Although credit cards interest rates have not been affected by the recent surge in the prime lending rate, the fact remains that credit card debt is usually the most expensive debt you can have. The average is around 20% and even the so-called ‘low interest’ cards carry a rate in excess of 10%. Expediting the demise of your credit card balance should be the number one focus for anyone looking to improve their financial situation. Here are five actions to get you started.

1. If you are carrying a balance, the first step is to put the card(s) away. Whether you put them in the food processor or just temporarily turn them off (our recommendation), you need to own up to your mistake and not add any more fuel to the fire. If it’s the case where you have no choice but to use the card (a prepayment for example) make sure to make a payment to cover that charge right away.
2. Take a minute to fully understand the consequences of a credit card balance. Search out the details of your credit card statement until your find the section that tells you exactly how many years it will take to eliminate that balance with minimum payments. While you are at it, make sure to confirm the interest charge for that month and just how little of your payment is actually going toward reducing the balance. It can be a bit shocking, but also quite motivating! The government has a simple online calculator for you to easily analyze different repayment options.
3. Plan your repayment attack. Making a few random spending sacrifices and hoping that you will have a little more left at the end of the month to pay towards your card is wishful thinking. You need to figure out ASAP the maximum amount you can throw at your credit card debt every month and chart out when you are going to be debt-free. Set up an automatic transfer from your bank account to your card every payday and make that money invisible – you can’t spend what you can’t see!
4. Investigate balance-transfer credit card options… but only if you have a plan and are confident you can pay off the balance within the prescribed period! A balance transfer card shifts your debt to a new card (for little or no fee) which offers a limited time period (usually 6 -12 months) with a very low interest rate (often 0%) to pay off the balance. This cuts your interest expense to zero and ensures that 100% of your payment goes to reducing the balance. However, you have to be very disciplined and have the income to make regular payments. The card company is literally banking on you to fail and hopes you will miss the payment deadline, because that will trigger an avalanche of penalties, fees and interest charges that will put you worse off than ever!
5. Pick up the phone and call your card company. It might be more possible and easier than you think to actually negotiate a lower interest rate on your credit card. If you have had a card for a while and have been carrying a balance and making the minimum payments, you are a valued customer! Your card issuer is very interested in keeping your business and may be willing to negotiate. You will have to get through to the right people and know what to say, but 15 or 20 minutes on the phone could save you a chunk of cash – even a few percentage points would help.

The above tips will help you get started on the road to eliminating your credit card balance. There are no shortcuts and it may require a lot of sacrifice depending on how much debt you have, but the mental burden that lifts when you see a big zero under “balance due” it will be worth it!

by our DLC Marketing team

Home Renovations – Reality vs. Television.

Watching home renovation shows is inspiring, often providing us with ideas for our own spaces. However, there is a bit of a downside when it comes to these shows – they can be misleading when it comes to the renovation process.

While we may want to recreate something from one of these shows, without knowing all of the ins and outs, you could be starting a project you’re not ready for! In order to sort out what is real and what is television magic, we have broken down some of the components that go along with a renovation.

Budget & Financing

When it comes to most home renovation shows, there is little to no discussion regarding finances. In reality, if you’re looking to renovate your home you would want to discuss with your mortgage broker or a mortgage expert from Dominion Lending Centres to determine your options.

Some of the ways that you can finance a renovation include:

1. Mortgage Refinancing: This option will allow you to borrow up to 80% of your home’s appraised value (less any outstanding mortgage balance). Refinancing your mortgage (if approved) will provide you to access funds immediately and tends to have lower interest rates than a standard credit card or personal loan. This is best suited to large-scale renovations or remodels. You will want to refinance at the end of the mortgage term whenever possible to avoid breaking your mortgage and owing penalties.
2. Purchase Plus Improvements Mortgage: This is a great option if you haven’t yet bought that home and will allow you to finance your renovation at the time of purchase. This type of mortgage is available to assist buyers with making simple upgrades, not conducting major renovations where structural modifications are made. Simple renovations include paint, flooring, windows, a hot-water tank, a new furnace, kitchen updates, bathroom updates, a new roof, basement finishing, and more. Depending on your mortgage, the Purchase Plus Improvements (PPI) product can allow you to borrow between 10% and 20% of the initial value for renovations.
3. Financing Improvements Upon Purchase: Similarly to Purchase Plus Improvements, this option allows you to finance your renovation project at the time of a new purchase by adding the estimated costs to your mortgage with CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance. You can obtain financing with only a 5% down payment for both the purchase of your home and the renovations for up to 95% of the value after renovations! Plus, there are no additional fees or premiums and you can earn added rebates for energy-saving renos.
4. Line of Credit or Home Equity Loans: Lastly, you always have the option of utilizing a secured line of credit or home equity loan to pay for your renovation. Securing your renovation loan against the equity in your home can typically be up to 80% of the property value; accessible at any time. This will typically provide lower interest than non-secured financing and allows you to access funds at any time.

Once you have your source of renovation financing, you need to create a budget. On television, it is very hard to determine whether a renovation budget that is listed is accurate. In fact, in some cases the network or show itself even adds to the budget behind the scenes! As viewers, we are simply not aware of what has been factored into those numbers by the television producers such as design fees, permits, labour, material costs, promotional giveaways, etc.

Fortunately, when it comes to reality, you can easily create a realistic budget for your renovation by simply doing some research and requesting quotes. Working with a professional contractor in these cases is crucial to ensure all the work done is to code and to avoid any surprises down the line. A professional can also help you create a detailed budget and timeline for your project so you know what to expect. During all stages of the renovation from picking out paint and new tile to labour costs, be sure to consult your budget. You don’t want to be partway through your renovation only to find out that you’ve run out of money due to making changes or selecting more expensive materials!

Renovation Timeline

Perhaps one of the least realistic aspects of home renovation shows is the timeline. It can seem like just a few short weeks to re-do your entire kitchen, but in reality, that timeline is often stretched.

Working with your contractor to create a realistic timeline based on your goals will help make the process less stressful and ensure you know what you’re getting into BEFORE you start.

Keep in mind, just because you’re ready to renovate, that doesn’t mean a contractor will be available. You may also run into snags such as material shortages or other issues so keep that in mind when you are planning out your timeline.

Planning & Design

When it comes to home renovation television, there is often an interior designer who comes in and makes decisions without the clients; in reality, that is not the case. When it comes to a real-life renovation, all the changes would be well-documented and planned out in advance with the clients (or by the client). In addition, unlike television shows that don’t show certain aspects, you will need to ensure you get building permits and inspections done throughout your renovation. While it can be time-consuming, this is extra important to ensure that your renovation is legal and therefore covered by insurance should anything happen.

While doing a home renovation in real life is different from television, with the right planning and support team for financing and contracting, you can bring your vision to life! Contact your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage expert to get started.

written by my dlc marketing team

Saving for a down payment is one of the biggest challenges facing people wanting to buy their first home.
To fulfill the conditions of your mortgage approval, it’s all about what you can prove (hard to believe – but some people have lied in the past – horrors!).
Documentation of down payment is required by all lenders to protect against fraud and to prove that you are not borrowing your down payment, which changes your lending ratios and potential your mortgage approval.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED BY THE LENDER TO VERIFY YOUR DOWN PAYMENT

This is a government anti-money laundering requirement and protects the lender against fraud.

1. Personal Savings/Investments: Your lender needs to see a minimum of 3 months’ history of where the money for your down payment is coming from including your: savings, Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) or investment money.

• Regularly deposit all your cash in the bank, don’t squirrel your money away at home. Lenders don’t like to hear that you’ve just deposited $10,000 cash that has been sitting under your mattress. Your bank statements will need to clearly show your name and your account number.
• Any large deposits outside of “normal” will need to be explained (i.e. tax return, bonus from work, sale of a large ticket item). If you have transferred money from once account to another you will need to show a record of the money leaving one account and arriving in the other. Lenders want to see a paper trail of where your down payment is coming from and how it got into your account.

2. Gifted Down Payment: In some expensive real estate markets like Metro Vancouver & Toronto, the bank of Mom & Dad help 20% of first time home buyers. You can use these gifted funds for your down payment if you have a signed gift letter from your family member that states the down payment is a true gift and no repayment is required.

• Gifted down payments are only acceptable from immediate family members: parents, grandparents & siblings.
• Be prepared to show the gifted funds have been deposited in your account 15 days prior to closing. The lender may want to see a transaction record. i.e. $30,000 from Bank of Mom & Dad’s account transferred to yours and a record of the $30,000 landing in your account. Bank documents will need to show the account number and names for the giver and receiver of the funds. Contact me for a sample gift letter.

3. Using your RRSP: If you’re a First Time Home Buyer, you may qualify to use up to $35,000 from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) for your down payment.

• Home Buyers Plan (HBP): Qualifying home buyers can withdraw up to $35,000 from their RRSPs to assist with the purchase of a home. The funds are not required to be used only for the down payment, but for other purposes to assist in the purchase of a home.
• If you buy a qualifying home together with your spouse or other individuals, each of you can withdraw up to $35,000.
• You must repay all withdrawals to your RRSP’s 15 years. Generally, you will have to repay an amount to your RRSP each year until you have repaid the entire amount you withdrew. If you do not repay the amount due for a year (i.e. $35,000/15 years = $2,333.33 per year), it will be added to your income for that year.
• Verifying your down payment from your RRSP, you will need to prove the funds show a 3-month RRSP history via your account statements which need to include your name and account number. Funds must be sitting in your account for 90 days to use them for HBP.

4. Proceeds from Selling Your Existing Home: If your down payment is coming from the proceeds of selling your currently home, then you will need to show your lender an accepted offer of Purchase and Sale (with all subjects removed) between you and the buyer of your current home.

• If you have an existing mortgage on your current home, you will need to provide an up-to-date mortgage statement.

5. Money from Outside Canada: Using funds from outside of Canada is acceptable, but you need to have the money on deposit in a Canadian financial institution at least 30 days before your closing date.  Most lenders will also want to see that you have enough funds to cover Property Transfer Tax (in BC) PLUS 1.5% of the purchase price available in your account to cover your closing costs (i.e. legal, appraisal, home inspection, taxes, etc.).

• Property Transfer Tax (PTT) All buyers pay Property Transfer Tax (except first-time buyers purchasing under $500,000 and New Builds under $750,000). This is a cash expense, in addition to your down payment.
  Property Transfer Tax (PTT) cannot be financed into the mortgage

Buying a home for the first time can be stressful, therefore being prepared with the right documentation for your down payment and closing costs can make the process much easier.
Mortgages are complicated, but they don’t have to be. Contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional near you.

Buying a home might just be the biggest purchase of your life—it’s important to do your homework before jumping in! We have outlined the 5 mistakes First Time Home Buyers commonly make, and how you can avoid them and look like a Home Buying Champ.

1. Shopping Outside Your Budget
It’s always an excellent idea to get pre-approved prior to starting your house hunting. This can give you a clear idea of exactly what your finances are and what you can comfortably afford. Your Mortgage Broker will give you the maximum amount that you can spend on a house but that does not mean that you should spend that full amount. There are additional costs that you need to consider (Property Transfer Tax, Strata Fees, Legal Fees, Moving Costs) and leave room for in your budget. Stretching yourself too thin can lead to you being “House Rich and Cash Poor” something you will want to avoid. Instead, buying a home within your home-buying limit will allow you to be ready for any potential curve balls and to keep your savings on track.

2. Forgetting to Budget for Closing Costs
Most first-time buyers know about the down payment, but fail to realize that there are a number of costs associated with closing on a home. These can be substantial and should not be overlooked. They include:

• Legal and Notary Fees
• Property Transfer Tax (though, as a First Time Home Buyer, you might be exempt from this cost).
• Home Inspection fees

There can also be other costs included depending on the type of mortgage and lender you work with (ex. Insurance premiums, broker/lender fees). Check with your broker and get an estimate of what the cost will be once you have your pre-approval completed.

3. Buying a Home on Looks Alone
It can be easy to fall in love with a home the minute you walk into it. Updated kitchen + bathrooms, beautifully redone flooring, new appliances…what’s not to like? But before putting in an offer on the home, be sure to look past the cosmetic upgrades. Ask questions such as:

1. When was the roof last done?
2. How old is the furnace?
3. How old is the water heater?
4. How old is the house itself? And what upgrades have been done to electrical, plumbing, etc.
5. When were the windows last updated?

All of these things are necessary pieces to a home and are quite expensive to finance, especially as a first- time buyer. Look for a home that has solid, good bones. Cosmetic upgrades can be made later and are far less of a headache than these bigger upgrades.

4. Skipping the Home Inspection
In a red-hot housing market a new trend is for homebuyers to skip the home inspection. This is one thing we recommend you do not skip! A home inspection can turn up so many unforeseen problems such as water damage, foundational cracks and other potential problems that would be expensive to have to repair down the road. The inspection report will provide you a handy checklist of all the things you should do to make sure your home is in great shape.

5. Not Using a Broker
We compare prices for everything: Cars, TV’s, Clothing… even groceries. So, it makes sense to shop around for your mortgage too! If you are relying solely on your bank to provide you with the best rate you may be missing out on great opportunities that a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker can offer you. They can work with you to and multiple lenders to find the sharpest rate and the best product for your lifestyle.

More and more Canadians do not have a defined benefits pension plan. Companies are moving away from this model due to the expense of maintaining enough in the fund to pay out until the employee and survivors die. Those who are self employed also do not have pensions beside the Canadian Pension Plan.
What can you do if you fall into this category? How do you save enough to have a comfortable retirement? The answer is, build up your own investments through a real estate portfolio.

In order to purchase a revenue property you need 20% down payment . This can be a huge sum to save and you could get discouraged as you see property prices rising. There is a legal work around that is an open secret that realtors and other property investors have used for years.

Purchase a starter home with a 5% down payment. While you are living in the property, it is considered as your primary residence and any increase in value is tax free. Start from Day 1 to save for your next home. You may purchase a condo as the prices are usually less than most detached homes in Canadian cities. When you have saved 5% or if your present home has increased enough in value that you have more than 20% in equity you can remove that extra equity with a line of credit or by refinancing your home you can now purchase a larger home. Now you move to House #2 and rent out House #1.

You are now on your way to building a real estate portfolio. If you repeat this every 3 to 5 years in 20 years you’ll have a portfolio of 4 or more rental properties Is this for everyone? No, if you aren’t handy and if you don’t want the expense of hiring a property management company you cold end up spending your free time on maintenance of several homes.

Talk to your financial advisor or accountant first and then meet with your local Dominion Lending Centre mortgage professional. We can provide answers to your real estate financial needs.

Oftentimes even the most organized and detail oriented first-time homebuyer can overlook some unexpected costs that come with the purchase of their new home. We are outlining 4 of the costs that we most commonly see overlooked by home buyers in hopes that we can better prepare you—and save you from a few surprises!

1. Closing Costs.

Congratulations! Your offer was just accepted on your new home, you’re one step closer to adding a major asset to your portfolio! We don’t want to shock or dampen the excitement of this moment. However, it’s important that you factor in closing costs right at the beginning of your purchase.

The best time to do this is before even applying for your pre-approval or making any offers on a home. Closing costs may include:
>insurance
>taxes (Land Transfer, Property, and others depending on what province you are in)
>legal/notary fees
>inspection/appraisal fees.

A general rule of thumb is to set aside 1.5% of the purchase price to account for the closing costs above. To plan ahead, consider speaking to a mortgage broker and your realtor. They can help you determine just how much you should set aside to accommodate those additional closing costs.

2. Utility Bills.
If you’ve gotten used to living in a small space, such as a condo or an apartment, you may be surprised how much more water, heat, and energy you consume in a larger space such as a detached home or a townhouse.

It’s important to prepare for these as you do not want to have a “surprise” when your bill arrives in the mail and it’s nearly double what you are used to spending!

Factoring in these bills is also crucial if you are going from renting to owning! Often times the landlord will cover a portion of your utility bills or your cable/internet depending on the contract you had with your landlord. Of course, once you are a homeowner, you are covering the entire cost! Ask family members, friends, even your mortgage broker or realtor what is a realistic cost for things such as cable and internet, water, heat, etc. You’d be surprised how fast they can add up!

3. Renovations and Updates.

Unless you bought a newly built, brand new home, there is undoubtedly going to be future renovations and updates that you will need to do on your home. They may not need to happen right when you move in, but sometimes the unexpected does happen and having money set aside can make a world of difference! When you have your home inspection completed, make a prioritized list of what will need to be fixed/updated first and set aside money each month for it.

In addition to the “must do” updates/renovations, new property owners may also want to make aesthetic improvements, whether they mean to reside there or not. Naturally, a homeowner wants to make the place feel more like their own, and investors want to add value their investment or make adjustments to make the asset more aesthetically pleasing.

4. Ongoing Maintenance
Home’s require maintenance—all the time! Ask any homeowner and they will tell you that there is always home maintenance in one form or another happening. A few common home maintenance costs may include:
• Gutter cleaning
• Roof repair/maintenance
• Drywall repair
• Furnace cleaning
• HVAC and Duct cleaning
• General plumbing and electrical fixes
Every home is different in regards to how much you should budget annually for regular maintenance. It will depend on the age of your home, square footage, climate in your region, and overall condition of your home.

In closing, property ownership shouldn’t be dampened by financial rules caused by lack of preparation. All of these costs, as well as additional other costs, are easy to plan ahead for and to ensure that you have budget set aside each and every single month to make sure that you stay on track. As a rule of thumb, the CMHC states that your housing costs including mortgage payment should not exceed 39% of your monthly income. Treat this number as a point of reference when you’re doing your budget and consider leaving room for the unexpected. It’ll give you peace of mind on the long run and allow you to actually enjoy your new home!