Yard Work

One of the most satisfying things about being a homeowner is yard work on a beautiful summer day. There are also quite a few benefits of having a well manicured lawn & garden.

  • Great curb appeal improves the value of your property.
  • An assortment of flowering plants and shrubs provides plenty of pollen for bee’s.
  • Gardening is great exercise
  • We have all spent way too long inside during the pandemic and gardening on a nice day is a great source of vitamin D
  • Gardening is also great stress relief

Today I am thankful for such a beautiful day to get yard work done, my daughter back home after a weekend camping with friends and a good book on a nice summer day.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2021-3000179) Broker (2021-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

YOLO

Let’s face it we all want the latest and greatest. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new car, new phone or new computer. If it is new and better than what we have now then we want it. We are very much a high consumption society. Our economy runs on it. However with the onset of inflation this year, and prices of fuel, housing and food going through the roof, that new TV or phone does not seem so important.

What used to be a no brainer ( getting that new phone), now you must think of your priorities, which are paying for your every day living expenses. Then and only then if there is money left over can one consider getting the latest and greatest gadget. The shift hasn’t happened yet as we are only a few months into this but it is coming.

So when people drastically cut back on their spending on the luxuries of life, companies sales decline, they make less money and start the trim their workforces. That YOLO attitude may not get you far as you can’t eat your phone. Start putting priorities in place and thinking long term about how budget for the important things in life. Check out YNAB as it will help you with that.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2021-3000179) Broker (2021-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Cost of living

I drive a mid sized SUV, a Nissan Pathfinder to be exact. As I have 3 kids and a large dog, we needed the room. However this past weekend I filed it up and for the first time ever it cost me $117 to go from low fuel light to full. While not that long ago in the heigh of the pandemic it cost less than $50 to fill it.

It’s not just gas that is going up, food, new and used vehicles, clothes and what in all the headlines is the cost of real estate. While the April CPI index has not been released yet, I think it may be safe to say that we may be in for another month of high inflation. As a result the bank of Canada has been increasing the overnight lending rate which then increases the prime rate. The next meeting scheduled for June 1st will most likely bring another 50 basis points increase.

All these rate increases are supposed to curb spending, therefor reducing demand which brings down inflation. However a lot of the recent prices increases have been due to the pandemic which is still going strong and the war in Ukraine that shows no sign of stopping. So there is no guarantee that these measures will have their desired effect.

The first time in 10 years we have 5 year fixed mortgage rates above 4%. So if you like the stability that the fixed rate will provide then it will be perfect for you. For me I like the flexibility of the variable. Know your risks, and choose a product that will help you sleep easy at night.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2021-3000179) Broker (2021-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Ho Ho Ho Homeowner

We are in the final few days of the ho ho ho season and it’s still time for you to become a ho ho ho homeowner. Quite a few of the buyers have put pause on their home hunting expeditions so it has increased the chances for people looking to become the successful bidder on that next or new home.

In fact I am finding that some of my clients who have been unsuccessful in the past are now coming out on top for these exact reasons. However this is not true in all cases as the stream of new listings has pretty much dried up as people now wait for after the holiday season. So if you are brave enough you might just find your next home while everyone else is enjoying thier eggnog.

Today I am thankful for a quick and painless appointment to get my new winter tires installed, the recent rise on online and curbside shopping so I don’t have the brave the crowds and all the holiday baking!

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!” -Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia, Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Happy Medium

Just like the story of Goldilocks and the three bears, we are always at our best with the happy medium. Nobody wants the steaming hot porridge or the stone cold porridge, the not too hot or not too cold one is perfect. The best athletes are the ones who are stoic meaning their outlook does not change whether they are winning or loosing. This helps them stay composed and focus on what they need to do in order to succeed.

It was this attitude and consistent performance that just led to Damian Warner to take the gold for Canada in the Decathlon. It’s naive to think that one must with all 10 events to capture the gold. You just need to be consistently toward the top of the field in each event to capture the gold, the same with the recent CrossFit Games where the new winner didn’t win any of the events but was consistently near the top to enable him to win.

Be consistent and persistent and almost any goal becomes manageable. For example, yes this is a very hot real estate market and to be able to enter it you need good credit and a down payment. Both of which can be achieved with time and a plan. Don’t sell yourself short as this is possible as I see it almost every day.

Today I am thankful for the sound of the rain in the early morning, clients and vendors who realize that good things take time specially in this market and learning more about my lending partners with each conversation as at the end of the day we are just people looking to help each other.

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” Steve Jobs

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia, Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Perspective

Let’s face it some days are less ideal than others. However in the grand scheme of things over the 30 some odd thousand days we are expected to live it’s probably really nothing to worry about. Don’t let one thing that didn’t go your way snowball into something much much worse. If you have to take a few deep breaths and put everything into perspective and change your state and get on with your day and your life then do it.

Today I am thankful for being told “when in a funk, get funky” and the smile it brought to my face, a cooler night and a better sleep and a great run to clear the head.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth.” Marcus Aurelius

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia, Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here