Archive
Article Archive
Ontario Variable Rate Mortgage Strategy
Reverse Mortgage: Independent Legal Advice (ILA)
Reverse Mortgages and the Affluent Retiree
Funding Your Retirement: Reverse Mortgage
Reverse Mortgage to a Second Dream Home
Reverse Mortgage: Cushion Against Inflation
Struggling Financially as a Senior
Key Features of a Consumer Proposal in Ontario
Mortgages: Consumer Proposal & Bankruptcy
Key Features of Bankruptcy in Ontario
Mortgage Availability in a Flood Zone
Who are Canada’s Private Lenders?
Who are Canada’s Mortgage Finance Corporations?
Canada’s Non-Federally Regulated Mortgage Providers
Who are Canada’s Mortgage Investment Corporations
Does the Stress Test Apply to Private Mortgages?
How Does the Stress Test Work?
American Financial Crisis in Canada?
What is Canada’s Mortgage Default Risk?
Why Canada Needed the Mortgage Stress Test?
What does the Stress Test Prevent?
5 Reasons to Escape the Rent Trap
Why Mortgages are Important to Canada’s Banks
Price of Commuting: Lost Time, Lost Life
Price of Commuting: The Daily Journey into Toronto
Is Ontario’s 407ETR The World’s Most Expensive Highway?
10 Ways Interest Rates Impact Housing Prices
10 Reasons Why Investment Demand Impacts Real Estate Prices
10 Ways Inflation Impacts Real Estate Prices
10 Ways Economic Conditions Impact Real Estate Prices
10 Reasons Real Estate is So Expensive
10 Ways Supply and Demand Impact Real Estate Prices
10 Ways ‘Location’ Impacts Real Estate Prices.
10 Ontario cities with Strong Property Value Appreciation
10 Fastest Growing Ontario Cities
Ontario’s Top Historical Cities
10 Factors Impacting Housing Supply
10 Shortest Ontario Commute Cities
Ontario’s 10 Most Affordable Cities
The Most Wanted Community Amenities
Ontario’s Top Lifestyle Cities
10 Variable Mortgage Strategies
How the Trigger Point Impacts Canadians
How to Take Advantage of Refinancing Opportunities
Difference between the Economy and Markets
Canadian Real Estate Lacks Capital
How to Control Inflation with Interest Rates
Interest Rates and the Canadian Dollar
How the Bank of Canada Steers the Economy
The Perfect Time for a Variable Rate Mortgage
How to Choose the Right Term Length for a Fixed Mortgage
What is Critical Illness Insurance
How to Make the Most of Prepayment Privileges for a Fixed Mortgage
Why Life Insurance is the Best Mortgage Insurance
How to Optimize Payment Frequency for a Fixed Mortgage
Record Wildfires Impact Lumber Pricing
How Alberta Leaving CPP Impacts You
Why Canadian Interest Rates Remain High
How Much is Airbnb Driving Up Rents
Experts Predict Canadian Dollar Fall
Re-Zoning to Create Affordable, Safe Neighbourhoods?
Why America Thrives and Canada Struggles
Small Business Debt: A Growing Concern for Canada’s Economy
The Housing Market and the Power of Lower Rates
Navigating Changing Interest Rates and Debt in Canada
The Importance of Private Sector Involvement in Affordable Housing
Investing in Real Estate and Infrastructure: Harnessing Long-Term Cash Flows
Defaulting on Your Mortgage? Exploring the Consequences and Solutions
Why a 3-Year-Fixed Mortgage May be a Bad Choice in 2024
Buy a property for $10 in Ontario: Town Makes Homeownership Affordable
Why Immigrants are Crucial for Canada’s Economy
Millennials Brace for Economic Pain
Toronto Real Estate: Dominance of Investors and Its Implications
Are You Prepared? Homeowners Brace for Mortgage Renewals
40-Year Canadian Mortgages: What you need to know.
London Addresses Homeless Crisis
The Impact of Mortgage Rates on Residential Property Values
Household Financial Stress Over High-Interest Rates
What’s So Special About 2% Inflation
How Much is Air BnB Driving Up Rent Prices?
Know the Dow, Build Your Down Payment
Mortgage Cash-Out Refinance in Ontario
Mortgage Refinance Options in Ontario
Mortgage Co-Signer: Risks & Responsibilities
Understanding Tenants in Common Ownership
Understanding Joint Tenancy Ownership
Why the First Time Home Buyer Incentive Program was Cancelled.
Navigating the CMHC Newcomers Program
Manulife One: Mortgage and Bank Account
Leverage Simcoe County Homeownership Program
Leveraging Peel’s BNI Homeownership Bridge Program
Leveraging GTA’s Habitat for Humanity
Leveraging the Kingston Homeownership Program
Leveraging the Dufferin Country Homeownership Program
Leveraging the Chatham/Kent Homeownership Program
Leveraging Gateway Muskoka Homeownership Program
Brantford’s B-Home Homeownership Program
Region of Waterloo Affordable Home Ownership Program
Leverage the Niagara Homeownership Program
Regional and Municipal Homeownership Programs
Mortgage Term: RDSP Qualified Investment
Discover the implications of an RDSP qualified investment, how it can grow in a tax-deferred manner leading to building wealth and providing a secure home for a disabled Canadian.
Maintenance Reserves: “The Secret Safety Net”
You’ve probably heard the term “maintenance reserve” tossed around in commercial lending conversations and wondered if it’s just another way lenders make life complicated. But the truth is, maintenance reserves aren’t red tape—they’re your built-in safety net. They protect your property’s value, your cash flow, and yes, your lender’s investment too.
Lenders and Being on Commission
If you’re earning your keep on commission — whether you’re slinging homes, closing car deals, or working your tail off in any other commission-heavy gig — you already know that explaining your income isn’t always simple. Some months you’re flush; others, not so much. But when it comes to getting a mortgage, how you get paid matters just as much as how much you get paid.
The Truth About “Limited Feature Mortgages”
We’ve all seen them — those ultra-low mortgage rates advertised by the big banks or online lenders. They’re tempting, no doubt about it. Who doesn’t want to save a few bucks on interest? But here’s what you might not realize: those “basic,” “no-frills,” or “limited feature” mortgages come with some fine print that can cost you more down the road than you save upfront.
Get Ready for Open Banking
Open Banking: If you’ve ever felt like getting a mortgage meant running an obstacle course—chasing down pay stubs, digging through old bank statements, sending documents back and forth—you’re not alone. The process can feel outdated, clunky, and stressful. But here’s the good news: change is on the horizon. It’s called Open Banking, and it’s going to flip the script on how we verify income, assets, and financial history.
Third Party Commercial Reports
Third Party Commercial Reports: If you’ve ever gone through a commercial mortgage process, you know it’s a different beast entirely compared to residential lending. It’s not just about income and credit—it’s about the property itself. The lender wants to know everything: how it’s built, how it performs, what risks it carries, and whether it’ll stand the test of time (and tenants).
Self-Employed? CMHC Can Help You Buy a Home
If you’re self-employed in Canada, you already know the drill: your income looks fantastic before your accountant works their magic. After write-offs and deductions? Not so much. That’s why so many business-for-self (BFS) clients feel like they’re being punished when it comes time to apply for a mortgage. Even though you might have great cash flow, solid savings, and strong financial habits, your “net taxable income” doesn’t always tell the full story.
Who Owns the Appraisal?
If you’ve ever gone through a mortgage process and found yourself wondering, “Wait, I paid for that appraisal—why won’t the lender give me a copy?” you’re not alone. This is one of the most common sources of confusion and frustration among homebuyers, homeowners, and even some realtors. It feels like you should have a right to it, right? After all, you footed the bill!
Cap it Right: Reveal a Property’s True Worth
Capitalizing Net Operating Income (NOI): When you step into the world of commercial real estate, one phrase comes up over and over again — “What’s the cap rate?” or “Let’s capitalize the NOI.” And if you’ve ever wondered what those words really mean (beyond sounding like finance jargon from a spreadsheet), you’re not alone.
Ultimate Canadian Mortgage Payment Scenarios Calculator
Ultimate Canadian Mortgage Payment Scenarios Calculator. It’s not just about crunching numbers—it’s about putting you in the driver’s seat. You can run scenarios, compare your current mortgage to a new one, or even pit different lenders against each other. The best part? It shows you not only how your monthly payments stack up, but also how much interest you’ll save (or pay) over the term and the entire life of your mortgage.
Why Your Mortgage Rate is Tied to Bay Street
Ever wonder why mortgage rates seem to jump overnight even though you’ve done everything right? It can feel like the lender’s just making it up as they go along—but trust me, they’re not. What’s really happening behind the scenes is tied to something you might not think about: bonds and the capital markets.
Shelter Costs Unpacked
When you’re diving into the world of mortgages, the term “shelter costs” gets thrown around a lot. It sounds straightforward, right? Just your housing expenses. But what if you’re an adult—or maybe a couple—living in a home where your name isn’t on the mortgage or the title? That’s when things get a little more interesting.
Ultimate Canadian Bridge Financing Calculator
Bridge Financing Calculator: If you’ve ever bought and sold homes at the same time, you know it can feel like trying to juggle with oven mitts on. Point-to-point moves are fraught with danger, and they never come off without a hitch. So you get smart and decide you need bridge financing. Or maybe you’ve got your sale closing a week (or sometimes even a month) after your purchase, and the question hits: How the heck am I going to cover owning two properties at once if I even can?
Bank’s Collateral Mortgage Trap
Collateral Mortgage: When you sit down at a bank to sign your mortgage, everything sounds great. The rate seems OK, the approval was smooth, and the representative mentions, “We’re registering your mortgage as a collateral charge — that way, you’ll have room to borrow more later!”
Sounds harmless, right? Maybe even smart.
Getting Divorced? Need Help?
Mortgage and Divorce: Divorce isn’t just about splitting furniture and deciding who gets the dog. It’s about reshaping your financial life — often at lightning speed — and sometimes, the big banks just don’t play ball. If you’re navigating a separation and trying to keep or buy a home, you’ve probably already felt how rigid traditional lenders can be. That’s where alternative lenders step in — and that’s exactly where I, Allen Ehlert, Mortgage Agent, can make your life a whole lot easier.
ACE at Scotiabank
If you’ve ever been knee-deep in a mortgage application and suddenly heard someone at the bank say, “This needs to go to ACE,” you might have felt your stomach drop. Don’t worry—it’s not a bad thing. In fact, at Scotiabank, ACE stands for Adjudication Centre of Expertise, and it’s their in-house team that takes a second look at mortgage files that fall just outside the usual approval box.
Featured Publications
Articles
- Extended Amortizations and Hypothetical Calculations
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) - Minimum Qualifying Rate for Uninsured Mortgages
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) - Residential Mortgage Underwriting Practices and Procedures
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) - Guideline on Existing Consumer Mortgage Loans in Exceptional Circumstances Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Book: “The Program”
- Part 1 – Building Your Down Payment
- Part 2 – Mortgage Payoff Strategies
- Part 3 – Building Wealth Through Real Estate
Get a free subscription to “The Mortgage Insider” containing rate updates and financial strategies!
