Since it was launched in 2019, the FTHBI has struggled to gain traction among first-time buyers. As of Sept. 30, 2020, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which administers the program, said it has received just 9,520 applications worth about $173 million in shared equity mortgages. When the program was first announced, the government earmarked $1.25 billion over three years with the goal of assisting 100,000 homebuyers to purchase homes. Under the program, t

2020 4th Annual Denise & Nicolee Show us Your Sparkle Contest is now open for VOTING!!! Here is the map for sharing to check out all the amazing houses in the contest so far & the previous winners from years past: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1jxHUAgvW1Ey0Jpj0X6t-X1PhtOf5ZqGG&usp=sharing Here is the link for people to vote for their favourite home: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2HNJ7MN The house with the most votes on Jan 5 at 8am will be the winner of $1000 fo

What 2020 can really use is some holiday cheer..... Our annual contest is back for its 4th year. If you live in Whitby, Ontario & decorate your home you can enter your address and your favourite charity for a chance to win $1000 for more decorations for you & $1000 for your charity of choice. You can enter here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QN9R38V How does it all work? Homes get decorated & registered via the link above Dec 13th we will post a map of decorated homes & link

With the changing of the seasons, it can be a good time to take stock of your home and ensure you are ready for the colder weather. To help you feel more comfortable, save on bills and prevent future repair costs, there are some simple things you can do to prepare for the coming season. Tending to minor problems yourself, or booking a professional now, will save you time and aggravation later when poor weather makes it harder to tackle home maintenance jobs. Ser

The holidays are coming up! As much as these celebrations bring us joy and harmony, they can also bring us stress. This is particularly true when it comes to your finances! However, don’t lose hope that this will be another draining year on your pocketbook. In fact, with a little planning, there are a few ways you can make sure your holidays are stress and credit-free. Manage Your Expectations Did you find the holidays refreshing last year, or were they some

If you are new to the world of mortgages, you probably have a lot of questions - such as whether to choose a fixed-rate mortgage or variable -rate mortgage. Even experienced home owners can sometimes struggle with this, and may wonder if they made the right choice or if they should switch. Before we get to that, let me explain the differences between fixed and variable-rate mortgages. A fixed-rate mortgage is just that - a fixed amount of interest that you would

Getting pre-approved can be a vital step to the home-buying process! But don’t confuse this with pre-qualification; you can get a pre-qualification through the My Mortgage Planner app to determine what you might qualify for. Pre-approval, on the other hand, means that a lender has stated (in writing) that you do qualify for a mortgage and what amount, based on your current income and credit history. A pre-approval usually specifies a term, interest rate and mortgage amount an

As exciting as it is to start your journey towards home ownership (or even up- and down-sizing), there are a few things you should consider first. Most importantly, you need to determine your purchase range. Having the proper budget for your future home is the best way to ensure future financial success! To create a proper budget, you need to look at your monthly income and expenses to determine how much you can afford in monthly mortgage payments. This can be done using the

TORONTO, June 8, 2020 /CNW/ - Genworth MI Canada Inc. (the "Company") (TSX: MIC) confirms that it has no plans to change its underwriting policy related to debt service ratio limits, minimum credit score and down payment requirements. One of the Company's competitors announced changes to their internal underwriting guidelines with respect to the aforementioned underwriting criteria on June 4, 2020. "Genworth Canada believes that its risk management framework, its dynamic unde

CMHC announced lending changes coming to buyers with less than 20% down as of July 1, 2020. If you have specific questions about your personal situation and how this affects you please reach out to a member of our team. Her is what they announced..... The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all sectors of Canada’s economy, including housing. Job losses, business closures and a drop in immigration are adversely impacting Canada’s housing markets, and CMHC foresees a 9% to 18% dec