by Allen Ehlert | April 25, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
Good credit is an essential part of adult life. It directly impacts your ability to borrow money, secure a home, and even obtain employment. A strong credit score increases your chances of approval for mortgages, car loans, and other forms of credit at a lower...
by Allen Ehlert | April 24, 2026 | Mortgage Terms
In Canada, an informal trust is a type of trust that is not formally documented through a legal trust agreement. Instead, it is typically established when one person (the trustee) holds assets on behalf of another person (the beneficiary) without a formal trust...
by Allen Ehlert | April 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Mortgage Debt Conversion Accelerator is designed to help you understand, design, and execute a strategy that transforms non-deductible mortgage debt into tax-efficient investment debt over time. At its core, this tool answers a very practical question: “If I...
by Allen Ehlert | April 23, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Mortgage Debt Conversion Accelerator is an interactive planning tool for Canadian homeowners to simulate advanced mortgage strategies (like the Smith Manoeuvre) that replace nondeductible home-mortgage debt with tax-deductible investment debt. It addresses two...
by Allen Ehlert | April 23, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
Many people today than ever work on contract. They usually are incorporated (especially if they want to work on government contracts), work through a recruiting firm for a client, invoice the recruiting firm for their hours, and pay themselves out of their...
by Allen Ehlert | April 22, 2026 | Mortgages, Real Estate
Everybody needs a place to live, a place to call home. Legally, a principal residence is defined as a property that you, your spouse or common-law partner, or your child ordinarily inhabit at some point during the year. The property can be a house, cottage,...
by Allen Ehlert | April 21, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
In Canada, about 15% of Canadian homeowners refinance their homes every year for a variety of reasons. Fundamentally, when Canadians refinance, they are looking to: Take advantage of better mortgage terms (rate, amortization, product amenities) to manage payments...
by Allen Ehlert | April 20, 2026 | Mortgage Terms, Mortgages, Personal Finance
…Knowing that Can Save You Thousands When you signed your mortgage, you were probably laser-focused on one number: your interest rate. What most Canadians don’t realize is that buried inside their chartered bank’s mortgage contract is another number — the original...
by Allen Ehlert | April 20, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
Canadians seem to pay more for a lot of things. Canadians pay an outrageous amount for taxes and are often cited as paying some of the highest prices in the world for cell phone plans, among other things. So how does the cost of refinancing your mortgage in Canada...
by Allen Ehlert | April 19, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance, Real Estate
When shopping for a mortgage, Canadians have a choice between fixed-rate mortgages and variable-rate mortgages. In Canada, the majority of mortgages are fixed-rate. As of recent years, approximately 70% to 75% of all mortgages in Canada are fixed-rate mortgages. This...
by Allen Ehlert | April 18, 2026 | Lender, Mortgage Terms, Mortgages
…. The Small Town Eastern Ontario Mortgage Investment Entity If you’ve ever had a client whose deal fell apart at the eleventh hour — credit bruised from a rough patch, self-employment income that doesn’t translate neatly onto a T4, or a gorgeous rural...
by Allen Ehlert | April 18, 2026 | Mortgages
In Canada, the terms “adjustable rate mortgage” (ARM) and “variable rate mortgage” (VRM) are often used interchangeably, but they can refer to different types of mortgage products. The primary distinction lies in how changes in interest rates...
by Allen Ehlert | April 17, 2026 | Mortgages
When applying for a mortgage, it is important to show as much income as possible to demonstrate to a lender that the applicant can service the mortgage. For some clients, applying with disability income is an important part of proving they qualify for a mortgage....
by Allen Ehlert | April 17, 2026 | Economy, Mortgages, Personal Finance
The Bond Sector Consideration Premium accounts for sector-specific risks or other unique factors affecting particular bonds. For example, bonds from emerging markets might carry additional premiums for political and economic instability. The sector/special...
by Allen Ehlert | April 16, 2026 | Mortgages
When shopping for a mortgage, Canadians have a choice between fixed-rate mortgages and variable-rate mortgages without getting into all the different kinds of fixed-rate and variable-rate mortgages. It’s complicated. Most people have no idea, but you have to start at...
by Allen Ehlert | April 15, 2026 | Mortgages
In Canada, fixed mortgage rates are primarily driven by the yields on Government of Canada bonds, particularly the 5-year bond. Variable mortgage rates are primarily driven by the Bank of Canada Overnight Rate, which impacts a lender’s prime rate. The prime rate...
by Allen Ehlert | April 15, 2026 | Lender, Mortgages, Personal Finance
… When It’s Time to Consider an Alternative Lender If you work in a commission-based profession, you already know that income doesn’t always arrive in neat, predictable paycheques. One month can feel like a windfall, and the next might feel a little quieter. That’s...
by Allen Ehlert | April 14, 2026 | Mortgages, Personal Finance
Did you know over 40% of Canadians use support payments in their mortgage applications? This fact shows how important support payments are for getting a mortgage. It’s key to know how these payments affect your mortgage chances and long-term finances. In Canada,...
by Allen Ehlert | April 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Required Gross Income for Mortgage Qualification Calculator is designed to answer one of the most important questions in real estate: “How much income do I need to qualify for the home I want?” Most clients start with: A purchase price A down payment A target...
by Allen Ehlert | April 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Prime Rate Impact Calculator is designed to help you understand how changes in the Bank of Canada’s interest rate—and specifically the Prime Rate—affect your mortgage. This tool is especially valuable if you are: Considering a variable-rate mortgage Deciding...
by Allen Ehlert | April 12, 2026 | Mortgage Terms
In Canada, a Letter of Credit (LOC) is a financial instrument issued by a bank or financial institution that guarantees a buyer’s payment to a seller will be received on time and for the correct amount. If the buyer is unable to make payment, the bank will cover...
