Posts Tagged ‘Home Buyers’

New Government Backed Insured Mortgage Rules to Take Effect April 19

Monday, March 1st, 2010

The Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, on February 16th, announced new mortgage rules designed to ensure buyers can manage their debt of rising rates of interest, and to slow the speculation in real estate property.

Minister Flaherty commented on the mortgage issue:

“There is no clear evidence of a housing bubble, but we are taking proactive, prudent and cautious steps today to help prevent one. Our government is acting to help prevent Canadian households from getting overextended, and acting to help prevent some lenders from facilitating it.”

The new rules will come into force, on 19 April 2010; here is a brief overview changes apply to the government-backed insured mortgages:

  1. Borrowers should now be available at a fixed rate of five years even if they choose a mortgage loan with a lower interest rate and the short term. Rationale for the Government for this change is that it will help borrowers to prepare for a higher rate even if it can tighten home buyers purchasing power.  It remains unclear if borrowers must benefit rate posted five years or reduced the rate of five years.
  2. The maximum amount that Canadians can withdraw in their mortgage loans refinancing will be reduced to 90 per cent of the value of their homes instead of 95 per cent. Justification of the Government for this change is that it will help to ensure that accession to the property is a more efficient way to register.  The impact of this change is expected to be minimal as owners relatively little withdraw equity their houses to this extent.
  3. A minimum down payment deposit of 20 per cent will be required for Government backed mortgage insurance on properties that are non-owner occupied “purchased for speculation,” which means rental realistic.   While this measure is intended to hinder the speculative purchase of properties by reducing the buyers leverage effect, it will have an impact also on those buying real estate in general investment purposes.

Don’t forget to talk to your mortgage professional for the advice on the mortgage strategy that meets your needs and how these changes might affect you.

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Tips For Boosting Affordability! How Much Mortgage Can I Afford?

Monday, June 1st, 2009

Getting lower mortgage rates mean great saving but increased affordability is what attracts more homebuyers. Anyhow, there are few more ways available to first-time homebuyers that offer affordable housing along with financial tactics that increases our savings to the point where we feel comfortable. Here are some time-tested strategies to consider in the light of our updated present economical situation to further increase mortgage affordability:

Pre-Qualification! Know What You Can Afford

The first thing I recommend to all homebuyers to find a mortgage broker and get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage. A mortgage pre-approval helps you establish a price range and the maximum mortgage you can reasonably afford. There are many lenders who offer pre-approving facility to their potential borrowers for a mortgage to lock-in a rate for up to 120 days.

Fixed-Rate Mortgages! Fix The Rate For A Longer Term You Afford

Consider locking in your rate for a longer period of time! If you’re uneasy about fluctuating interest rates and your ability to meet any increases, then a fixed-rate mortgage could be an ideal fit. Many lenders are open to longer fixed terms that may be up to 10 years in some cases.

Down Payment! Pay Maximum You Can Afford

Increased affordability comes from increasing the size of your down payment that results a lower monthly payment. A common way for first time buyers to come up with more cash for a down payment is to make use of the federal Home Buyers’ Plan. With this Plan, you can now withdraw more than before which is up to $25,000 each from a RRSP (registered retirement savings plan) without tax penalty to buy or build a qualifying home. Also, many lenders allow the down payment to come from a properly documented gift, and a borrowed down payment may be possible for some borrowers.

Debt Restructuring! Revisiting Your Current Debts

Your total debt service ratio (TDS) is what your lender will look at while considering your mortgage application to see how much of your total income is going towards various types of consumer loans, including your personal loans, credit cards, charge cards, child support, car loans and other. To increase your affordability and success that your TDS ratio is acceptable to prospective lenders, your mortgage broker can advise on restructuring your current debt (by increasing the amortization and lowering payments on your consumer loans like car loan, etc.,).

You could get more valuable advice and practical tips to boost affordability specific to your own situation by your mortgage professional. However, first-time homebuyers need to be very careful when finding a mortgage that is several times their income. If you lose your job or get into financial difficulty, you could easily miss mortgage payments and lose your home. It is vital you are borrowing no more than you can afford to spend each month. Although present real estate market and its soft home prices along with the low interest rates have been making affordable house plans to further enhance mortgage loan market about which economists believe interest rates will stay at its lowest position for the next two years or so but you should not treat this as a guarantee.

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Posted in Debt, Finance, Mortgages | No Comments »