FAQ on getting a mortgage

FAQ Sheet on Getting a Mortgage

Getting a mortgage is a big thing. For first time buyers this can be a tough and complicated process. Here are some common questions that get asked and some answers that may help with your mortgage application process.

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Q: What is the minimum down payment on a home in BC?

A: A minimum down payment for someone who is fully income qualified is five per cent. However, if the purchase price of a property is over $500K, a minimum down payment of five per cent on the first $500K is required. After that, you will be required to come up with 10 per cent on the remaining amount. For example: The down payment for a property valued at $600K would be five per cent of $500K ($25K) plus…

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Little help for housing in B.C. budget

Finance Minister Mike de Jong repeated in his Tuesday budget speech a by-now-familiar message from Victoria: It’s through increased housing starts that the affordability crisis that has gripped urban centres around the province will be eased.

And while he had much to say on the file, he offered little by way of new spending announcements to reduce the high costs of housing.

“I’ve cautioned before and I’ll say it again,” de Jong said, “we can’t just focus on getting more people into the market. On its own, without adding to the supply, that’s just going to drive prices higher.”

De Jong’s words appeared to be aimed in part at local governments, which share a role in pushing forward new construction. He said the province intended to “help ensure…

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Things to Consider When Buying an Acreage or Country Property

Want to buy an acreage? Need more information?

Finding the right acreage for you will provide years of enjoyment. Make sure that pretty piece of land will support your vision. Read on or click below to jump to the subjects:

• Financing for acreage
• Consider the services
• Maintenance and insurance
• Covenants and Zoning
• Tips
• Develop it yourself

More and more people are leaving the suburbs to live a country life, but buying an acreage is a little different than buying a house in the burbs. Buyers should investigate a number of things on the property, assuring them that the land they purchase is going to support the lifestyle they have envisioned.

Danielle lives on an acreage in Kamloops BC, give her a call to let her guide you on…

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Five common RRSP mistakes to avoid while saving this year

It’s been 60 years since the RRSP was introduced as a retirement savings tool.

But that doesn’t mean Canadians have learned all the lessons of the past. Here’s a look at five common mistakes investors make with their RRSPs:

1. Dipping into the funds:

Carol Bezaire, the vice-president of tax, estate and strategic philanthropy at Mackenzie Investments, says the No. 1 blunder is dipping into an RRSP for expenses other than retirement income.

“People are making random withdrawals out of it for vacation or whatever,” she says. “And what they end up with in April is an unexpected tax bill.”

Financial institutions withhold some of the withdrawal — between five and 30 per cent depending on the province and total sum — and, depending on a person’s…

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What investors need to consider before making RRSP contributions

As we near the deadline of March 1 for making your RRSP contributions, I thought it is an appropriate time to give you a “to do” list of financial and investment planning items to review or consider.

Nancy Woods is an associate portfolio manager and investment adviser with RBC Dominion Securities Inc.

1. If you are the typical procrastinator when it comes to making an RRSP contribution, consider setting up a monthly payment plan into your RRSP. Making a contribution in the first 60 days of the calendar year allows you the option to choose which taxation year you deduct the amount from your income. There’s nothing that says you have to wait until the following year to make your contribution. This is, of course, dependent on you having earned income…

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How a simple credit error can ruin your home-owning dream

Imagine the anxiety of watching your credit score unexpectedly plummet after spending your entire adult life maintaining good credit.

Now suppose this credit decline blocks you from getting a mortgage on the house you planned to buy. That’s precisely what happens to mortgage applicants all across the country with surprising frequency.

All too often the culprit is unpaid phone bills. In some case's cellphone providers send  accounts to a collection agency after being just more than a month late. That can cause credit score to drop like a lead pickle, approximately 80 points (out of a theoretical 900) virtually overnight.

It never should happen that way or should it? Collections are meant for people who can’t or don’t want to pay their debts right?…

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How to Calculate Your Mortgage Affordability

For many first time home buyers, one of the most confusing – and frustrating – parts of the purchasing process is knowing how much mortgage they’ll qualify for.

While it’s always a smart idea to get a pre-approval before embarking on the house hunt, they are usually a more conservative estimate of your affordable home purchase range. Buyers paying less than 20% own must now also factor in the Bank of Canada’s 4.64% stress test, regardless of the mortgage rate they actually qualify for.

Related: Are there other options if I fail the stress test?

What do Mortgage Lenders Look At?

While the size of your down payment will certainly impact your mortgage qualification, other factors such as debt levels, income and credit score are closely…

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What Home Sellers Should Know About New Capital Gains Tax Rules

As this year’s tax deadline approaches, recent home sellers should take note of a new rule introduced by Ottawa last year.

Canadians now have to report the sale of their principal residence on their tax return to the Canada Revenue Agency.

The sale is still exempt from the 50% capital gains tax, provided it meets all of the guidelines outlined by the CRA. But while in the past the sale of a principal residence did not need to be flagged, home sellers are now required to provide details of the sale – including the address, the year it was bought and how much it sold for – on their tax return form.

Although the administrative change wasn’t announced until Oct. 3, it applies to all sales that took place in 2016, as well as going forward.

Read…

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What are BC Home Hunters’ Must-Haves? You May Be Surprised...

After price, surely people prioritize home size, bedrooms and location, right? A recent survey of BC residents says a surprising feature is more important

When it comes to must-haves in buying or renting a home, a recent survey of BC residents says that, after the price, there is one other thing more important than the number of bedrooms, size or location – and that’s private outdoor space.

According to a survey carried out by Insights West on behalf of Resonance Consulting, and presented to an Urban Development Institute seminar January 24, the key home feature to BC residents is the price. Eight out of 10 respondents identified cost as their most important feature, and it was the top concern of each of the individual age groups, which breaks down…

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B.C. real estate reform: What you need to know

You will have heard about the changes to British Columbia real estate laws

The British Columbia government is in the midst of a wide-ranging overhaul of how the housing market is regulated and taxed, amid growing concerns that foreign ownership, rampant speculation and unscrupulous real estate agents are fueling an affordability crisis.

On Aug. 2 2016, a 15-per-cent tax took effect for home purchases in the Metro Vancouver area involving foreigners. During the past several months, the province has also announced an end to self-regulation, largely in response to a series of Globe and Mail investigations into questionable practices within the industry. This has included a tax on vacant homes in the City of Vancouver.

These are in addition to what…

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