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Super Brokers Blog

Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft is Common Sense

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Protecting Your Identity

Your DNA solely codes you. Your fingerprints will never match someone else’s. There is no reason why your identity should be any different.

The vast majority of people rarely think about the possible ramifications for using their identity improperly, or how devastating an identity theft can be to their personal lives. We come across emails every day wherein people include all of their personal information.

Our online mortgage application is secure, firewalled and password protected, but email is not. Email transmissions are not protected from hackers, phishers, thieves, and con artists.

Take these measures to keep your identity protected:

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Advantages of using a Mortgage Broker

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Benefits of a Mortgage Broker

Mortgage Brokers are your personal shopper when it comes to mortgages. Brokers will have access to many lenders, each of them servicing a certain type of borrower. Brokers can present your application to the right lender, knowing which one will be a great fit. Using established relationships with lenders and presenting the file to them can save time. Timing is everything in a purchase situation; brokers will present the deal to the right lender to get an approval. Many of the lenders brokers use are only accessible through the broker channel.
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Saving for a Down Payment

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down payment minimum

Mortgage Down Payment

Today’s mortgage market allows potential homeowners to purchase their dream property in Canada with as little as five per cent down.

Any down payment that totals less than 20 per cent of the property value will require mortgage default insurance, and is considered to be a high ratio loan.

A conventional mortgage is defined as a mortgage loan where 80 per cent or less of the property value is financed through a lender. The percentage of your home value that is financed, or not paid for by the down payment, is defined in a Loan to Value ratio (LTV) (loan amount divided by property value). The LTV has a large influence on the mortgage product you will be eligible to qualify for on the purchase of your new property.

The greater the down payment you can accumulate, the greater the contribution you are making toward the principal value of your home, and thus the less of the mortgage loan amount you will be paying interest on over time.
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Building the Right Team at Mortgage Time

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Choose professionals for your mortgage. The Mortgage Group.

Your mortgage is one of the largest purchase items you will probably take on in your life. In making that commitment, you will most likely seek advice from several people: your family, your partner, your real estate agent, your financial planner and your mortgage broker.

Ensuring that you employ the best real estate professionals that you have access to – home buying professionals with your best interest in mind – will save you exponentially down the line. It takes a solid team to secure an optimal home.

Finding a well-connected Canadian mortgage broker is your first step. A mortgage broker will help you ascertain the true amount you can afford to spend on your new home, before you start shopping. A mortgage pre-approval will give you powerful buying power with home sellers, and will hold for you the best mortgage rates available, usually within 90 days. With one mortgage application, a mortgage broker will scout the Canadian mortgage market for you, and find the mortgage product that best suits your needs, be it through a bank, trust company, credit union, insurance company or private lender.

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Don’t be Afraid to Talk to a Mortgage Broker

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Halloween aside, this October has plenty of reasons to get you spooked, what with a recession, a long and tiring election campaign, and recent world events. Plenty of reasons, but your mortgage need not be one of them.

We’re here to help in this frightful time, no matter if you’re buying a home, renewing your mortgage, or looking to refinance.

Mortgage brokers have access to a wide range of lenders and products, and we can find a mortgage that’s right for you. After all everyone’s mortgage needs are different. You may require the certainty that your mortgage payment will stay the same from the first day of your term to your last. You may want flexibility, to be able to pull equity out of your home to finance a renovation or a new car. Regardless, you should be able to do so with the lowest mortgage rate available in Canada.

Mortgage rates are incredibly low right now, but you likely wouldn’t know it if you looked at your local bank’s rates. Go with your bank’s mortgage rates, you’ll probably end up paying a ghastly premium.

The Lender’s Equations: How Much Mortgage will you Qualify for?

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GDS and TDS debt service ratios.

Knowing how much you can reasonably, comfortably and responsibly contribute to home ownership is paramount in your making a wise and sound investment on your Canadian property. The big four factors that generally contribute to this mortgage amount are:

  1. Monthly income generated
  2. The amount you can contribute to your down payment
  3. The mortgage interest rates and term you qualify for
  4. Other financial commitments or debts you are obliged to pay

Lenders basically use two rules to determine the mortgage you are eligible to be funded to receive, in addition to examining your credit history and FICO score:

  1. Gross Debt Service Ratio (GDS)
  2. Total Debt Service Ratio (TDS)

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Happy Home Hunting Tips for Canadians

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Home hunting tips

Finding the right home for you and your loved ones really comes down to three chief factors:

  1. Affordability: Does the home fit into your budget? Have you determined the financing you can qualify for through a mortgage pre-approval? Have you factored in mortgage insurance, utilities and heating expenses, association fees and taxes?
  2. Lifestyle: Is the home located in an area within the proximity of the amenities you and your family require? Is the lot large enough for your pet(s)? Will owning this home impede you from doing the things you love doing? Are you close enough to work, family and friends?
  3. Future Needs: Are kids a possibility in the future? Is the home large enough for a family? Is the basement developed? Are there schools nearby? Or, if you are close to retirement, is the home too large? Are there too many stairs and floors in the home to negotiate?

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The ins and outs of mortgage rates

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It seems like not a week goes by that a major news story doesn't rock the Canadian real estate market regarding mortgage rates. While it's true that mortgage rates are an important factor when it comes to homebuying, it's even more essential for Canadians to understand exactly how mortgage rates work, and how they can affect home loans.

What are mortgage rates?
A mortgage rate is a term used to describe the interest on a home loan. For most individuals, obtaining a mortgage is a necessary part of buying a home. Mortgage rates are figured on the principal balance of a home loan, meaning how much money is still owed before the loan has been fully repaid. Since a higher balance means more interest, mortgage rates are typically more expensive at the beginning of a loan. As the balance is paid off, less interest is able to build up. This is also why homebuyers spend so much time searching for low rates, as lower interest means less money owed. Continue reading →

Ways to invest in real estate

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home for rentMagnifying glass

While investing is often associated with stocks and bonds, the Canadian real estate market provides potential investors with plenty of lucrative opportunities. When mortgage rates are low and properties are available, savvy buyers can make a tidy profit in the housing market. However, before an individual decides to invest, they must understand the different ways to invest in real estate, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Buying, selling and renting
Buying real estate directly is the most common way to invest. Buyers typically purchase a residential property at a low price, renovate it or wait until the market improves, and sell the property at a profit. Buying homes also presents Canadians with the chance to become landlords. Purchasing a property and renting it out to tenants can be a great way to bring in extra income on a steady basis. Continue reading →

Refinance and Consolidate Your Mortgage

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Refinance / Consolidate
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The Dirty “R” Word

If the word “Recession” fills you with unease, you’re not alone. The word doesn’t sit well with many people. Unless you are in the rare circumstance of having just come into a gratuitous fortune, or you are employed in a sector of the economy that has somehow been unaffected by it, a recession will to affect you. Even then, depending on the severity of the recession, unaffected sectors can be effected by proxy.

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