Tag Archive for: mortgage professional

Are you sitting on a “Gold Mine”?

“A penny saved is a penny earned”, or so the old proverb goes. Of course, the value of a penny has changed somewhat from the time when your mother offered her wisdom on the value of keeping what you earn. Today, you could save thousands of dollars by simply making the right mortgage decision. If you are like most Canadian homeowners, your mortgage could be a gold mine of potential savings.

In the past few articles, we have talked about the importance of your mortgage as one of your most significant financial decisions. We have explored the value of seeking the advice of a mortgage professional whether you are buying, or renewing your current mortgage. Today, let us take a look at the bottom line, the savings that you can enjoy by making the right mortgage decisions.

It is the primary goal of a mortgage professional to find you the right mortgage product for your personal situation. A good mortgage professional is a financial professional and like your investment advisor, they want to understand your personal situation. Your mortgage professional has access to a wide variety of lenders, from institutional, trust to private, so they can help you to do some valuable comparison shopping for the right combination of terms and conditions to suit your needs.

All these choices offer you substantial opportunities to save money over the life of your mortgage. 

If you are like most homeowners, you are focused and for good reason on finding the best possible terms for your mortgage. ( Notice I did not say rate!). A good mortgage professional will find you the best possible rates and terms to suit your needs. If we can talk about rate for a second, if I can save you 1% on your rate, that would translate to more thank 13K in interest per 100K borrowed over 25 years. 

As I said there is more to it than just rate. There are other ways to find savings in your mortgage. A good mortgage professional is up to date with the latest terms and conditions, and we can custom fit a mortgage for your requirements. 

As I covered in previous postings there are many ways to mine your mortgage for gold. If you are interested in how your mortgage may be used to help you live a debt free lifestyle, then ask us about a no obligation debt analysis. So we can show you how much sooner you can be living a debt free lifestyle.

 

Cheers,

Pat

Mortgage Brokers are helping more and more people!

When it comes to mortgage financing, more and more Canadians are choosing to work with a professional mortgage broker. According to a study conducted by CMHC, over 25% of mortgages  were originated by mortgage brokers.

Canadians are just catching up with our American neighbors, who are far less likely to just walk into their neighborhood bank for a mortgage. Over 70% off all American mortgages were originated by a mortgage broker.

If we follow the U.S. model and that seems most likely, then Canadian are in for changes in the way that they manage their most significant personal asset. It all makes sense, investment returns are not as lucrative as they were just 5 years ago and investors are looking for ways to make gains through avenues that they may have overlooked.

There are some significant benefits to working with an independent mortgage broker. Firstly, let’s compare mortgage expertise: Most banks have one or more representatives who are specifically assigned to assist with mortgages. Their role is to develop mortgage business for the banks. An independent mortgage broker on the other hand is a trained mortgage professional who has met standards for education. The comprehensive training of an independent mortgage broker may exceed the training of their counterpart at the banks. Most importantly the mortgage broker is independent. They are not employee’s of a lending institution, however they have access to terms and conditions for a full spectrum of charted banks, and other lending institutions. Their role is the find the best possible terms and conditions that meet your needs.

Let’s also look at choice: An independent mortgage broker offers you access to many competitive lenders, each with a range of mortgage options. It would take weeks of research, telephoning and personal visits to recreate the range of terms and conditions that a mortgage broker has at their finger tips. Rate information, mortgage options, and payment schedules are up to the minute, so you and your broker can make valid comparisons of the options available. The result of all this choice is a mortgage witch is customized to meet your needs and to save you money.

Also consider accessibility. Your mortgage does not sleep, just kidding, but we are available to you both before and after your mortgage closes. However if you prefer you can be put on hold or get put in an endless voicemail answering loop at your local bank.

Over all clients have turned to mortgage brokers for better terms and conditions. Access to a broad range of lending institutions is also a critical advantage to mortgage shoppers. If we can just save you a quarter point, that can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage. Many mortgage brokers work with large brokerage firms with sufficient mortgage volumes and that can help get you the best possible rates and terms for your mortgage. Canadian who have used a broker, are more likely to continue using one than to ever return to a world where they have to accept the best posted rate at their local bank.

Add a mortgage broker to your team!

For most Canadians, buying a home is the largest financial decision they will make in their lifetime. Yet, consumers across the country are more likely to painstakingly review dozens of investment possibilities for their portfolios than to scrutinize their mortgage choices. 

The mortgage world like the investment world can sometimes be confusing. There is a vast array of choices, open, closed, fixed, variable or floating, long or short amortization, prepayment options, portability and of course the rate itself. Making the right mortgage decision can have a huge impact over the long term.

Many Canadians have an investment advisor to help them sort through all their investment choices. Now Canadians are also beginning to turn to Mortgage Brokers to help them make better mortgage decisions. We are just starting to catch up with our counterparts south of the border, ( American’s rather than Mexican’s for those with less then stellar geography skills) where mortgage brokers currently originate about 70% of the mortgages.

So what is a mortgage broker? ( See my last post or read on for a summary) The role of a mortgage broker is to understand your mortgage needs, seek out the best terms and conditions for your situation, and guide you through the lending process. A mortgage broker does not work for any individual institution or lender, but is independent, and has up to the minute terms for a wide variety of banks and other lending institutions. 

  There was a time when the banks exercised the view that they “ owned “ their customers, and mortgage brokers were perceived only as a last resort for consumers with less than perfect credit history. However times have changed, and consumers of every type are learning that they can benefit from the professional advice of a mortgage broker.

Just as a good investment advisor can make you thousands of dollars, a good mortgage broker will save you thousands of dollars. Whether you are buying for 1st home or your 5th, renewing your mortgage, or just looking for sound mortgage advice, then you should consider adding a mortgage broker to financial team this year!