 12:46:54

Almost two in every three job-seekers globally say they would be willing to move abroad for work and Canada is one of their top destinations, a new poll has found.

Make your home ownership dream a reality

Purchasing a home is a huge decision and requires a lot of financial planning and support. With mortgage rates fluctuating and the Canadian housing market unpredictable, buying a house is like a puzzle and it takes a bit of work to fit the pieces together. There are, however, a number of financial incentives available to help you take that leap when the time is right for you, as follows: First-timers are eligible to save on the purchase with the home buyers' tax credit. You can claim up to $5,000, resulting in savings of up to $750 on your taxes for the year in which the home is bought. If the buyer has a disability, or the home is being purchased for a person with a disability, they can claim the credit even if they have previously bought and owned a home. If you are looking to boost your down payment, you may also be eligible for the Home Buyers' Plan. This plan allows you to use money from your RRSPs to buy or build a home for yourself or a related person with disabilities. You can withdraw up to $25,000 in a calendar year, and have up to 15 years to repay your withdrawals without taking a hit on your taxes. You'll find more details about these programs at www.cra.gc.ca/myhome. Investment potential, freedom from rent, and pride of ownership await. Maybe your new home is finally within reach; this might just be your year.
www.newscanada.com
www.philrom.com

Rent or Buy Video

What Can you Afford Video

Home Buying Costs

Invest in Hamilton

"Canada's most diversified economy, Ontario's fastest growing economy, ranked the best place to invest in Canada and Ontario for two years running- this is Hamilton- the Ambitious City."

www.investinhamilton.ca

Free Mortgage Ebooks

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Free Valuable Mortgage Information books, have them emailed to your or sent to your home in the mail ,

order now:

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Contact Info
Agent
Phil Romano

Certified Professional Mortgage Broker M10002221

Verico House of Mortgage Experts #11972

www.philrom.com
  

905-516-1150 888-812-8292 philromano@vhme.ca
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