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Assessments and Appraisals

The value on an assessment notice may vary quite a bit from a mortgage or real estate appraisal. One reason for this may be the timing that the assessment was done. Versus, the appraisal done reflecting the most recent value based on the current market conditions.

Home Appraisal

The appraisal provides you with a document outlining an estimate of a property’s current fair market value. An appraisal and an assessment are not definitively connected, most lenders will require an up to date appraisal report. Lenders use this valuation to base the size of mortgage they are comfortable lending.

Appraisers are highly regulated and provide unbiased valuations. They take into consideration the property, home, location, conditions and many other external factors. Nearby amenities and access to public transportation. Some lenders will provide a list of approved appraisers they accept.

Often the borrower that is responsible for the cost of the appraisal, which upon completion is sent directly to the lender. The lender will confirm they are making a good investment for the value of the subject property.

Even though the borrower has paid for the appraisal, they are often not able to view the report. The appraiser will perform the report following the parameters defined by the lender. As a result, it is the choice of the lender to allow the borrower to see the report. Incidentally, the reason for this strict access on the lenders part is to avoid the borrower taking the report to multiple lenders in search of the best deal.

Some lenders may offer to refund the cost of appraisal after funding your mortgage.

Preparing for an Appraisal
  • Appraisals do include pictures of the exterior and interior of a property, so clean up and consider the curb appeal of your property.
  • Make sure to note all upgrades that you have done and the costs associated to assure they are not overlooked.

Look for any small repairs that may affect the value and make repairs before the appraisal is done. It is likely that the appraiser may over estimate the cost, thus having a significant effect on your value. These are the key differences between Assessments and Appraisals.

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Down Payments

Depending on how much you have saved and whether you are being supported with a gift from the bank of mom and dad, what you are able to put towards a down payment will vary. In Canada, the minimum down payment is 5% of the purchase price, however there are also benefits to putting down over 20%.

Before the creation of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the minimum, 20% down was a major barrier to many Canadians wanting to purchase a home. To combat this barrier and encourage home ownership, CMHC began offering mortgage default insurance; if you default on your payments, they will reimburse the lender. They charge an insurance premium on mortgages offer by lenders with smaller down payment and lower interest rates. This premium, of course, covers any losses they may incur if a mortgage default does occur.

So, why put down a larger down payment? Your mortgage amount will be less, payments smaller, and less interest paid over the life of your mortgage. With over 20%, you will save money by not having to pay any mortgage insurance premiums. Between 5% and 20%, the more money down, the lower the insurance premium.

It is also important to make sure to account for closing and other unexpected costs, so completely draining your savings towards a down payment is not the best course of action.

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Bank vs Credit Union Lenders

Bank vs Credit Union Lenders. Both banks and Credit Unions are financial institutions that have similar financial offerings. However, what they can offer in terms of mortgages are quite different. Banks are publicly listed and regulated by the federal government. Credit Unions on the other hand, are locally based organizations regulated by provincial government. When determining which mortgage lender to choose. It is important to consider the pros and cons of each type of institution. Banks, mortgage companies, and credit unions all offer different services and rates which should be considered when deciding on the best mortgage choice. Banks are typically larger institutions that provide a wide range of financial products and services, including mortgages.

Bank vs Credit Union Lenders

Because Credit unions are not regulated the federal Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions.  Thus, they are often not subject to the mortgage lending rules. Of course, Credit Unions do not come without any downside. As a result of their provincially based operations, they do not offer the ability to port a mortgage to a different province. Credit Unions offer mortgage services for Canadians that may be outside the realm of other mortgage lenders. As such, they are exempt from federal mortgage lending rules and regulations, allowing them to provide more flexible qualification and lending options. This greater flexibility does come at a cost though – credit unions typically charge higher interest rates than traditional mortgage lenders.

It is important to consider your unique situation and needs and weight the pros and cons when comparing lenders. Contact Prime Mortgage Works today.

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Self Employed? Get Approved!

Self Employed? Get Approved!

As a self employed individual to get approved, means taking advantage of write-offs that allow your income to be in a lower tax bracket. However, this may also hurt your ability to qualify for a mortgage. Lenders generally require two year of Tax Returns; two years Notice of Assessment  along with two years Financial Statements. For those self-employed, Tax Returns show a lower number for income, this will hinder qualifying based on income necessary to service the mortgage.

Our advice:

Think ahead. Two years prior to seeking a mortgage, work to get your personal taxable income to a larger number. A key piece if you are self employed to get approved.

Work with a certified accountant, lender will be more inclined to consider financials prepared and submitted by a professional that will consider you financial goals of getting a mortgage.

If you want a mortgage sooner rather than later and haven’t planned for this when filing your taxes, you can use Stated Income so long as you have been in the same profession for at least two years before becoming self-employed. More documents will be required, including bank statements that prove consistent income.

Lastly, you may have to consider a B lender. B lenders will be more flexible in considering your income. Of course, this does come at a cost of a higher interest rate. Once you have had time to increase your income,  you may be able move to the A lender space.

What’s in a Good or Bad Credit Score

For many clients in the pre-approval process, their credit report and credit scores are a source of stress and mystery. Even with the endless information available at the click of a mouse, there seems to be no straightforward summary. This is they key information for What’s in a Good or Bad Credit Score.

So, what determines a good (or bad) credit score?

Good Credit

From the time you get your very first credit card, your credit is being built. Keep in mind these relatively simple habits to develop that will ensure you achieve a desirable high number.

  • Pay your credit cards and all bills on time –including your cell phone and Internet!
  • Pay your parking tickets on time – that’s right, unpaid tickets will affect your credit score.
  • It’s ok to have more than one credit card, but keep it under control. The key is to not be continuously using your limits to the max! A good rule of thumb is keeping utilization under 30% of your available credit.
Myths

It is a common misconception that once a credit account is closed, you are no longer liable to pay; maybe the refusal to pay is rooted in principal, perhaps from a dispute with the cable company over a late charge. No matter the reason, once the creditor has reported the missing payment, you score goes down for 120 or until the creditor closes the account. But it doesn’t end there; they may send your account to a collection agency that will then add their own feels. The worst part, you now owe more money! The longer this goes on, the worst of an effect it has on your credit and the more difficult it becomes to recover you score.

You may have also heard that your credit score falls every time it’s checked. This is not necessarily true. Sites like Credit Karma allow you to check your score as many times as you like without damaging your score – although theses score may not be exactly what the credit bureau holds, they are certainly a good indication.

What DOES affect your score is a lender or creditor looking into your credit report. The more times lenders check (especially in a short period of time), the greater chance your score is going to decrease.

The Benefit of Using a Broker

To address that last point; many mortgage shoppers will have their credit pull multiple times within a short time frame when shopping around at various lenders (who each look into their credit report).

A huge benefit to using a broker is we will only check your credit once! Of course, that certainly doesn’t limit our reach; we have access to all sorts of lenders and the in depth knowledge of each lenders criteria for qualification, so we can find the perfect one that meets all your needs!

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Knowing the Terms of your Mortgage

Prepayment

Knowing the terms of your mortgage, like the option to pay off your mortgage faster should be a consideration when reviewing your mortgage terms. Prepayments allow you to pay off a little more each year (usually a set portion of you mortgage amount). This is a great feature if, say, you get yearly bonuses from works, work commission based and would like to use the income from busy times towards paying down your debt, or expect to be earning more in the coming years.

Prepayments come in many forms, and each lender had their own features. Some allow you to increase you regular payments, so you pay a little more each period. Alternatively, you could have the option to make a lump sum payment that goes directly to decreasing your principal, so no interest is paid on those extra funds.

Portability

Now, what is you decide to move; you would like the option to take your current mortgage and terms to put towards your new home. You may also have the option to increase the amount without having to pay the possible costly consequences of breaking your mortgage. You get to move without the stress of having to obtain a new mortgage, at a possibly higher rate.

Assumability

Lastly, consider your parents’ mortgage and your family home. They might be moving to a smaller more manageable property or to warmer weather; but you love this home and would like to take over their mortgage. Without assumability, you would have to get a new mortgage at current rates, and your parents would likely have to pay discharge fees. Instead, so long as qualify for the outstanding amount, assumability allows you to take over the remaining balance of their mortgage with their rate and terms.

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Mortgage Payment Frequency Options

Mortgage payment frequency options include many factors. These may influence your choice of payment frequency, including budget flexibility and when your payroll is deposited. Moreover, the ability to take on slightly larger payments will enable you to minimize total interest paid and pay off your mortgage quicker. When it comes to mortgage payments, the frequency of payment is a major consideration. Many mortgage lenders offer options for how often mortgage payments can be made. Ranging from monthly all the way up to bi-weekly, choosing the right mortgage payment frequency largely depends on your own lifestyle preferences.

Monthly

When it comes to mortgage payments, many people opt for having their mortgage payment withdrawn from their bank account on the same day each month. This option makes mortgage payments easier to manage as there are only 12 payments per year. Choosing this payment frequency can also save you money in mortgage interest over time, as your mortgage is paid off faster.

Bi-Weekly

A mortgage payment is typically paid bi-weekly, meaning that your mortgage payment is multiplied by 12, then divided by the number of pay periods per year. This helps to reduce the interest you owe over the course of a year, as bi-weekly payments are equivalent to making one additional payment per year. It also reduces the amount of time it take to payoff the debt.

Accelerated Bi-Weekly

The monthly mortgage payment is divided by 2; this amount is withdrawn every two weeks. With a Bi-weekly frequency, you are making a total of 26 payments per year. However, the payment amount is slightly more. So, you accelerate paying off your mortgage and will be paying less interest total.

These represent mortgage payment frequency options that are available for your own mortgage. Call us to discuss today.

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Using a Guarantor

Using a guarantor or co-signer will assure payment responsibility if the primary borrowers default. This will enable the applicant to qualify for a mortgage, if on their own; the applicant(s) have to poor credit and/or insufficient income. A guarantors name may be on the loan but not the property. Conversely, a co-signers name will appear on both title and the loan.

Co-Signor Risks

There is a significant amount of risk involved in agreeing to be a guarantor or co-signer. If the borrower defaults, they are responsible for the full amount of the mortgage. So, lenders require them to qualify as if they were the sole applicants for the loan. Like a primary applicant, the lender will require a credit check and discloses of income, liabilities, and assets. Further, a guarantor or co-signer will want to consider how this would affect their ability to qualify for a loan in the future. Important to consider, this loan will be treated as if they have sole liability and included in their debt servicing calculations.

A Guarantor must consent to having their credit checked and provide evidence of income that will meet mortgage-lending policy. With this in mind, it’s important to remember that guarantors are taking on responsibility if the borrowers don’t make payments.

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Mortgages after Purchase

You have purchased your home with your new mortgage; what do you do with it down the road? Well, there are options to refinance, renew, or transfer. All of these options will occur at any point throughout the term of your mortgage. These are Mortgages after Purchase.

Refinance

Say you have been in your home for a few years now. The value has increased and you have paid off a portion of your mortgage. Why add to your mortgage? Perhaps you wish to do some renovations or other debt with higher interest rates you wish to pay off. Well you have additional equity that you can access that you can receive in cash now. This will be added you your existing mortgage amount for you to pay back with interest.

Renewal

Now, say you committed to a 5 year term and that time is now passed. You still owe the remaining balance of your mortgage. Your current lender will contact you with a renewal offer with the interest rate they can offer you on the remaining balance and amortization. Unlike the initial approval process, the renewal process is much less extensive – no pre-approval, less required documents and application processes as mortgages after purchase.

Transfers

Instead of re committing with your currently lender, you find a competitive rate or more extensive product offerings at a different lender. All other factors (mortgage amount, home, ownership, etc) will remain unchanged except who the interest is paid to. You will them be transferring your mortgage from one lender to another, another example of mortgages after purchase.

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How to Get Your Credit Report

How to get your credit report is so important as Lenders look to credit reports to assess the risk of a given borrower. Your score is a number from 300 to 900 that reflects how you have handled your finances in the past. The lower the number, the more risky you appear to lenders, so you are likely to be offered higher rates. It is always recommended to keep an eye on your credit. In Canada, you can receive a free copy of your credit report once a year from both Equifax and TransUnion.
The bureaus refer to your credit report as “client file disclosure” and “consumer disclosure” respectively. Ordering your “free report by mail” does not effect your score. Check your report for errors inconsistent with your true financial history and balances such as late payments; amount owing; or missing accounts. If you do find an error, report it it to the credit bureau to be corrected. We are happy to connect to answers all of your credit related questions. With over 25 years experience in the mortgage industry, we have seen it all. And we have the tools and guidance to handle any credit building (or rebuilding) needs you may. With this in mind, navigating today’s marketplace and credit takes expertise. Call us today.