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OTTAWA, Sept. 14, 2012 /CNW

Friday, September 14, 2012

Paying Your Mortgage Off Faster

Some people are happy with their mortgage payments and the terms in years for paying off their mortgages, and that is fine.

While other people want to get their mortgage payments done with and their home paid off.
There are a variety of ways of getting your mortgage paid off faster and by paying off the mortgage faster, you are saving a ton on interest payments.

Look at your mortgage, what is the interest rate you are paying? Are there better interest rates on the market?

Next, look at the terms of your mortgage. Does it allow you to prepay an amount monthly, yearly? Are the prepayment terms too high of an amount you would never prepay, anyway.

If you are paying too high of an interest rate and your prepayment terms are too impossible, your next step may be to switch your mortgage to a different Lender to have the flexibility to prepay and to get a lower rate. Just getting a lower rate will take off a few years of your mortgage payments.

So now, you have taken the necessary steps to make paying off your mortgage a reality.
Now What?

There are different ways you can pay off your mortgage faster. You can do it all or in part and you will still get your mortgage paid off faster.

1. Switch from monthly to accelerated bi-weekly or accelerated weekly payments.

2. Pay an extra $100.00 bi-weekly or weekly.

3. Make a lump-sum payment of just $1000.00 or more per year for the life of the mortgage.

If you combine all 3 steps by the minimum amounts you could be mortgage-free as much as 8 years faster based on a $200,000.00 mortgage.

The difference Accelerated Bi-weekly
payments make

Need more information? Be sure to contact me.

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

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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Renovate Or Sell?

Are more people hunkering down and fixing up existing homes rather than moving?

In some areas of Canada home resales are falling and the new housing price index slipping, people appear to be staying put a bit longer and renovating their existing homes instead of moving.

If you are entertaining the thoughts of renovating your home, will you use credit cards to pay for the renovations? There are other ways to finance your renovations, one is Refinance Plus Improvements. This will give you the money needed for renovations, at the same low interest rate of your mortgage.

a few things to think about when looking into Refinance Plus Renovations is:
--how much will your penalty be to Refinance
--how much your interest rate is now
--how much equity you have in the house
--how much will you save by Refinancing opposed to using credit cards at 20-29% interest
--how much you will need for renovations

Renovation Tips:

Peter Simpson, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders Association, said he spoke with several renovators and very few are fixing up homes for resale.

“Some clients have moved in and want to renovate. The others are folks who have lived somewhere for a number of years and want to stay in the same neighbourhood. They’re renovating for their own use,” Simpson said. “They’re not nervous about spending the money either.”

With year-to-date resales down 18 per cent in Vancouver compared to a year ago, it’s no longer the smoking hot sellers’ market it was a year ago. In fact, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver reported that July sales were the lowest since 2000, with sales 31.2 per cent below the 10-year July sales average.

The new housing price index slipped 0.9 per cent in Vancouver in June 2012 compared with June 2011, according to Statistics Canada, while the MLS Home Price Index composite benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver over the last 12 months has increased 0.6 per cent to $616,000 and declined 0.7 per cent in July 2012 compared to the prior month.

New mortgage rules introduced by the federal government in July shortened the maximum amortization to 25 years from 30, which is also expected to dampen the market.

Business is definitely strong this year for Jeff Bain, owner of JKB Construction, who said renovations always pick up when sales of new homes fall off.

“Everybody seems to be keen now to spend money,” Bain said. “It’s been good all year long.”
He said kitchens, bathrooms and basement suites continue to be the most popular renovations, but people are also renovating their entire homes.

“People are staying in their homes longer than they ever have in the past. They want to stay where they are comfortable,” Simpson said.

The amount spent on renovations has gone up every year for the past several years, Simpson said, but added that he isn’t sure if that’s because more people are doing renovations or because they’ve become more expensive.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp’s third-quarter Housing Market Outlook, released in August, said renovation spending in 2011 was $61.7 billion in Canada. CHMC says that amount will moderate in 2012, growing to $63.3 billion, but is expected to strengthen in 2013 to $65.6 billion.
In B.C., spending on renovations in 2011 was $7.6 billion. Spending is expected to remain stable in 2012 and grow to $7.8 billion next year.

For the most part, business is good for contractors, even in this year’s moderate market, Simpson said.
“One contractor I talked to said he’s having his best year ever,” Simpson said. “He said one client bought a home and they’re spending money to update it, but most clients want to stay where they are and bring their homes up to date.”

Another contractor told Simpson he’s had some customers having a harder time borrowing money from the bank, which may be a result of new mortgage refinancing rules. “Some people seem to be getting a little push back from the banks, or they might not be able to borrow as much as they want,” Simpson said. “If they can’t obtain the financing, they just have to scale it back a bit. With a renovation, you don’t have to do it all at the same time.”

In May, the Greater Vancouver Home Builders Association held one of its twice-yearly renovation seminar for 300 homeowners. Attendees were asked to complete a survey and Simpson shared some of the results with The Vancouver Sun.

Fifty-six per cent of respondents said they plan to renovate within the next year, while 26 per cent said within 12 to 18 months, Simpson said.

“There’s a sense of urgency. They want to renovate soon.”

Homeowners were also asked if they would need financing — 59 per cent said no and 41 per cent said yes.

Next year, when the province reverts back to the goods and services tax and the provincial sales tax, it is possible that labour on renovations will not be taxed because it was not taxed under the old provincial sales tax.

Simpson said that while it’s not known exactly what will happen when the tax reverts, the transition does not appear to be causing people too many concerns when it comes to renovating.
In his survey, he asked if people were putting their renovation plans on hold until the provincial sales tax is back and 35 per cent said yes, while 65 per cent said no.

“They’re doing renovations because they want to do them,” Simpson said. “Interest rates are still really low. People are going ahead and renovating. They want to have their new kitchen regardless of the tax.”

Simpson urged homeowners to verify that a contractor is compliant with WorkSafeBC before contracting with them for any work. It’s something that Port Moody homeowner Jan Jasienczyk wishes she had done when she needed a new roof two years ago.

The contractor she hired had documents showing that he was insured and a member of various organizations, but Jasienczyk didn’t independently verify that they were accurate. She ended up taking the contractor to small claims court when it turned out she had to redo the entire roof and her garage was damage by leaking. She eventually recovered most of the money she had paid the contractor, but she says it caused her a lot of stress and heartache.

“When you get an estimate, verify everything. Are they members of the roofing association? Do they have Worksafe?” Jasienczyk said. “Do all of those things before you commit to any kind of a contract. Do your due diligence.”

Jasienczyk ended up getting her roof re-done entirely by Penfolds Roofing, which recently announced it is launching a warranty corporation to support its roofing warranties.

Simpson said cash deals are always a bad idea, but he estimates that about 30 per cent of renovations are done under the table.

“It’s rampant. People want to avoid the harmonized sales tax or any taxes,” Simpson said. “There’s about $7.6 to 7.7 billion to be spent on home renovations in B.C. this year; I believe with that much at play there is a lot of opportunities to deal with the underground economy.”

He says people are at risk of being sued if a contractor gets injured if they are not covered by Worksafe.

“Unless homeowners want to put the contractor’s kid through university, they better make sure their contractor is fully compliant with Worksafe.”
He said it is easy to check if a contractor is compliant with Worksafe, and renovators can even request a no-cost compliance letter

How do I know whether my contractor or subcontractor is insured?

You can request a clearance letter that tells you whether a firm, contractor or subcontractor is complying with our registration and payment requirements.
http://www.worksafebc.com/help/faqs/default.asp?section=Insurance#Whoneedsworkplaceinsurance?6

tsherlock@vancouversun.com

Refinance Plus Improvement Mortgage

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

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Feng Shui-Can It Help to Sell or Buy Your Home

For a realtor trying to survive the currently sluggish market, there might be no sight as disheartening as that of the unyielding feng shui master who shows up with the buyer to assess the property.
The master, is, after all, probably going to get the last word.

The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui, which is, roughly, about creating a harmonious environment, can have a major impact on a sale in the Lower Mainland. Feng shui master Johnson Li knows all about that, having shot down many a potential purchase.

Mr. Li has been a feng shui master since arriving in Vancouver 20 years ago. He divides his time between the Lower Mainland, Hong Kong, China, and places like Victoria and Seattle, where he’s called upon to assess homes for occupants or would-be buyers.

Feng shui got plenty of media attention in the late 1980s, when a wave of Taiwanese buyers was purchasing and renovating properties based on the system. Today, it’s still alive and well and has spread beyond the Chinese demographic, with devotees from other cultures opting to let feng shui guide their choices.

Mr. Li acknowledges that he is one of the most expensive feng shui masters in Vancouver, but his rate is even higher when he works in China. Here, he charges $8,800 to assess commercial properties; $3,800 to assess houses, and $2,800 to assess apartments. His fee is not to assess only one property for a client, but rather, as many properties as necessary until he finds one with good feng shui. He says that he once rejected more than 100 listings until he settled upon an appropriate house, which must have been an interesting situation for the buyer’s realtor.

The practice is not limited to Chinese buyers, says Mr. Li. He has clients who are Caucasian and East Indian. In Surrey, a Polish family requested his help when they couldn’t sell their house after six months without action. After his recommended changes to the house, he says they sold two months later.

Patricia Coleman is a feng shui practitioner who caters mostly to a non-Chinese demographic in Vancouver. She has guided homebuyers and has “feng shui’d” houses to make them easier to sell.
“I have a lot of western clients,” she says. “It’s not just about trying to sell a house, but making the right decision. It’s a huge purchase. You need to ask, ‘Is it the right one?’

“Every culture has an understanding of placement and energy.”

Faustina Kwok, who lives in Richmond with her naturopath husband Martin, says their new house was built according to feng shui principles that she believes will increase its value. They also “feng shui’d” her husband’s clinic. However, when it came to the house, she wasn’t willing to forgo a good floor plan and flow for feng shui, Ms. Kwok says. She’d been inside “feng shui’d” houses that felt odd because the flow was off. But she was willing to move the driveway, and add a partial wall so that the master bedroom wasn’t in direct view of the front door.

“We just did the big modifications, like where the toilet shouldn’t be,” she says. “You don’t want to flush your fortune away. At least I take comfort knowing my toilet is not in the wrong place,” she says, laughing.

Although growing in popularity, it’s still a largely misunderstood practice, says Mr. Li. Some people think that the popularity of an address that includes the number eight is feng shui, but that’s more about superstition. Feng shui grew out of something far more practical, he explains.

“It is the art of looking at places that are safe or not, gauging whether they are a habitable place,” he says, seated in his Kingsway office, surrounded by his extensive library, a translator at his side. “Feng shui means the study of surroundings.”

Mr. Li has stopped the sale of many houses, and he’s witnessed attempts at feng shui by builders who were shrewdly, or naively, anxious to appease the Chinese market. Mr. Li explained how he once kiboshed the sale of a newly built home in West Vancouver. The builder had hired another feng shui expert to help design the house, which included a giant vertical aquarium as well as an indoor Koi fishpond. Mr. Li took one look at the aquarium and pond and gave a thumbs-down on the pricey property. His clients took his advice and walked. The builder was so furious, he says, that they asked him to put his reasons in writing.

As he poured another round of green tea, he explained that it’s a basic feng shui principle that you don’t want water above your head. As well, a Koi pond inside a house is not a good thing, he added.
When asked to explain, Mr. Li chuckled and said, “Because it will smell like fish.”

As for the feng shui practitioner who’d allowed such missteps, he explained that unfortunately, because so many consumers want instant and easy answers, there are a lot of unscrupulous practitioners who don’t know what they are doing. He doesn’t like doing assessments for developers and realtors because “they use him to make money.”

He recalls a realtor slipping him a red envelope as he was doing his assessment. The envelope was stuffed with a substantial amount of money, which he later turned over to his clients.

Emily Lo says she trusts Mr. Li for all her real estate purchases, even if it irritates the realtors, who often try to persuade her to use Mr. Li’s report as one of the subjects to sale. However, she’d prefer to get his opinion upfront, after the initial walk-through.

“He has the power of veto, and if you are paying that amount of money, you are going to trust what he says.”

Gastown realtor Ian Watt says the issue of feng shui comes up about once a month.
“A lot of my Chinese clients are really big into that,” he says. “It’s amazing, because it does affect real estate for a certain demographic. Everybody over 50 cares for sure.”

He has a client with a condo on Pacific Boulevard currently on the market, and the client refuses to let him close the window during showings.

“It’s on Pacific Boulevard, which is very noisy. The traffic sounds don’t help,” he says. “They want the window open all the time, and it’s something to do with feng shui.”

Anna Chen, who co-owns the unit with fiancé Dan, can explain. Her uncle is a feng shui master who visits from Taiwan, and he told her to keep the window open in order to sell the unit. Ms. Chen, who is 32, said that she was reluctant to believe in feng shui throughout her 20s, but now that she’s older, she’s starting to see its value.

“I think it helps. I’ve seen it help. So that’s why I asked my uncle to help me to sell the place, and also to help us buy the next place. Now, when we go to a new condo listing, sometimes I ask him to come with me. He told me the direction of the entrance and everything will affect health and fortune, how much you can make, or are you going to lose.”

An Excellent article by Kerry Gold
Special to the Globe and Mail September 8 2012

For information on mortgages

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

https://www.facebook.com/#!/akroemer

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Saturday, September 8, 2012

Business Financing? Yes, We have It With TMG Merchant Capital Program

TMG Merchant Capital Group

I am excited and pleased to announce a new division that The Mortgage Group Canada Inc has opened up and it is TMG Merchant Capital Group, powered by Merchant Advance Capital (MAC) is a Canadian owned and operated company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. The founders of the company have significant financial and business experience, including owning and operating a variety of businesses.

TMG Merchant Capital Program is a purchase of your future debit/credit card sales for a discount today. The obligation is paid back through a small percentage of all of your debit/credit card transactions (this percentage ranges between 5-15% for the TMG Merchant Capital Program).

Since day one, Merchant Advance Capital (MAC) have been providing easy access to capital to Canadian small and medium sized businesses by:

Advancing capital based on future debit/credit card sales;
Being able to work with any payment processing company;
Saying 'yes' to more businesses; and
Using a consultative approach and providing exceptional customer service!

Merchant Advance:
A Merchant Advance is not a loan; it is a discounted purchase of future debit/credit card receivables for cash now. It has been designed to provide growth capital to small-medium sized businesses with no collateral required.

How It Works
The advance is a lump sum of cash in exchange of a lump repayment amount. The repayment amount is paid down a little bit each day through sales made on your credit card machine. Each day a percentage of your card sales automatically go towards chipping away at your balance until the repayment amount is $0.00.

A TMG Merchant Capital Program can be used for any business purpose, such as purchasing inventory, renovations, acquisitions, advertising & marketing, expenses etc.

Example:

An owner of a restaurant which processes approximately $30,000 of debit/credit card sales per month receives a TMG Merchant Capital advance of $24,500 in exchange for $32,400 of future debit/credit card sales collected using a 12% withholding. TMG Merchant Capital withholds 12% of all debit/credit card transactions until it receives $32,400 which in this example would take approximately 9 months. Once the restaurant owner has repaid the majority of the payback amount, he is eligible for a renewal.

The Benefits-There is no interest rate – the amount owed will never grow, so you know exactly how much the funds will cost from day one.

-No fixed payments -repayment is made on a daily basis, through a percentage of your debit & credit card sales. If you sell $200 one day in debit & credit sales, and your daily withholding is 10.0 % then $20 will automatically go to chipping away at your balance.
- No collateral required – Merchant Advances have been designed for fund small- medium sized businesses, no collateral is needed to qualify.
- No changes to your existing hardware – Merchant Advances are compatible with any Merchant Service provider. You do not have to change who you process your debit & credit cards with.
- No delay on your sales – the no-delay debiting system ensures that you receive your sales right away so you never have to wait.
- Receive funding quickly – your business is able to receive funding in 7 business days. In comparison a bank could take 4-8 weeks.
- Repaid quickly – Merchant Advances are modeled to be repaid within a year so your business does not become burdened with long term debt.
-Does not report on your credit bureau – as a Merchant Advance is not a loan, it does not report to the credit bureau.

Our differentiator: TMG Merchant Capital, we want to be a part of your success. Many merchant cash advance companies offer larger up-front advances, but their programs have high withholding percentages which can severely impact a your cash flow. They also increase the discount at which the future sales are purchased in order to cover the increased risk of having merchants that are not as healthy during their program.

We believe in offering a cost effective service that makes financial sense for you, our clients, and we wish to build long-standing relationships for your financing needs.

The Process:Day 1:

Application forms and merchant processing statements submitted.
Day 3:
Conditional offer is made to the applicant, subject to satisfactory review of remaining documents.
Day 5:
Final agreement sent out and executed after one day of review of remaining documents.
Day 7:
Account is funded after banking environment is set up.

Contact me and see how much you qualify for today!

Angela Kroemer, AMP
Mortgage Professional
TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc.
Local : 1.250.650.4182
T.F.P: 1.888.679.0190
T.F.F: 1.888.679.0192
Email :akroemer@mortgagegroup.com
Website : www.KROEMERmortgages.com

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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Renovations You May Regret

While everyone is in the do it yourself mode, there are certain renovations that you may regret spending money on once you have put the home on the market for resale.
You certainly can renovate your house to a point that you are comfortable with it, but don't take it personally when your realtor advises you on what will get your house sold and what will not.
Some of your loved renovations may have to be torn out to get your home sold as not everyone is a do it yourself type of person. Potential buyers who have to hire people to do renovations only see more unnecessary money that has to be spent after buying your house.

Renovation upgrades, such as kitchens and bathrooms, are usually fairly reliable for adding to a home’s resale value. But there are others (and if you’ve gone househunting in the last few years, perhaps you’ve seen a few) that are just plain bone-headed. What’s worth the cost and what isn’t?

Which home upgrades are least likely to return their full investment (or close to it) when you sell, or can even turn buyers off. Some of her answers might surprise you.

Wall-to-wall broadloomOnce considered a selling feature, this is now a liability in many buyers’ eyes. Broadloom is incompatible with pets and people with allergies, and is perceived as hard to clean. If you have hardwood floors, have them refinished or consider installing them if you don’t.

Whirlpool baths, saunas and indoor hot tubsOnce considered chic, these are now often seen as just expensive, energy-guzzling extras.

Expensive built-in sound systems and home theatresSome buyers will be attracted to this, but not everyone is an audio/cinephile, nor will they pay a premium for a house with this feature.

Colourful bath fixturesThese went out with poodle skirts. Chances are the buyer will just see them as a renovation to-do and will plan to get rid of them after the purchase.

Ornate chandeliers, wallpaper and paint treatmentsTaste is very individual and idiosyncratic decorating can turn buyers off; stick with neutral, simple decor.

Odd rooms and wallsA wall bisecting a large bedroom into two unusably small ones or a cramped powder room under the stairs or in a closet … many buyers will see these as merely a future renovation expense. (Same goes for inexplicably missing walls, such as a bathroom that is open to the adjacent bedroom.)

Overly fancy appliancesStainless steel-finish appliances are worth paying a few more dollars for (compared to equivalent white or colour models), but six-burner professional stoves, double dishwashers and a fridge big enough for a restaurant rarely recoup their initial cost.

Cheap laminate or vinyl tile flooringSome types of laminate are attractive and practical; others just look cheap and fake. Especially avoid peel-and-stick vinyl tiles or be prepared to replace them when you put the house on the market. For not much more money, choose hardwood, stone, bamboo or cork.

Swimming poolThere is some debate about this among realtors; to some buyers, a swimming pool is a selling feature. But a pool rarely recoups its entire cost, and it will reduce the number of potential buyers interested in your home.

Turning a three-bedroom into a two-bedroom homeEven if that third bedroom is very small, it’s still a bedroom. No matter how spacious your newly enlarged master bedroom or how luxurious that new spa bath, the demand for two-bedroom homes is significantly smaller than for three-bedrooms, and they command considerably lower prices.
List supplied By Martha Uniacke Breen

For information on mortgages

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

https://www.facebook.com/akroemer

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Monday, September 3, 2012

Your Personal Mortgage Shopper

A mortgage professional, in theory, is educated in all aspects of mortgages. By working closely with one, you access this specialized knowledge and experience.

Imagine if you could turn to an expert when you wanted to make a major purchase. He or she would visit stores, collect the important information about the product and then help you make the best choice. When you’re buying a new home or renegotiating your mortgage, this is what a mortgage professional can do for you.

Basically, we shop around and find you the best deal. When you walk into your bank to discuss mortgage options, the banking officer can only offer you the products from that bank and, depending on your credit history and the product, knock a few points off the interest rate. But a mortgage professional has access to a wide variety of products because he or she can work with any bank, credit union or trust company. They also know who is offering the best rates for the type of mortgage you need and know how to negotiate for a lower posted rate.

A mortgage professional, in theory, is educated in all aspects of mortgage. By working closely with one, you access this specialized knowledge and experience. This is especially valuable for those who have hard-to-place mortgages—such as the self-employed or people with poor credit history. A mortgage professional will know what banks will be more favourable to the client or be aware of alternative ways to secure a mortgage.

Another benefit is the reduced impact on your credit score. Every time you go to a bank and they check your ability to get a mortgage, it’s a hit on your credit score. A mortgage professional will check your credit score once and then shop it to five or more banks at once. If you do plan to comparison shop, this is one way to protect your credit from taking an unnecessary dive.

But how much will all this cost a homebuyer? Brokers are paid a “finder’s fee” — about 0.8 per cent to 1 per cent of the mortgage amount — by the bank or institution, which is not passed on to the person buying the mortgage. The bank can afford to do that because of the volume they get. Since they don’t have an in-house person managing the account, answering questions, taking calls and sending paperwork back and forth, they save on costs and pass that on.

With so many mortgage professionals on the market, it can be a challenge knowing which one to pick. Ask friends and family for recommendations and meet with potential mortgage professionals to see if they are a fit. Follow blogs and websites of mortgage professionals. Ask lots of questions.

For Mortgage Information

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

https://www.facebook.com/akroemer

Facebook Pages

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Published on Thursday August 30, 2012

Leigh Doyle

Chris Young for The Toronto Star

Friday, August 31, 2012

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

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Mortgage Check Up?

So why have a Mortgage Check up?
The main reason is so you are not spending money on your mortgage that you do not have to.

Mortgage rates are low - lower than they've ever been. Now is the perfect time to refinance your home so you'll be mortgage free sooner and save thousands of dollars taking advantage of the low rates.

If you have a mortgage of $120000.00 and are paying 3.89%, with 25 year amortization your monthly payment would be $624.08 or close to that.

If your mortgage is $120000.00 and you are paying 3.29% with 25 year amortization your monthly payment would be about $589.50 .

So in a year your savings would be about $415.00, which equals a few nights out in a nice restaurant, or maybe 2 nights in a hotel room. It is money you are giving to your bank when you could take advantage of it and enjoy and have fun with it yourself.

Now if your interest rate that you are paying is more than 3.29% the savings are higher. You could afford a small vacation, new furniture or new appliances, without changing anything except for your mortgage rate.

Now is the time to get your Mortgage Check Up , while the rates are low.

Call Today !!!!!!!!!

1.250.650.4182

Thank you
Angela Kroemer, AMP
Mortgage Professional
250.650.4182
1.888.679.0190
akroemer@mortgagegroup.com
www.KROEMERmortgages.com
TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc.

Monday, August 20, 2012

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

Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Process Of Home Buying

1) Employ A Realtor
A crucial and initial step is to choose a real estate expert who would assist you to locate your dream home and adjust your financial anticipations.

2) Call a Mortgage Professional for the best rates and terms
If you call a mortgage professional for mortgage rates, you can get a rate that can really help you save a substantial amount throughout the span of a loan. A small variation of 0.5% can also become significant.

3) Prequalify for a loan
During the early stages, you would wish to become prequalified for a mortgage loan. This gives you the amount that you can afford. ( Be forewarned that a prequalification does not guarantee a loan as most prequalifications are only computer generated. Always when putting in an offer have it subject to financing approval.) This gives you the flexibility to search for the right home, particularly when there are so many keen buyers. The seller also realizes that you are sincere in purchasing the property and can afford it.

4) What are your needs
To make a practical outline of the property that you wish to buy. What are the must haves and what can you live without? Prepare two lists: one for the essentials and one for leisure. Update your lists as you go on house-hunting. Keep in mind that you can get a Purchase Plus Improvement Mortgage which would get you extra money to make improvements on the house you wish to buy.

5) Visit properties
Now you are prepared to visit properties. Make sure that you get a feature sheet of the properties you come across. Every time you go out to see more houses, update your notes to instantly get rid of any property that does not fulfill your requirements.

6) Understand the aspects that assist or hinder resale
In some locations, a swimming pool really takes away a part from the value of a home and it becomes more difficult to sell it. In areas with attached or two car garages, the future value and home buying potentials might be badly impacted by a single or one car garage. Your realtor can give you more information on these items as it relates to resale values.

7) Rank the houses you visit
Subsequent to visiting every house, jot down what you appreciated and what you did not. Prepare a ranking arrangement that clearly defines the home buying domain.

8 ) Make an offer
As soon as you have identified your dream home, the financial and legal aspect of home buying comes into play. Since the objectives of the home buyer and home seller are not the same, take the help of your agent for arriving at a positive outcome.
Prior to your date of closing, just ensure that you have done all essential deposits and finished the formalities such as title, mortgage , homeowner’s insurance.

9) Make arrangements for home inspection
Once the offer is accepted, but before the deal is finalized have the home inspected. That way if any expensive problems arise you can either walk away or renegotiate the price of the home.

10) Closing
Financing has been secured, home inspection went well, you are happy with the house. This is the step that you go to the lawyer and sign final documents, give lawyer cheque. The closing date is usually the same date as possession date, but not always.

11) Get ready to move into your new house
Before moving into your new house, phone hydro, gas company, telephone company, etc to set up a date for hook ups. Check fire alarms to make sure they work. Do the change of address at the post office for your new address. The best time for renovations is before you move in, try to get them done before by staying an extra month in your old place.

For a great mortgage.

Angela Kroemer, AMP

Mortgage Professional

TMG The Mortgage Group Canada Inc.

TMG Sharie Marie Mortgage Team

Local: 1.250.650.4182

Fax: 1.888.679.0192

Facebook pages

https://www.facebook.com/#!/akroemer

https://www.facebook.com/cvmortgages

https://www.facebook.com/campbellriverbc

Saturday, August 11, 2012

A Collection Of Cool Ideas For your Home

As summer progresses, I have come across some neat ideas for your home that people have posted on the internet. I cannot take credit for any of these ideas.

Turn that outdated coffee table in your basement into a re-purposed beautiful bench!

For your next picnic-- make it pretty and cute. Or for kids who get bored with their lunches.

Now THAT is pretty cute, don't you think? Snap lock bag, a peg and pipe cleaners. Easy.

Not the easiest project, but very effective.

Easy wainscotting! Glue picture frames to bottom of wall, add trim above and paint!

Simple, works and keeps the recipe book clean.

Wow! Isn't this an ingenious and simple idea! Talk about a great idea that works with the Three 'R's' concept of Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!.. Let's add Re-Purpose! Do you have any ideas to 're-purpose' things in your home or business?

Dress up your basic bathroom mirror! Use silicone adhesive to glue pretty tiles around the edges.

A much better use for a rake in my opinion !

Penny Floors.

Floors that use pennies instead of tiles. Give it a rich copper look.

A very time consuming project , but if you have the time and patience it would be a very beautiful floor.

Anyone else have a great project that they did. Please let me know, as I am always looking for new cool ideas.

For a mortgage that is right for you.

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

Facebook pages

https://www.facebook.com/#!/akroemer

https://www.facebook.com/cvmortgages

https://www.facebook.com/campbellriverbc

Saturday, August 4, 2012

The Importance of Choosing a Mortgage Professional in the Current Canadian Mortgage Environment

This current mortgage environment may be the best time to find the most suitable deal with the help of an experienced broker.

Why is that? Please read on.

Due to low mortgage rates in Canada, banks and brokers are both offering lucrative mortgage deals. With speculations of mortgage rates rising in the future, for Canadians this may be the best time to secure an appropriate deal according to calgaryherald.com.
Keep reading for some long-term advantages of choosing mortgage brokers over banks and the more clear benefits of brokers over banks.

As many borrowers are struggling to find the best deal before the Canadian mortgage rates climb and while banks will be the first to toughen their policies and increase their rates, this may be the best time for borrowers to secure their chance of finding the right rate by choosing a broker.

The Toronto Real Estate Board thinks that with a stricter mortgage policy in effect, there are some clear advantages of choosing a broker. Brokers offer more choices and open doors to better options and flexible terms. The possible reason behind this is their professional relationship with a wide number of lenders.

Without the mortgage broker, a borrower is confined to the best deal offered by the particular bank.

On the other hand, a mortgage broker has access to multiple lenders and banks and therefore, is able to find more competitive mortgage rates and deals.

Due to their professional relations, banks and lenders are more likely to offer brokers better rates than they’d offer the individual buyer. Yet, since the brokers are not working for any bank or financial institution specifically, they can offer impartial and unbiased advice to their clients according to torontorealestateboard.com.

Another reason why mortgage brokers will be able to find better deals is that they are more aware and well-informed about the Canadian mortgage market.

When dealing directly with banks, borrowers usually have to carry out all the research, and more importantly, negotiations on their own.

But due to lack of industry and market knowledge, prospective buyers may be unable to negotiate for the best rates. So, bankers may find them an easy target to lure into deals that are more profitable for banks instead of the borrowers.

It seems not all the banks are deceiving in this aspect. As a matter of fact, some banks do offer special rates and deals for their older customers, but a long standing history and flawless credit score plays a crucial role in this aspect.

In contrast to this, mortgage brokers may find an appropriate deal even for borrowers with low credit score issues. Mortgage brokers take out the time to analyze your credit score in a better way. A low credit score does not always mean that a borrower cannot qualify for a better mortgage rate. In that case, brokers will dig out the best deal for you even when banks won’t.

Another major negative view related to mortgage brokers is that the industry is not regulated and therefore, the risk is higher. But as far as Canada mortgages are concerned, this assumption is false. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Society, all reputable mortgage brokers are regulated by federal and provincial financial services regulation agencies.

Like banks and other major institutions, brokers are also required to strictly adhere to the rules and compliance standards. In the case of British Columbia mortgage brokers, The Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM) regulates all mortgage professionals and protects borrowers against related fraud and crimes. This can be verified at http://www.fic.gov.bc.ca/.

Rates will rise. This may be your last chance to find the rates which will allow you to afford to purchase a home. Yet, the best mortgage deal is not just about the best mortgage rates. It is about finding rates that will benefit you in the long run. Only an experienced, knowledgeable and honest mortgage professional can help you find that deal before it is too late.

For a great mortgage rate.

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

http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/08/04/smi-mortgages-experts-stress-importance-choosing-broker-current-canadian-mortgage-environ?page=0,0

Your Mobile Mortgage Professional in The Comox Valley TM

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Interest Rates And Monthly Payments

So, you have been reading or hearing about rates being lowest in history. You have been reading or hearing different rates in the news, from banks, from mortgage professionals, from newspapers, etc. Every week there is a new rate being advertised. It is up , it is down. It can be just as confusing as the gas prices.

You may be asking yourself 'where are the best rates'?

Well of course mortgage professionals have the best rates. But, not only the best rates, they have the best products. Our products are the full suite products. Meaning that even if our rates are low, your mortgage comes with many options such as, being able to port your mortgage to another house, if you should want to sell and buy another one. Each of our Lenders have great products and well as fantastic rates.

If rate is your deciding factor, make sure the rate comes with all the bells and whistles, because you can have both. The Banks want you to believe that if you are a rate shopper, you do not get the bells and whistles. Not true. That is what most Banks offer, one or the other. A low rate and nothing else or a high rate and all the bells and whistles.
The Lenders I work with offer one option and that is low rate and all the bells and whistles.

Now what about rates and payments?

Today is August 1 2012. Today I can offer you 2.99% on a 5 year term. The rate that most Lenders are offering is 3.19% and the Banks are offering 5.24%. Big difference for sure.

I would like to show you the difference in your monthly mortgage payment, to give you an idea of how much you can save.
So imagine you want to buy a house for $300,000.00.
5% down would be                                      15,000.00
                                                                 ------------------
Mortgage is                                               285,000.00
I used 25 year amortization as per new Canadian guidelines.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Unadvertised                    Advertised                            Posted Rate
                          Rate (Lender)                   Rate (Lender)                       Bank
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOAN                2.99%                                3.19%                                 5.24%
$285,000.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monthly
Payment             $1347.28                           $1376.68                             $1696.72
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, you can see the difference on payments for the same mortgage with the same bells and whistles.
Why would you pay more?
You could save almost $4200.00 per year. That would be a nice vacation during our most darkest, wet and coldest month on Vancouver Island. A little sun vacation would be good for the soul and family life.

So you think, Wow, I am hooked. But who are these Lenders?
Our Lenders are called Mono Lenders. Why, because all they do is Mortgages. They follow the same rules as our Canadian Banks. They are regulated by Canada. They are safe and here to stay. Also our Lenders can be Credit Unions and Banks, depending on which is the best fit for your situation.

One thing Canada does have is the best regulated Mono Lenders, Private Lenders, Credit Unions and Banks, probably the best in the world.

My friend got a mortgage with a mortgage professional and the mortgage is with a Bank and a good rate, why can't I get that same rate with the same Bank? The Banks have a few programs going on. If you are a Bank client, they will offer you their best rate which is today around 5.24%. But, if you go through a mortgage professional we get better rates. Why? Because the Banks still have to compete with the Mono Lenders. It doesn't seem fair that you are a client of the Bank, pay lots of service charges just to bank with that Bank and then they give you a higher rate for a mortgage?

If you have any questions, send me an email at akroemer@mortgagegroup.com
                                                              Phone or text me at 1.250.650.4182

For a great Mortgage

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