Tag Archive for: Mortgage Expert

Family First

I help families finance their dream home or their next home. The needs of the family will always come before the needs of the business. Closing dates can be changed and documents can wait till emergencies have been dealt with.

This rings true this week. I have been working closing a file for a client and just needed a few more documents to make it happen when one of his kids had an accident at school and had to get rushed to the hospital. While family emergencies do happen, I have always said that there are no mortgage emergencies. Everything becomes easier once you have taken care of your family.

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

Virtually yours

Since the start of the pandemic, I have pretty much eliminated face to face meetings. I may have done 3 in the past 3 years and hundreds of virtual meetings. Of those three meetings in person one did not show up, so I am not only losing the actual time that I have blocked off for the meeting, I lose the time to get there and the time to get back. Which is a killer for productivity.

Virtual meetings are a whole different story. Yes I still block off the same amount of time to meet with the person, but if they are a no show it’s not a great loss of time. Typically I will wait in the online meeting room for up to 15 minutes after the start time, cause sometimes life happens. Then if they are a no show it’s no big deal, I can not miss a beat in my day and continue to stay productive.

When I started doing this 20 years ago, we didn’t have these options. When documents needed to be signed it was always in person, and driving all over town to meet with people was not very productive. Now in the digital age of online meeting software and digital signing programs it can all be done remotely. Saving everyone time and yet remaining productive.

Today I am thankful for the fact that our Canadian Girls did it again and won the Olympic Hockey Gold medal, that I don’t lose any productivity when clients don’t show up for virtual meetings and kids walking to school cause the weather is nice.

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

Might does not make right

Just because you may be bigger, faster, stronger or heck even richer than others does not give you the right to treat people poorly and do as you please. Muhammad Ali said it best when he said ” I do not trust anyone who’s nice to me but rude to the waiter. Because they would treat me the same way if I were in that position.” If you want to be treated fairly then treat people how you want to be treated. The golden rule was valid 2,0000 years ago and still valid now.

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

Freedoms & responsiblities

There is a lot of talk recently about freedoms and I think that is best paired with responsibilities. We are free to do so many things but we are also held responsible to not do others for the sake of public safety. You have the freedom to drink as much as you want, but you have a personal responsibility not to drink and drive or you will be fined or worse kill yourself or others. The same applies to wearing your seat belt, owning a firearm or now getting or not getting vaccinated.

Note that many of the things that you are free to do also come with an equal level of personal responsibility. Since I am a mortgage broker, you can if you so wish decide that you no longer want to make your mortgage payments. That’s your right to do so. However remember that comes with a lot of responsibility so if you decide to no longer make the payments you are responsible to make, the bank will simply foreclose on your property.

It’s a double edged sword, and as long as you are responsible you will be fine. You have to balance freedom with your personal responsibility to your community and your country as a whole. Yes you can say what ever you want but if what you say is hateful, racist or degrading you will be held accountable. As long as you are aware of the balance and can toe the line and respect the rules we will all get along just fine.

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 Valentines Day

If you are lucky enough to have someone special in your life or even if you are between special someone’s, I just want to wish you a very Happy Valentines Day.

“All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt”. Charles M Schultz

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

Meh Football

Yes I now there is a big football game on today, the truth of the matter is that I just don’t care. I like many people could care less about the sport, but if you’re like me and could care less about the so called big game, here are few things to occupy your time while your spouse, significant other, friends and family occupy themselves with the sporting event.

  1. Read a good book
  2. Take your dog for a walk
  3. Play a board game with your kids
  4. Do an intense workout
  5. Talk with an old friend
  6. Make a gourmet meal
  7. Watch a good movie
  8. Do my taxes
  9. Watch “Housewives” with my wife
  10. Preform my own dentistry

These are all things I prefer to do than watching football. However to each our own, and as long as you enjoy it then I hope it’s a good game.

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

A leopard and it’s spots

Just like a leopard can’t change it’s spots, if your friend cheats at golf he will most likely cheat at cards, lie to his wife and cheat on his taxes. So while they might be great fun at a party they are definitely not someone that you want to go into business with or lend money. People who lie and cheat will do so when ever the opportunity presents itself, so if you have seem them lie or cheat before don’t say that you have not been warned.

To protect yourself against any possible wrong doing, get it in writing. They may yell and scream when their errant ways have been discovered but if you have evidence in writing you will be fine.

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

Seller’s Market

As many of you know we are definitely in the midst of an intense seller’s market. New properties hit the market only long enough in some cases for your first and only viewing before it is sold shortly there after. It’s also the low number of new listings that are pushing the pricing higher on the remaining few on the market.

So while I am waiting to get the data that I requested from NSAR, here is some proof that we are in a very hot housing market. In Dec of 2020 the average cost of a home in Halifax/Dartmouth was $400,965 and just 12 months later that had jumped by 22.2% to $490,127. All the while the whole country averaged a 17.7% increase and the the markets everyone mentions in the news Toronto was up 31.1% and Vancouver was up 17.3%

While all this talk and news reports about pending rate increases may temporally calm the market, it will not correct the greater underlying issue which is that we have a fundamental supply problem. We do not have enough homes for people who want to buy them nor do we have enough rental unit for those looking to down size. This is preventing the empty nesters from selling as they have no place to go. Until these factors are correct we will be seeing price wars and multiple offers on properties for a while yet.

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

More Options

One of the benefits of dealing with a mortgage broker is that we have more financing options for our clients from more diverse lenders. Yes I know the other side of the debate and the multitude of products available at the big banks. However more products from the big bank may not help you when all you need is financing for your new home. Who cares if they have a great rate on savings accounts if they are unable to help you finance your property.

This brings me to the new lender to my portfolio. They have just started lending her in the maritimes and are registered with all three high ratio mortgage insurers. They have a rather unique product that you need to hear about. There are many lenders who have purchase plus improvement mortgage and these are proving a required element in today’s tight housing market due to the fact that the perfect home is now longer available so you must now make it perfect.

So back to the new guy, the typical purchase plus program allows you to increase your purchase price by 10% or 40K which ever is less. The new lender allows you to go to 20% or up to 100,000. This is incredible as with the recent spike in property prices and the cost of renovations, there is not much you can accomplish with 10% or 40K.

If the house that you plan on buying requires some work, and most do in today’s market then this is definitely a program to check out.

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

Discipline

discipline dĭs′ə-plĭn

noun

  1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.

Are you someone with high standards and has implemented a rigorous program of self-improvement and discipline. The common known fact about discipline is that you either put in the work now or you will end up paying for it later.

Yes it is tough when you are going through it, whether that be for your self or your kids. I still remember sitting on the floor with my wife outside my kids room when they were babies as we were sleep training them. Yes those first few moments were heart breaking but in the end it was well worth it.

The same applies to your fitness habits. Put in the work now so you can have a long and healthy life. In your professional career too, yes entry level jobs are necessary for society to function but if you have higher aspirations then you must be willing to work for it. Lastly but most importantly for a lot of people is your finances. Learn to control and manage your money even when you don’t have much, that way you will always be in control of your finances in stead of debt & money controlling you.

“Winners embrace hard work. They love the discipline of it, the trade-off they’re making to win. Losers, on the other hand, see it as punishment. And that’s the difference”. Lou Holtz

Today I am thankful for the continued pain and discomfort of discipline that has made me and my kids who we are today, a morning when it wasn’t raining or snowing in the first time in a week, and that fact that my kids could take the bus to school.

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