The lowdown on the mortgage approval process

Whether you are purchasing, refinancing, or moving your mortgage to a new lender, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the mortgage approval process. It’s a big financial commitment so you’ll want to be sure you can move through the process with confidence. Here is a general overview:

What’s your need?

First, it’s important that we review your situation so I can help you with any hurdles you may encounter and answer your questions. For instance, I can provide tips that can help quickly bolster your credit score, a very important aspect of the mortgage approval process.  If you are ready, we’ll then move forward with getting the mortgage application completed. I will also let you know what documentation you’ll need to collect to secure your financing.

Application processing

Once I have all your documents, I’ll recommend and submit your application to the best lender with the right mortgage product for your needs.

The lender will verify your employment and banking information, review your credit report, and make sure that both your finances and the property meet all the qualifying guidelines for the mortgage. They will also order a property appraisal if required. Your application will also need mortgage insurer approval if you have less than 20% down.

If your application meets all the guidelines, we’ll receive a mortgage commitment, which means you are approved subject to certain conditions being met. We’ll review the lender’s conditions and make sure they’re satisfied and accepted so we get a “file complete” You’ll sign the commitment and it’ll be returned to your lender. If you are purchasing a home, you can then waive your financing condition.

It’s important that you don’t make any significant changes to your income or debts before your mortgage closes.

Pre-Closing & Funding

You’ll meet with your lawyer approximately a week before your mortgage closes, who will advise what you need to bring. Your lawyer will submit the documents to be registered on title and will transfer the funds on closing day.   

Follow-Up

Some brokers would say goodbye at this point, but I think your mortgage is way too important. I’ll stay in touch all the way through, exploring every option to save you money and help you achieve your long-term goals. I’m with you every step of the way!

Get a pre-approval!

If you are shopping for a new home, a preapproval will tell you how much you qualify for, what your mortgage payments will be, and you’ll get an interest rate that will be held for a specific period of time, like 120 days. This way, you won’t fall in love with a home you can’t afford, or you may find that you’re ready for the house of your dreams and didn’t know it. You’ll be shopping with a full wallet!

5 reasons homeowners refinance their mortgage

There has been a flurry of refinance activity this year given our rock bottom interest rates, providing homeowners with access to today’s low rates and the most cost-effective way to get needed funds. Refinancing means getting out of your current mortgage and replacing it with a new one. A minimum of 20% home equity is required to complete a refinance.

There are several compelling reasons why homeowners refinance their mortgage:

1. To get a lower interest rate.  Refinancing to get a lower rate makes sense if the savings you achieve with the lower rate is greater than the cost of getting out of your existing mortgage.
2. A much-needed financial reset. Debt restructuring is one of the primary reasons homeowners refinance. If you have too much high-interest debt that is eating your monthly cash flow, you may be able to get the breathing room you need by rolling that debt into a new low-interest mortgage. You’ll get one manageable monthly payment, immediate cash-flow relief, and long-term interest savings. It is also a great way to improve and protect your credit score.
3. Renovate. Homeowners are renovating to adapt to their new covid lifestyles, whether it’s to improve the quality of their lives, or for functionality like a new home office.  At the same time, your renovations can increase the value of your home, a nice added benefit.
4. Invest in the future. If you’ve found the perfect cottage or the retirement home of your dreams, refinancing may be the way to make that purchase happen if you’re not quite ready to sell your primary residence. Or perhaps you are thinking rental property for a long-term wealth building opportunity and a source of retirement income.
5. You need funds. You may be able to get the funds you need for major expenses, like a new business, tuition, or wedding, often a better strategy than loading it all onto high-interest credit cards or unsecured line of credit.

Since breaking your current mortgage comes with a fee, I would be happy to complete a personalized cost/benefit analysis so you can determine whether refinancing makes sense. The fee to break your mortgage depends on several factors so it’s best to get in touch to discuss. It is not expected that rates will go much lower so there may not be any benefit to waiting to see if you can get a better deal later.

Get in touch at any time. It’s my job to help you create financial security and enjoy life to the fullest!

Important credit score tips

There’s a virtual credit file with your name on it! When it comes time to take out a mortgage, that file gets opened and the result is a credit score that will help determine whether and how much you can borrow and at what rate.  

The good news is that you are entirely in control of your own credit score. Even if your past credit history has been bumpy, there are steps you can take to increase your score: showing lenders that you are a good risk and worthy of their best rates. Here are a few important tips:

1. Never let a bill get past due. This is the single biggest factor in your credit score: paying your bills on time. Set up automatic payments if you can or keep a careful calendar. This one habit carries the most weight when it comes to your credit score so be sure to take it seriously.
2. Create your own credit limits. If the credit card company gives you a credit limit of $10,000, create your own limit of $3000: or no more than 30% of the available funds. Have more than one credit facility? Balance them out. It’s better to be at 30% on three cards than have one at the limit and two that are never used. You want to show that you are using your credit but using it wisely. 
3. If you are getting too close to your limit, pay more than the minimum every month and work towards clearing off your balance entirely. Having your credit limits increased can help if that doesn’t cause additional spending.
4. Keep that history. Make sure you do have a credit history. You may have a low score because you do not have a record of owing money and paying it back. Since history is important, you don’t want to cancel a card and lose that history. The longer you’ve had a card, the clearer the picture is of how you manage your debt. If you feel you really need to cancel a card, get advice first.
5. Never ever let a bill go to collections. This can be a tough one if you’re short of money or a bill is under dispute. But a bill that is sent to collections is - next to bankruptcy - one of the blackest marks on your good credit name. If you’re having trouble paying, talk to the creditor about a negotiated payment plan. 
6. Be selective. Applying too frequently for credit has a negative impact on your score. A raft of cards looks like you’re an out-of-control spender and not a good credit risk. So when you’re asked - would you like to apply for our Store Card to save on your purchase – just say no; the high rate that goes with that card isn`t worth your savings on that particular purchase.

Get in touch if you want to discuss taking control of your credit score. If you need to get a mortgage while you’re still working on improving your score, I can also advise how that may be possible. I do this all the time and am here to help! 

Could an investment property be your pension?

The recent shock to the economy has had many Canadians thinking seriously about what their life might look like after their paycheques stop. Even if you have a workplace pension plan to look forward to, you may find it falls short of the income you’d like to live on. Is it possible to take your pension into your own hands and create sustainable long-term income?

An investment property has the potential to provide a monthly income and grow your wealth over time. Property values have a good track record of appreciation, and often outperform stocks and bonds over the long term. And, with interest rates so low, this is a wealth-building strategy that is within reach of ordinary Canadians -

• Most Canadians look for a way to transition into their retirement years, even more so as COVID changes their prospects and priorities. An investment property can supplement income now and boost pension income later: potentially giving more freedom, sooner.
• Many working Canadians who have found their dream retirement property have decided to buy now and lock in the price, renting for income until it’s time to use it themselves.
• Some first-time buyers want to skip a “starter condo” and go directly to a single-family home in a neighbourhood they love - by using income from a rental suite to help them pay the mortgage. Or when their first home becomes too small, they move to a bigger home but keep the first as a rental property.
• Parents often realize that the monthly cost of housing for their college or university student might as well support their own mortgage - and not someone else’s, while also gaining a sound investment.

So, what kind of downpayment will you need?

If you will be living in one of the units, then the property is considered “owner occupied”. If you’re not living there yourself, you’ll need a larger downpayment:

• Owner Occupied: 5% down for 1-2 units on the first $500,000 and 10% on any amount over $500,000; 10% down for 3-4 units 

•  Non-Owner Occupied: 20% downpayment is required, and the funds must come from your own savings (you cannot use gifted funds). Only a portion of rental income can be used for qualifying purposes.

Another option if you already have equity in your primary residence - is to refinance your home to generate the cash for the investment property.

Ideally you want it to be cash flow positive right from the start, so be sure to think about closing costs, needed repairs, and whether you can cover the costs for this and your own property.

If you are thinking about an investment property, get in touch to have all your questions answered. I can help you determine your downpayment options and run the financial calculations that you will want to see for cash flow and capital appreciation.

Be safe. Be well. Be happy.

No need to panic over new mortgage rules

No one has a crystal ball to see what the next few months - or years - will bring, but it’s likely that some Canadians will have trouble with their debt in the wake of COVID. With that possibility in mind, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recently announced that it is tightening the rules for Canadian homebuyers looking for insured mortgages. Homebuyers with less than 20% downpayment require mortgage default insurance: an important protection for Canadian lenders.

Alternative options available

This is a great time to work with a mortgage broker! I work with dozens of lenders… and private mortgage insurers – Genworth Canada and Canada Guaranty - that are an alternative to CMHC. Neither have announced new underwriting guidelines, which means I expect to be guiding many new homebuyers through these alternate insurance channels. This is great news and why there is no need to panic.

Get in touch at any time

Having trouble keeping up with all the changes lately? That’s why I’m here. My only focus is mortgages and I am always up to date on the changing mortgage marketplace. If you or someone you know is looking to buy, it’s important to get in touch early so we can put a solid plan in place. Or, if you have concerns about your current mortgage strategy, let’s talk, especially if you want to find out if you can renegotiate your mortgage to take advantage of today’s low rates, or refinance to consolidate troubling high-interest debt.

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Summary of the new CMHC rules (effective July 1):

1. Reduced buying power. Previously, CMHC allowed 44% of total income to service all your debt and up to 39% of total monthly income to service housing payments (principal, interest, taxes, heat, condo fees). They have now tightened this back to 42% of total income can now go to service all your debt, and 35% of total monthly income to service housing costs. This reduces a homebuyer’s purchasing power by anywhere from 9 to 11%. As an example, someone qualifying for a $500,000 home now, will see that decrease to approximately $445,000.
2. Higher minimum credit score. At least one applicant’s credit score must now be a minimum of 680, up from 600. Find out your own score - free - through Equifax or TransUnion.
3. Downpayment funds can no longer include most borrowed downpayment sources. Very few buyers used this option so this will have a minimal impact.