How To Improve Your Credit Score

  
Are you being denied for all types of credit? Has that cell phone bill come back to haunt you? Now is the time to finally face it head on and deal with your credit score.  A very daunting task but a task that must be done.

 First you need to know what is in your credit score is all about:
payment history
amount owed
length of credit history
new credit
types of credit used

What can you do to improve it?

Whatever you do it will take some time. It will take patience as you plow away at those credit cards, getting them down to a much lower balance.  All that money just disappearing into those credit cards.  But, in the end you will see it will be worth while and no one will deny you a car loan  or even a mortgage ever again.

A little secret that not many people do not know is that whatever your limit is on your credit card, you should not owe more than 50% of that limit.  So if your limit is $1000.00, the card should never have more of a balance than $500.00. In fact it is better to have 2 credit cards with no more than 50% owed on them than have 1 credit card maxed out.  Go figure.

 What else can you do?

 Make sure you make your payments on time.  Credit companies record when you have late payments.  This is very important. Set up payment reminders.

 Don't close your unused credit cards.  If you must close a credit card close the one that is the newest. It is all about having and managing long term credit is what the lenders want to see,

Check your credit report.  They do make mistakes. Birthdates seem to be a popular one that they input wrong. If you are being denied credit and you believe your credit rating is great order a free report, go over it, making sure all the information is correct.

Store credit cards are not as good as mastercard,visa or american express.  Also store credit cards usually charge you a higher interest. To get a mortgage the lenders/banks like to see at least 2 credit lines in good standing.

Remember , it is all about managing your credit.  Everyone hits a point in their life when for whatever reason the credit managing slides. Could be a divorce, job loss, moving, marriage, etc.

Do you have questions about your credit score. Contact me and I will help you sort it out.


    

Angela Kroemer, AMP

Mortgage Professional

TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc.

TMG Sharie Marie Mortgage Team

Local: 1.250.650.4182

TFP: 1.888.679.0190

Fax: 1.888.679.0192

akroemer@mortgagegroup.com

www.KROEMERmortgages.com

 

Stop Paying Your Landlord’s Mortgage! Own Your Own Home

The thousands of dollars in rent you’ve paid to your landlord may be a staggering figure— a figure you don’t even want to think about. Until now, buying a house hasn’t seemed possible; it didn’t seem to be in the financial cards for your foreseeable future. Or is it? This situation is common: countless people feel trapped their home rental, pouring thousands of dollars into a place that will never be their own—they think they’re unable to produce a down payment for a home in order to escape the rental dilemma. However, putting the buying process into motion isn’t as impossible as it may seem. No matter how difficult you believe your financial situation to be, there are a few key facts that can help you make the step from the renter’s rut, to your own home-owning paradise!

Initially, of course, the most daunting factor involved in buying a house is the down payment. You know you’ll be able to handle the monthly payments—you’ve done this, and possibly more, for years as a renter. The hurdle, instead, seems to be accumulating the capital needed to put money down. Here’s the good news - this hurdle may be smaller than you think. Take a look at the following points and explore whether any of these scenarios may be possible for you:

1. Find a mortgage broker to assist you with your options for accessing different lenders.

Mortgage brokers have access to more than just one lender, usually they deal with over 40. Some of those lenders will work with clients to get them into a house with various options available for down payment and closing costs.

2. Buy a home even if your credit isn’t top-notch

.

If you have saved more than the minimum for a down payment, or can secure the loan against other equity, many lending institutions will still consider you for a mortgage, despite a poor credit rating. And working with a mortgage broker we only obtain one credit bureau to save you rating from multiple inquiries.

3. Find a seller to assist you in buying and financing the home.

Some sellers may be willing to bear a second mortgage as a seller take-back. The seller then assumes the role of the lending institution, and you pay him/her the monthly payments, rather than paying the price of the home in a lump sum. This is an additional option if you have a poor credit rating.

4. Federal Government First Time Home Buyers Plan (HBP).

Canada Revenue Agency now allows first time home buyers to withdraw up to $25,000 from your RRSP contributions to put towards your home purchase. There are specific guidelines for this program which can be found at cra-arc.gc.ca.

5. Create a cash down payment without going into debt.

You may borrow the down payment from a loan or a line of credit. As long as you can service the repayment amount this is a viable option. You may also be gifted your down payment from a family member as long as it is genuinely a gift and it is in your account 15 days prior to the closing date. You may also have a co-signer on the application to increase the strength of your application for approval.

You now know, there are options. The next step is to educate yourself on what your own personal possibilities might be and how to follow through with this goal. You should be pre-approved for your mortgage before searching for a home. The process is free and doesn’t place you under any obligation. Its simple, you can be pre-approved over the phone! Once a credit application is submitted, you’ll receive a written pre-approval, which will guarantee you to a specific dollar range or mortgage amount. When you have the pre-approved mortgage amount, you’ll know the price range to look in. Make a commitment to break out of the renting rut. Start today!

www.mortgagegrp.com

 

Angela Kroemer, AMP

Mortgage Professional

TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc.

TMG Sharie Marie Mortgage Team

Local: 1.250.650.4182

TFP: 1.888.679.0190

Fax: 1.888.679.0192

akroemer@mortgagegroup.com

www.KROEMERmortgages.com

Mortgage Renewals

Is it that time? You have just received a mortgage renewal notice in the mail?  Read on to see if you should sign and send it back or maybe take another course of action.

When a term is coming to a close, most banks will send a mortgage renewal notice in the mail a few months earlier then your renewal date.  The banks tend to take advantage of our busy schedules to assume that you will sign on with them for another term. At this point the banks take advantage of your customer loyalty and don't even give you a discount, if they do not a great one.  Almost 60 percent of their customers sign this renewal without researching what the competition has to offer.

When you went shopping for your first mortgage you asked questions, did research, talked to any one who knew anything about mortgages and found the best mortgage rates and options. Why should the renewal process be any different? Interest rates are at an all time low, take advantage of the current market.  Get a better mortgage rate that could save you substantially in the long run.

Renewing your mortgage means one term has come to an end and it is time to start another term. Usually it is a 5 year term. At renewal time it is the perfect opportunity to shop and get a lower interest rate or better options that suits your lifestyle better. 

You have already paid 5 years worth of mortgage payments and deserve to get a discount on your mortgage rate.

For more information and a free quote without obligation, send me an email, phone or text.

My website has invaluable information.
www.KROEMERmortgages.com

Angela Kroemer, AMP

Mortgage Professional

TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc.

TMG Sharie Marie Mortgage Team

Local: 1.250.650.4182

TFP: 1.888.679.0190

Fax: 1.888.679.0192

akroemer@mortgagegroup.com

www.KROEMERmortgages.com

Mortgage Brokers and The Lenders

As mortgage brokers we usually belong to a big firm. Mine is The Mortgage Group Canada Inc. This big firm secures Lenders.  We as brokers have a list of lenders we can choose from.

What are Lenders ?
With TMG we have over 50 Lenders to choose from.  These Lenders quite simply lend money for mortgages.  The Lenders are well established, money lending businesses, with some being banks.
Since these Lenders do not have to hire salespeople to create business, they can offer lower interest rates because of their lower overhead expenses.  As brokers we are their sales force and in return we are paid a commission from the Lender.  This service is free to clients. (Charges may apply for very bad credit).

How do we choose Lenders for our Clients ?
When a client fills out an application with all information of of what they have (assets), what they owe (liabilities) and what they have coming in (income) we then can get a credit rating with the clients approval.  With this credit rating we see the history of the clients credit. The mortgage broker also needs to know their client and what the client wants out of their mortgage. Some like to pay the mortgage off fast, some believe it will go on for 30 years and are happy with lower payments. If you are retiring in 3 years but have a 5 year mortgage term can you afford the last 2 years of payments with only your retiring income?  With the most popular mortgage term being 5 years the client and broker have to look beyond the day you get your mortgage but look into the future and see if any life changes will affect the mortgage.

Each Lender has their own programs and policies they operate under.  When they post their interest rate they also post a paragraph of what type of clients they are looking for.  For example you may not be considered for the Lender of the lowest interest rate if you only have income from self employment, they may see that as an extra risk or if you want to buy a rental property that may be an extra risk and so they would charge a little higher interest rate.  If you want a 5 year fixed rate and the Lender only wants to do a 5 year variable then again you would not fit into their program.  The reasons are varied from Lender to Lender.

When we have a clients history we go to the Lender that will be the greatest fit for the client. This is where a  brokers knowledge of the different Lenders and their client is the key to making the clients experience fast, less stressful and efficient.

As a client it is best to let your broker know of any changes that you can foresee coming up in the next 5 year span of the term of your mortgage. A perfect example of this is :

You want a mortgage but you know that in 3 years your trust account will be released to you and you will pay off the mortgage then.  If you and the broker have not discussed this then the broker may put you in a mortgage with no prepayments ---at the end of 3 years you will have penalties to pay out your mortgage.  If your broker does know, then they would put you into a 3 year mortgage or a 5 year mortgage that would allow you to pay off your mortgage without penalties.

Any questions, contact me.

Thank you

Angela Kroemer Mortgage Professional
1.888.679.0190
akroemer@mortgagegroup.com
www.comoxvalleymortgagestoday.com

About Mortgage Brokers

As mortgage brokers we do not work for a bank.  We work for a Mortgage Broker that owns the firm and that firm goes out to secure Lenders that will work with mortgage brokers from that firm.  It is like working in a mall with only Lenders as occupants.  The people working under the mortgage broker firm are known as sub brokers.  But since alot of people don't know that term you will see other terms like mortgage professional, specialist,expert,agent (in Ontario)and consultant.  They all mean the same thing .  Mortgage sub Broker.

Now to be a sub broker you must pass a course and an exam. You must apply to FICOM which is a government agency over looking the mortgage brokers.  They check out your past including credit, criminal and work history.  Once you have past this scrutiny then you become registered as a sub broker.  Being a sub broker you are tied to uphold ethics of this profession or you will lose your licence.

A sub broker that is licensed in BC can write mortgages anywhere in Canada. Our training is so through that we can pass any provinces standards.  Which gives us a huge market to choose from. 

Canada is very proactive in keeping the mortgage broker profession , professional.  We are required to keep educating ourselves each year by participating in online courses, trade shows, and seminars.  We are encouraged to get our AMP designation with means Accredited Mortgage Professional. This means we do even more education. The brokers that are over achievers are in this group. They go that extra mile for their client.

I get comments from some people stating that the mortgage brokers in the United States were all crooks.  From the news reports you would think so cause they never reported on a good mortgage broker, no news worthy story there.  What happened in the United States is that in most States you did not need a license. That lead the way for many not so nice people to take advantage of many nice people. 

In Canada the government being the way they are , are proactive in not having this industry go bad. We have seen what bad looks like in the United States from a few years ago.
That is why we have to pass exams and continue our education, which is documented if you have the AMP designation.  We are strictly regulated. 

The whole mortgage profession encourages the public to come forth if they think they are dealing with a sub broker that doesn't seem like they are doing their job or you have an uneasy feeling about the job they are doing. 

You the client always comes first.

Where can you get more information about Mortgage Brokers?

MBABC ---http://www.mbabc.ca/
CAAMP --http://caamp.org/index.php

FICOM ---http://www.fic.gov.bc.ca/
TMG ---http://www.mortgagegroup.com/site/bc/brokerpage.asp?id=3011
My website ---http://cvmortgages.ca/

Interest Rates-- Mortgage Brokers vs Banks

Why is it Mortgage Brokers can often offer lower rates than Banks?

Mortgage Brokers have several Lenders to choose from.  At any time at least 1 Lender  has a rate on sale , so to speak.  With TMG we have over 50 lenders to choose from. Not all Lenders will be a  fit for every client.  Each Lender has their own policies. Some look for excellent credit, some look for fast closings, some look for okay credit and it is as varied as there are Lenders.

While the Bank only has one to choose from.  Themselves. 

The best way to find out which rate you qualify for is to sit down with a Mortgage Broker and fill out an application.  The bonus with using a Mortgage Broker is they only have to check your credit rating once for all of their Lenders which is over 50 with TMG.  Every time you go into a different bank they each have to check your credit rating which will take a small hit on your credit rating.  This is not the end of the world type of problem but do limit how many Banks do this as you want to be in the best position in your credit rating to get the best rates available. Rates are directly tied to your credit rating.

Once you have a free and no obligation quote from your Mortgage Broker find a Bank with great rates and get a quote from them.  If you really want to stay with your Bank they may match what the Mortgage Broker quoted you.  Not what we as Mortgage Brokers want to happen but our client comes first and we want to see our client happy and satisfied with any choice they make.  The end result is a client who is happy with their mortgage choices.

A sample of rates being offered is below.


                        RATE COMPARISON
 

Mortgage Term                    TMG Rate            Bank Rate
1 Year Open                          6.30%                     6.30%
1 Year Closed                        2.75%                    3.50%
2 Year                                    2.99%                    3.85%
3 Year                                    2.89%                    4.35%
4 Year                                    2.99%                    4.19%
5 Year                                    3.39%                    5.24%
7 Year                                    4.49%                    6.35%
10 Year                                  4.79%                    6.75%
All rates are provided for information purposes only and are subject to change at any time. All rates are calculated semi-annually, not in advance. E & E.O.

Why Refinance and go Through all that Hassel?

Very good question !!!  This article will answer questions as to refinancing to save money on your mortgage payments.

To alot of us refinancing is a major headache.  You start off checking all the banks rates and then the credit unions and then private lenders rates and by the time you decide on one lender all the rates have changed and you start all over again.
But, usually you give up and try again in 6 months or a year later, or when the 6 pm news tells you rates are down again.

If you contact a Mortgage Broker they do all that work for you and it is at no cost and no obligation.  The lender pays the mortgage broker.
Your broker will let you know if  you should refinance or stay at the rates you are at now.
The service is fast and takes all the stress away from you.  You know the saying "work smarter , not harder".   Mortgage brokers allow you to do this.

Why should you refinance:

There are a few reasons why you should look into refinancing.  The reason most people know is if the rates go down enough it is better for you to refinance.  You can have a lower mortgage payment, saving you money, or you may want to keep your mortgage payment at what you were paying and then pay off your house sooner.

Another reason not so well known is when you bought your house your credit rating was not perfect, which means to get your mortgage you had to pay alittle extra because you could not get the best interest rate.  But now since you have been paying on the mortgage and all your other bills on time your credit rating is much better, now you can qualify for the best rate.  Saving you money.

When buying your house you just went with what the bank offered you as the interest rate.  Most banks will offer you a higher rate because they know that you will go along with it because you are not a seasoned home buyer.  You were just happy to get a mortgage and questioned nothing. Taking a good look at your mortgage may reveal this and now because you have a mortgage broker on your side you can get better rates, saving you money.

If you fit into any of the above categories, contact me.  I will go over your mortgage and let you know if you should refinance or stay where you are.  No cost--No obligation.

There are other reasons to refinance so that you can buy something in return using the equity that you have built up in your home.
Such as :
to buy investments
to go back to school
to buy another property
debt consolidation
financing a renovation
Combining 2 mortgage payments into 1


Angela Kroemer Mortgage Professional
1.888.679.0190
akroemer@mortgagegroup.com

CMHC Survey about Home Owners

A recent survey from CMHC says the vast majority of Canadians renew their mortgages with their original lender, but you can save thousands over the life of a mortgage by looking at competing rates from competing institutions and mortgage brokers.



I am a mortgage broker and may be able to save you money.
Contact me for a free check up on your mortgage.

akroemer@mortgagegroup.com
1.250.650.4182

Business and Computers

No one tells you that when you start up a business that you need a couple of weeks just to start up all those computer sites that is needed for you to network.

So I start up my new business. Perfect. I am so happy.
After all those months of studying.  All that time dreading the final exam. I am finally homefree.

Then people tell me I have got to start networking on the computer as well as face to face.
So I start on the computer.

Facebook was easy. Did that pretty fast.

I opened a web site, then came a blog, then twitter and I needed to buy domains.  I bought way too many domains but it was fun shopping for names and heck they were so cheap.

So next I was reading about adsense.  I need that for my blog and website, I tell myself.  Off to the adsense website I go. Get all signed up and everything is great.

Oh oh, something popped up about adwords. Get your message out there. I have a coupon for adwords-- I should use it I thought.  Adwords were alittle harder to start up, but yes I got it done.

It is a huge mistake to read stuff on google.  Cause linkedin.com showed up. If you want to be somebody then you got to sign up and fill out your profile.  There goes another couple of hours of my life.

Sending out emails I noticed I needed a signature.  So went to read how to get a signature done and did it.  Although with gmail that function doesn't work great when you want to reply or forward something but yet, I figured out how to get this done and work around that problem.

Got professional pictures done a alittle while ago.  I needed to send a picture out for my business cards.  Got a reply back that the resolution was not high enough. Spent a few hours trying to get the resolution up to 300 dpi without distorting the picture, cause I had to also make the picture smaller.  Paint the program just won't cut it. I had to down load another program and learn how to work it. Photoscape worked pretty good, but I wish their measurments were in inches.

I still need to work on my professional website and I did sign up for a course cause I thought I would be a little bored. Thank goodness I have 4 months to do it, I may need it if I find anymore web sites to join.

Now on to joining all the network clubs I should belong to.

Poor Credit ? Want to get a Mortgage?

Were you less than perfect with your credit when you were younger, cell phone bill got away from you, divorce that left your bank account empty, lost your job for awhile?  Life happens !
When the bank has said no to you, contact me.
I can show you the steps to get your credit rating up to get a great mortgage rate or I have lenders who will approve a mortgage with less than perfect credit rating.
It all depends on the circumstances.
With a lesser score you will be paying a higher interest rate but if you have a great sale on a house it still may be cheaper to own rather than to rent.

Contact me.
akroemer@mortgagegroup.com
  1.888.679.0190