5 Sep

Debt ratios – the basics

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

Debt ratios are fundamental to mortgage approval. The purpose of the ratio is to assess whether you, the borrow, can service your existing debt plus the new debt that you are applying for. The typical mortgage lender expects

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5 Sep

HELOC rule changes….don’t leave money on the table!

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

Sept 4, 2012. If you’re seeking a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or readvanceable mortgage equalling 66%-80% of your home’s value, it would be wise to act soon. Rumour has it that some banks may start cutting back on their HELOC lending limits this month. This move relates to

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23 May

Demystifying title insurance

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

I thought it is worthwhile to inject clarity into this topic because now, the overwhelming amount of lenders require ‘title insurance’ (usually it is stated on the mortgage commitment ‘up to date survey, good marketable title or, in lieu, lender title insurance is acceptable ‘). If you need to take away one piece of vital […]

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30 Mar

Phew! No new mortgage rules announced

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

March 2012 Phew! The recent 2012 Canada budget annoucement did not include any changes to mortgage rules. There was speculation that they might be talk of lowering the amortization from 30 to 25 year or increasing the minimum downpayment requirements up from 5% (for owner-occupied property, rental property minimum remains at 20%). Over the last […]

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22 Mar

Don’t step on these Revenue Canada landmines

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

Savvy real estate investors run their real estate investing like a real business, not just like a hobby. You can’t have the attitude of skimping out on advice and professional services. In addition to having the right mortgage broker on your team that can help you navigate through mortgage planning and the ongoing changes in […]

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15 Mar

Check out my story in Money Sense magazine

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

Check it out! I made into today’s article in Money Sense ‘How to Buy Income Property’. It discusses how and why I got into real estate and I provide some advice on real estate investing. This was a great opportunity, I am very happy to share my knowledge and help people on a large scale […]

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9 Mar

How first time home buyers can get into the market

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

Many buyers are frustrated with the home prices in the major urban areas in Canada and may feel that they are constantly chasing the market. The moment a first time home buyer has enough savings for a down payment that would give them an affordable monthly mortgage payment, the home prices have moved up and […]

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9 Mar

How credit score works

General

Posted by: Aneta Zimnicki

Many people wonder what factors contribute to the credit score. The score is the result of a complex formula that follows these general guidelines: 35% Payment History 30% Outstanding Balance 15% Credit History 10% Types of Credit 10% Inquiries Some tips: Spread credit card balances over multiple cards to stay below 50% of limit. When […]

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