Tag Archive for: Mortgage solutions

Plan Ahead for 2023

Now that we are a few days into the new year and officially back to work, it’s a good idea to make some plans as to how you want the year to unfold. Cause if you don’t plan then you essentially plan to fail. Even if you had an amazing 2022, it is still a good idea to set new and bigger goals as nobody wants to stand still.

  • Do you have relationship goals?
  • What are your health goals?
  • What are your personal finance or income goals?
  • What are your contribution goals?
  • What travel destinations are on your bucket list for this year.

Find a goal that excites you. Don’t think small or write down something that you have done before. Make it big enough that it has to stretch you to reach it. The downside of not doing this is that you may find yourself doing the same thing that you have always done and helping someone else hit their goals.

Today I am thankful for a great holiday’s with my family, the excitement & drive to achieve fresh goals and the person I will become by exceeding them.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Year In Review

New Year’s Eve is typically when we look back to see how we did over the past 12 months. Don’t be too hard on yourself, the whole idea is just to see how you did and use the data to see how you can improve going into next year.

In 2022 I did:

  • 3750 cold calls ( yes I keep track)
  • 102 hours on my Peloton bike
  • 876 Km biking outside with my friends ( Thanks Strava, 10% improvement over 2021)
  • 565 Km ran ( thanks to my Nike + app)
  • 42,235 Km traveled to see clients
  • 9,776 pages read and finished 32 books ( Exceeded my target of 30 and tracked it all on Goodreads & StoryGraph)
  • Helped 20% more clients than the previous year

I have always felt strongly that if you track it then you can improve it. How did you do this year? Take a few minutes a look back at what you have accomplished and also be grateful for how far you have come this year, as you have made it this far. Then use those numbers as starting points to see what you can accomplish in 2023.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Christmas Break

The way the calendar works this year means that most of the people involved in financing will be off, unavailable or on reduced hours until January 3rd 2023. With the way the financial markets have been this year the break will be well deserved and allow me to spend some time with my family and plan for bigger and better things for next year.

So if you have any immediate financing needs then it will be best to get your request in very soon before all those needed to help you are no longer available.

Today I am thankful for having all my kids back home for Christmas, a lunch date with an old friend and the smell of fresh baked sweets all through the house.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Give and Take

Sometimes to get what you want you have to give a little bit to get it. Life is a game of compromises of all sorts. We can’t always bully people to doing things exactly how we want or we won’t have any friends. So give a little bit and take a little bit in return.

So whether I am doing someone’s residential or commercial financing project there is always a little give and take involved in getting it done. Want the best terms then you must be able to give all the documents required to get them. Anyone who is married and has kids will understand the daily negotiating that is involved.

Consider it a transfer of value the same as when you are buying your groceries or fuel for your vehicle. You have to give a little bit of your hard earned money to get what you want.

Today I am thankful for such an amazing World Cup final yesterday, that my daughter arrived safely back from university and that we were able to get her phone fixed without having to buy her a new one.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Last minute

Just like there are always last minute Christmas shoppers there are also last minute requests for financing before the lender, brokers and lawyers take a break for the holiday’s. While Christmas is now less than 10 days away, there is only 6 full banking days and two half days left before we complete 2022.

So if you are still hoping to close in 2022, you may have missed your chance. Any files in now are looking to close the 5th of January 2023 at the earliest. Also Keep in mind the dates on your contracts as I had to send one back this morning that had a condition date of January 14/2022 instead of January 14/2023.

The only sources who could possibly close before the end of the year are my private lenders. To get this accomplished however we would need a complete file including appraisal to make it happen. Otherwise let’s plan for next year.

Today I am thankful that I have my cousin in Ottawa who can take in my daughter since her flight was cancelled due to the snow storm, for having some of my mom’s favourite Christmas music stuck in my head today and that it’s beginning to feel quite festive around my house.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

No Show

I have learned a lot about business and people in my 20 years of doing this business. When I started I used to drive across town to see people who wanted to meet with me. Only to have them either not show up or not ready to start the process because they didn’t qualify.

While I still love working with people, I have had to put a value to my own time. As if it takes me 30-45 min to get across town to meet with someone who doesn’t show up or qualify then that time could be better spent staying in my office. This is why I prefer to have the initial meeting either over the phone or virtually through the computer.

We still get to have the same conversation but it will also allow any in person follow up meetings to be more effective. I will know that you are serious, that you qualify and can also tailor fit the conversation to the clients needs and requirements. This all boils down to the fact that the one thing that we will never have enough of is time and I want to make the most of the time I have and use it the most effective way possible.

Today I am thankful for clients who didn’t show up for virtual meetings as this saves me from driving across town for the same result, that we can always make more money but we can’t make more time and the extra 45 min of sleep I got this morning by sleeping through my alarm.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Over Cautious

During the holiday’s it also time to be over cautious about your credit card account(s). Most banks these days have notifications or warnings that they send you messages if they notice any unusual activity. This may be the season of giving but it is also the season for scams and fraud. So keep an eye on your accounts and notify your provider immediately if you notice any unusual activity.

Today I am thankful for a call from my bank to tell me that my wife was buying my Christmas presents, that my girls will be home soon from university and that the unusual activity on my account was just a purchase done with a retailer not Amazon or Apple.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Focus

At each and every moment we get to chose to focus on something that will move us forward to or something that will hold us back. Sure it could be scare or it can also be exciting, it’s your choice what you want to focus on. At the end of the day ultimately we get what we focus on.

Watching too much of the news or spending too much time on social media will just leave you frustrated hearing about war, the economy or how much fun influencers are having on their vacation. Turn it off and live your own life, focus instead on making a difference in the one life that you can control, your own.

Focus instead on what you can control which is your focus, your effort and your attitude. Everything else is outside your control. Get clear on where you want to go and start with the task at hand. The best way to do this is one day at a time, Rome wasn’t built in a day and you can’t change overnight. With dedicated focus anything is possible.

Today I am thankful for knowing someone who can fix my daughter’s phone, that all the retailers that I shopped at this year had online ordering and more World Cup action today.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Better

Just incase nobody has told recently, you’re better than anyone. Better than all the rest, anyone that i’ve ever met. You’re simply the best. This Tina Turner song played during my Peloton workout and it was the perfect start to the day.

This is what I texted my daughter this morning who is in the middle of her exams at university. Sometimes all is takes is someone to believe in you when you don’t even believe in yourself. If this is you, know that whatever you are going though it is only temporary and I believe in you and that you can do it.

So put on your headphones and crank up a feel good song like this one and shake off all your troubles. Now does’t that feel better?

Today I am thankful for FaceTime that allows us to be close to our kids 1400 km away when they really need it, that within a week they will both be back home and that signing at the top of my lungs when nobody is home is an awesome feeling.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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

Weigh your options

With the most recent move by the bank of Canada, it may be time to look at the age old dilemma of fixed vs variable mortgages. Sure over the past few years it made mathematical sense to take and stay with a variable rate mortgage. However the tides may have turned and it is an ideal time to look at this again and see if the numbers favour fixed or variable.

Currently the prime rate is at 6.45%. If your mortgage is insured ( CMHC, Sagen or Canada Gurantee) you will have a discount to prime of between .90 to 1.10 depending on the lender and when you took it out. This will put you around 5.45% for your current mortgage which is now above the 5.25% stress test rate that you qualified when you took out the mortgage.

So depending on your lender you may be able to switch to a fixed rate which would be much less than staying with the variable. So if that is the case then the math will work in the favour to switch. However some of the big 5 banks only offer the discounted rate at the start of the term and in those cases to switch out of variable will have you paying more. Do the math and see what makes the most sense to you.

Today I am thankful for all the birthday wishes from my kids, my family and my friends, a great workout to start the day and all the opportunities in front of me.

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 (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

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