(905) 441 0770 allen@allenehlert.com

Archive

Assistance Holdback Amount

Mortgage Term: Assistance Holdback Amount

Discover the implications of the assistance holdback amount, how it relates to government programs and how it relates to construction loans and mortgages.

Getting a Mortgage Agent

Getting a Mortgage Agent

Discover what a mortgage agent is, how they are compensated, and why building a relationship with a mortgage agent is your first step on your real estate journey.

Canada's Mortgage Process

Canada’s Mortgage Process

Today getting a mortgage is a complex process involving the collection and submission of a large amount of documentation, 6 to 7 times more than previously. This can be daunting for a lot of borrowers. This is why it is critical to work with a mortgage agent to help you through the mortgage application process. It’s also why partnering with a mortgage agent is the very first thing you should do and the first step to getting home.

Using a Cash-back Realtor

Using a Cash-Back Realtor

In today’s real estate market, many Canadian homebuyers don’t know about the benefits of a cash-back realtor. Imagine getting a part of the agent’s commission for every property deal. This is what cash-back home buying offers, making homes more affordable in Canada.

Graduated Real Estate

Mortgage Term: Graduated Rate Estate

Discover the implications of graduated rate estate, how it allows an estate to benefit from graduated income tax rates and the management of an estate’s assets.

Mortgage Commitment

Mortgage Commitment: What You Must Know Before Waiving Financing

Discover what a mortgage commitment is and its importance in regards to waiving conditions on your offer to buy a home. Learn what you need to know before waiving financing.

Mortgage Discharge Statement

Mortgage Discharge Statement

Learn why the mortgage discharge statement is an important document that ensures transparency and accuracy when calculating the total payout for a mortgage transfer.

Gifts Ineligible for Net Worth Programs

Discover why gifts are not generally eligible to be used as part of the down payment or source of income for people applying for a mortgage under the Net Worth Program

Smart Second Mortgages

Smart Second Mortgages

Smart Second Mortgages: A smart second mortgage is more than a fallback, it’s an intelligent strategic tool.

Refinance Strategy

John and Mary Canuck: Refinancing Strategy

Learn how Canadians are leveraging home ownership to generate income, reduce taxes, and build wealth.

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

Mortgages: Grossing Up Income

What is a ‘Switch’?

Key Features of a Consumer Proposal in Ontario

Mortgages: Consumer Proposal & Bankruptcy

Key Features of Bankruptcy in Ontario

What are Commitment Fees?

Mortgage Availability in a Flood Zone

Canada’s Mortgage Stress Test

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

Where You Get Your Mortgage

The Disappearing Office Space

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

Ontario’s Worst Crime Cities

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

What is a Trigger Point

How the Trigger Point Impacts Canadians

How to Lock in a Good Rate

How to Take Advantage of Refinancing Opportunities

How to Break a Mortgage

Unaffordable Canadian Cities

Difference between the Economy and Markets

Canadian Real Estate Lacks Capital

How to Control Inflation with Interest Rates

Interest Rates and the Canadian Dollar

The Inverted Yield Curve Omen

How the Bank of Canada Steers the Economy

How Do Credit Scores Work?

How Cred Cards Work

Cred Card Rewards. Who Pays?

The Perfect Time for a Variable Rate Mortgage

What is disability Insurance?

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

10 Fixed Mortgage Strategies

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

Canadian REITS Need Capital

Defaulting on Your Mortgage? Exploring the Consequences and Solutions

Australia’s Warning to Canada

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

Becoming a Mortgage Guarantor

Mortgage Co-Signer: Risks & Responsibilities

Understanding Tenants in Common Ownership

Understanding Joint Tenancy Ownership

Getting a Joint Mortgage

Why the First Time Home Buyer Incentive Program was Cancelled.

Navigating the CMHC Newcomers Program

Manulife One: Mortgage and Bank Account

Canada’s New 30 Year Mortgage

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 Document Frustration

 

Paystub and Your Mortgage

Paystub and Your Mortgage

Learn why pay stubs are so crucial when applying for a mortgage. Discover how they are used and how they support your application

read more
Who Needs a Private Mortgage?

Who Needs a Private Mortgage?

Private mortgages in Canada serve as an alternative financing solution for borrowers who do not meet the strict lending criteria of traditional banks and credit unions. These loans are typically short-term, high-interest financing options that provide quick access to...

read more
Private Mortgages Support Credit History

Private Mortgages Support Credit History

Ahmed and his wife, Aisha, recently immigrated to Canada from the UAE and settled in Mississauga, Ontario. Ahmed secured a high-paying job in IT, earning $120,000 per year, while Aisha works remotely as a consultant. They wanted to purchase a $750,000 townhouse but...

read more
How to Break A Mortgage

How to Break A Mortgage

Breaking a mortgage in Ontario, Canada, before the end of its term can lead to significant penalties. It's important to understand these penalties and how they are calculated. Here are the key points to consider: Types of Penalties Interest Rate Differential (IRD)...

read more
FNF & FCT: Lender’s Title Insurance

FNF & FCT: Lender’s Title Insurance

In the intricate world of mortgage financing, ensuring the security and legitimacy of property transactions is paramount. Fidelity National Financial (FNF) and First Canadian Title (FCT) play critical roles in protecting lenders, homebuyers, and financial institutions...

read more
How to Lock in a Good Rate

How to Lock in a Good Rate

Locking in a good mortgage rate is a key step in the home-buying process, especially in a fluctuating interest rate environment. Here are steps and strategies to help you secure a favourable rate: Understand Rate Locks Monitor Interest Rates Improve Your Credit Score...

read more
Getting Your Documents Together

Getting Your Documents Together

There was a time when buying a home was as simple as flipping through a real estate magazine, picking a house, and heading to the bank with little more than a job letter and a pay stub. But today’s mortgage landscape is vastly different. Modern mortgage underwriting...

read more
What is a Trigger Point

What is a Trigger Point

The "trigger rate" in the context of a mortgage, particularly a variable rate mortgage with fixed payments, is a specific interest rate at which the fixed monthly payments are no longer sufficient to cover both the interest and principal repayment. When the interest...

read more
Why Lenders Don’t Like Seconds

Why Lenders Don’t Like Seconds

A second mortgage is a loan that is secured against a property that already has an existing mortgage. It is considered "second" because it is subordinate to the first mortgage in terms of priority—meaning that if the homeowner defaults, the first mortgage lender gets...

read more
10 Variable Mortgage Strategies

10 Variable Mortgage Strategies

When opting for a variable-rate mortgage, it's important to have strategies in place to manage the potential fluctuations in interest rates and to maximize the benefits of this type of mortgage. In this article, let me give you 10 effective strategies to help you...

read more
Understanding Subordination Agreements

Understanding Subordination Agreements

A subordination agreement is a legal document that modifies the lien priority of two or more mortgages on a property. In the context of first and second position mortgages, this agreement allows a lender with a lower-ranking mortgage (such as a second mortgage or a...

read more
Ontario’s Top Lifestyle Cities

Ontario’s Top Lifestyle Cities

Desirability and lifestyle play pivotal roles in determining real estate prices, as they directly influence a buyer's perception of value. In real estate, desirability often stems from a combination of location, community amenities, and the intrinsic charm of the...

read more
What is Notarization?

What is Notarization?

Notarization is the process of certifying the authenticity of a document, signature, or translation by a notary public—a legally authorized official. Notarization ensures that documents are legitimate, trustworthy, and legally recognized by courts, financial...

read more
The Most Wanted Community Amenities

The Most Wanted Community Amenities

In the realm of real estate, the value of a property is significantly influenced by its proximity to key amenities and services. Buyers prioritize certain features based on lifestyle needs, family dynamics, and personal preferences, making the surrounding facilities...

read more
What is Mortgage Position

What is Mortgage Position

The mortgage landscape is layered with complexities, but one of the most fundamental concepts is the hierarchy of lien positions. Every mortgage or loan secured against a property has a designated ranking, which determines repayment priority in the event of default....

read more

Featured Publications

Articles

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!

The Mortgage Insider Newsletter