by Allen Ehlert | January 6, 2026 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
… The Mysterious rental purchase when the borrower doesn’t own their own home If you’ve ever felt like lenders were speaking a different language when they talk about “shelter costs,” you’re not alone. Clients often look at me like I’m explaining astrophysics when I...
by Allen Ehlert | January 5, 2026 | Mortgages, Real Estate
Urbanization trends significantly impact real estate prices due to a variety of interconnected factors: Increased Demand in Urban Areas Limited Supply in Dense Areas Changing Lifestyles and Preferences Infrastructure and Amenities Economic Opportunities Investment...
by Allen Ehlert | January 4, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
… How Small Is Too Small? The Smallest Mortgage You Can Get in Canada Ever wonder how small a mortgage can actually be? Maybe you’ve nearly paid off your home and want to pull out a little equity for renovations, or you’re buying a modest rural property that doesn’t...
by Allen Ehlert | January 3, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
Imagine the sun gently kissing your skin as you sit on the porch of your family cottage, surrounded by the laughter and chatter of loved ones. For generations, this cozy retreat has been the backdrop for cherished memories and treasured traditions. But as time passes,...
by Allen Ehlert | January 2, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
You’ve finally decided—it’s time to buy a home. Maybe you’ve been scrolling through Realtor.ca late at night, dreaming about that perfect place with the big backyard or a condo downtown near your favourite coffee shop. It’s exciting, no doubt. But before you call your...
by Allen Ehlert | January 1, 2026 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Lock It and Love It: The 10 Big Benefits of Choosing a Fixed-Rate Mortgage Let’s face it—choosing a mortgage can feel like standing at a financial crossroads with a blindfold on. Do you gamble on a variable rate, hoping the market stays friendly, or do you lock into...
by Allen Ehlert | December 31, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
Why Now Might Be the Perfect Time to Choose a Fixed Rate Mortgage If you’ve been sitting on the fence wondering whether to go fixed or variable with your next mortgage, you’re not alone. Every client, from first-time buyers to seasoned investors, faces that same...
by Allen Ehlert | December 30, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
The History of Credit Cards: From Retail Tabs to Digital Wallets Credit is not new. Long before banks, apps, and plastic cards, merchants extended credit to trusted customers based on personal relationships. But the story of how that informal trust evolved into the...
by Allen Ehlert | December 29, 2025 | Commercial, Lender, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… it’s not by accident, and What You Deserve Instead When was the last time you called your bank’s customer service line? If you’re like most Canadians, it wasn’t exactly a warm, fuzzy experience. You were probably shuffled around, put on hold, and when you finally...
by Allen Ehlert | December 27, 2025 | Commercial, Economy, Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
Consumer-Directed Finance: Taking the Driver’s Seat in Your Mortgage Journey Let’s be real—getting a mortgage in Canada can sometimes feel like dragging a sack of bricks uphill. Between pay stubs, NOAs, bank statements, and all the back-and-forth emails, it’s no...
by Allen Ehlert | December 26, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
Can You Really Afford That Home? Do you qualify for that home? You’ve found the dream home: open-concept kitchen, backyard for summer BBQs, maybe even a finished basement for movie nights. The mortgage payment looks doable. But here’s the kicker: just because you can...
by Allen Ehlert | December 25, 2025 | Commercial, Mortgages
… and Here’s Why We live in a world where you can ask ChatGPT to write an essay, plan your meals, or even draft your wedding vows. So it’s no surprise some people wonder: “Why can’t I just use AI to get mortgage advice?” Here’s the truth: AI can crunch numbers, give...
by Allen Ehlert | December 24, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
… How to Know Exactly What You’ll Need on Closing Day Picture this: you’ve saved your down payment, found the perfect home, and negotiated an offer. You’re riding high—until someone says, “Don’t forget about closing costs.” Suddenly, you’re left wondering, “Wait… how...
by Allen Ehlert | December 23, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… The Question Everyone Asks, But Few Understand If you’ve ever called a mortgage agent and led with the question, “What’s your lowest rate?”, you’re in good company — it’s probably the most common question in our industry. And honestly, I get it. Rates are tangible....
by Allen Ehlert | December 22, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
… It’s not only about what you can buy, but how much you should buy. Buying a home is exciting—no doubt about it. But let’s be honest: it’s also one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. The million-dollar (well, sometimes literally) question is, “How...
by Allen Ehlert | December 21, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Why Loan-to-Value Can Make or Break Your Mortgage Rate When you’re house hunting, refinancing, or even just thinking about tapping into your home equity, there’s one little number that keeps popping up: Loan-to-Value (LTV). It sounds technical—and it is—but...
by Allen Ehlert | December 20, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages
… and why it matters to your mortgage If you’ve ever been knee-deep in a mortgage deal and heard terms tossed around like desktop appraisal, drive-by appraisal, or full appraisal, you might wonder—who exactly is doing these things? Is there some wizard behind the...
by Allen Ehlert | December 19, 2025 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Not True, But That’s the Way They’re Marketed If you’ve ever said or heard someone say, “A mortgage is a mortgage,” you’re not alone. On the surface, it seems simple: you borrow money to buy a home, pay it back with interest, and that’s that. But here’s the truth —...
by Allen Ehlert | December 18, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… Factors That Make Mortgage Underwriting a Whole Lot More Complicated If you’ve ever applied for a mortgage and thought, “Why do they need so much paperwork?” or “Didn’t I already send that?”, you’re not alone. Mortgage underwriting — the process where lenders decide...
by Allen Ehlert | December 17, 2025 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
…How to Avoid Getting Stuck in a Private Mortgage If you’re considering—or already sitting in—a private mortgage, you’ve likely heard the term “exit strategy” tossed around. Maybe your mortgage agent mentioned it. Maybe your lawyer flagged it. Maybe you nodded and...
by Allen Ehlert | December 16, 2025 | Home Specifications, Insurance
… Don’t Sleep on It: Updating Your Smoke and CO Detectors the Right Way You know that saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”? Nowhere does that ring truer than when we’re talking about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. These small,...
