by Allen Ehlert | October 15, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Why Refinancing Isn’t Always the Silver Bullet If you’re staring down a mountain of credit card debt — say $60,000 or so — you’re not alone. Between rising living costs, high interest rates, and a few life curveballs, it doesn’t take much for balances to spiral out...
by Allen Ehlert | October 14, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
Canadians often believe that mortgage interest is not tax deductible like in the US. The real question is How to you write off mortgage interest in Canada? There is a tax strategy called the Smith Maneuver that allows you to convert mortgage interest into a deductible...
by Allen Ehlert | October 13, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
In Ontario, Canada, the obligations to pay when a mortgage payment is missed differ between a guarantor and a co-signer. Understanding the differences between these roles can help clarify the responsibilities involved in guaranteeing or co-signing a mortgage....
by Allen Ehlert | October 12, 2025 | Mortgages, Real Estate
In 2025, across Canada, the average cost of a home appraisal for a typical residential property ranges from approximately $300 to $500, with many examples clustering between $350 and $550. The process of determining the fair market value of a property plays a crucial...
by Allen Ehlert | October 11, 2025 | Commercial
…How to Finance Buildings with Both Residential and Business Tenants Without Losing Your Mind Mixed-use properties are everywhere — think of those buildings with retail on the ground floor and apartments up top. They’re smart investments because they give you multiple...
by Allen Ehlert | October 11, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Should You Always Get Your HELOC from Your Own Bank? Not So Fast. You’d be surprised how often I hear this one: “If I already have my mortgage at TD, shouldn’t I just get my HELOC there too?” A HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) is a revolving loan that lets you...
by Allen Ehlert | October 10, 2025 | Economy, Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
How Canada’s Prime Rate Impacts You In an economy where a mere quarter-point adjustment can send ripples across markets, it’s worth noting that Canada’s prime rate influences over CA$1.69 trillion worth of residential mortgages. This staggering...
by Allen Ehlert | October 9, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
… When Buying or Refinancing a Home Buying a home (or refinancing one) is exciting — but when you add up land transfer tax, legal fees, and all the little “extras,” it can feel like death by a thousand cuts. One of the most common questions I get as a mortgage agent...
by Allen Ehlert | October 9, 2025 | Commercial
… How to Prep for a Commercial Mortgage Like a Pro If you’re gearing up to apply for a commercial mortgage, here’s something you need to know right out of the gate: this is not your average, everyday residential mortgage application. Commercial lending is a different...
by Allen Ehlert | October 9, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Discover the gotchas that make you re-think what you thought you knew You’ve probably heard it before — “Just refinance your mortgage and pay off those credit cards.” It sounds simple, right? After all, why keep paying 20% interest on credit cards when your mortgage...
by Allen Ehlert | October 8, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
A mortgage Bona Fide Sales Clause is a contractual restriction found in mortgage agreements that binds you, the borrower, to the lender for the entire term of the mortgage unless the property is sold in a non-arm’s length transaction. This clause is often...
by Allen Ehlert | October 8, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
… and what are you paying for when you pay legal fees for a home? Buying a home in Canada is a huge milestone — but it can also feel like a never-ending list of fees, forms, and fine print. One of the most common surprises for homebuyers is legal fees. You know you...
by Allen Ehlert | October 7, 2025 | Mortgages, Real Estate
… What You Need to Know About Square Footage and Mortgages When it comes to mortgages, people often obsess over interest rates, terms, and approval criteria — but one question flies under the radar until it suddenly becomes a problem:“Does the size of the home matter...
by Allen Ehlert | October 6, 2025 | Commercial
… How Much Cash Do You Really Need to Play the Game? If you’ve been looking at commercial real estate and wondering how much you’ll need to bring to the table, you’re asking the right question. Unlike residential mortgages where you can sometimes squeak by with 5%...
by Allen Ehlert | October 5, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
Imagine this: you’ve found your dream home in Canada, the perfect place to build a lifetime of memories. You can already picture yourself sipping a cup of coffee on the front porch, watching the sunrise over the majestic mountains. But as you begin the process...
by Allen Ehlert | October 4, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
What You Need to Know About Ontario’s Non-Resident Speculation Tax Imagine you’re a young professional who’s recently relocated to Toronto for work. The thriving city and its vibrant neighbourhoods have persuaded you to take the plunge and buy your...
by Allen Ehlert | October 3, 2025 | Mortgages, Real Estate
In Ontario, property appraisals play a crucial role in various real estate transactions and decisions. Whether you are purchasing a home, refinancing a mortgage, or settling a divorce, a property appraisal ensures that the value of the property aligns with the...
by Allen Ehlert | October 2, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… What You Really Need to Know Before You Borrow Against Your Home There’s a lot of buzz out there about second mortgages. You hear about people using them to pay off debt, help kids buy homes, or fund renovations. They sound like a simple solution — and sometimes...
by Allen Ehlert | October 1, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
A reverse mortgage is often assumed to be a reactive option for a senior homeowner in financial need, but it’s not always the case. In fact, there are situations when a reverse mortgage can be used proactively to unlock financial opportunities. Meet Sheila and Dan...
by Allen Ehlert | September 30, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
As a senior, it seems nothing gets any easier … especially when it comes to money. Everything gets more expensive all the time. Bills go up, taxes go up… things can get very scary! You are lucky if you have a pension, but most of those don’t keep up...
by Allen Ehlert | September 29, 2025 | Commercial, Real Estate
… there’s a lot more involved in the commercial world If you’ve ever been involved in a commercial real estate deal—whether as a buyer, investor, realtor, or business owner—you’ve probably heard someone groan about how long the appraisal process takes or how expensive...
