Testimonial

General Angela Calla 5 Jan

Thanks as always for the great reminders throughout the life of my mortgage. The mortgage plans you have set out for me since I have done mortgages with your team instead of doing it myself with the credit union have saved me thousands of dollars, first it was $1200/month and now years later over $600 a month after getting some equity for my home renovations.. My big thank you to you and the whole team. The 5 year fixed mortgage rate renewal is OMG awesome and feels really comforting knowing I have that security long term! You guys made it so easy for me and pain free! With all your team’s expertise, I salute! You guys did above and beyond my expectations! You guys rock and let the whole world know…. I have already over email introduced you to 2 of my coworkers for you to call, and they have been equally impressed.

Carmelita of Port Coquitlam 

How the Proposed Mortgage Changes for Jan 2015 Will Affect You

General Angela Calla 15 Dec

          Over   the past several years, we have seen significant changes to the way that lenders qualify borrowers applying for mortgages – with each change making the mortgage qualification process progressively more challenging.
 
  The latest proposed change for January 1st, 2015 would see existing unsecured debt payments (credit cards, lines of credit, etc) calculated using 3%   repayment on the balance regardless of the contractual amount you’re required to pay each month. Those debts and their corresponding 3% payments ultimately determine your mortgage qualification amount. The more outstanding debt you have, the smaller mortgage amount for which you will qualify.
 
  Currently, lenders accept the contractual payments for unsecured debt, even   if the monthly payments are lower than 3% of the outstanding balances.

Example: Outstanding debt includes a $20,000 line of credit.
          

  • At an interest rate of 6%, the bank currently only requires a minimum monthly ‘interest only’ payment of $100. New rules would require the more conservative use of 3% of the debt balance during qualification.
              
  • This means that, after January 1st, the lender’s underwriting practices would require a payment of $600 per month (3% of the $20,000 outstanding debt) be used for qualification purposes instead of the current $100/month interest only payment.
            
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  • This has a significant impact on qualifying ratios.
            
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  • For instance, if someone makes $70,000 a year and wants to buy a home, and they have one debt – the $20,000 line of credit  – they would currently qualify for a mortgage of about $425,000. As of January 1st, their qualification amount would drop to about $350,000 – a  significant erosion of $75,000 in the buyer’s home purchasing capacity.

  If you have balances on a line of credit, car loan/lease, credit card,  student loan, etc, the mortgage qualification amount will dip even more as of January 1st!

Given that interest rates continue to hover near historic lows, the full impact of  these new qualification rules could be even more pronounced and magnified   once rates start to climb. If you’re considering a new mortgage in the next  4-6 months, please contact me directly at 604-802-3983 or callateam@dominionlending.ca so we can discuss your specific situation and plan accordingly in advance.

Angela Calla, AMP

DLC-Angela Calla Mortgage Team

604-802-3983 callateam@dominionlending.ca

www.angelacalla.ca

Pay off your mortgage or invest- some considerations

General Angela Calla 28 Nov

Your Age, life stage and need for access to funds and what you already have invested all play a roll in determining the best plan for you.

If you have specific questions regarding your senerio The Angela Calla Mortgage Team is here to help and our service is free and without bias. Contact us at 604-802-3983 or callateam@dominionlending.ca

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/11/22/forget-about-the-stockspay-off-your-mortgage-or-invest-how-to-figure-out-whats-best-for-you-and-bonds-until-youve-eliminated-your-mortgage/?utm_content=bufferb3b00&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Thanks for visiting!

Angela Calla

Top 5 Money Mistakes Canadians Make

General Angela Calla 18 Nov

Biggest takeaways

A balanced approach will result in financial success.

Think of what you can manage not how much you can get.

Each pay period should include a portion to go to savings from when canadians start working.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1674660/the-biggest-money-mistakes-canadians-make/

Questions to ensure yoiu have the best mortgage plan? Contact The Angela Calla Mortgage Team 604-802-3983 or callateam@dominionlending.ca

 

Importance Of Mortgage Portability

General Angela Calla 3 Nov

Selling your current home and   moving into a new one can be stressful enough, let alone worrying about your   current mortgage and whether you’re able to carry it over to your new home.

Porting enables you to move to another property without having   to lose your existing interest rate, mortgage balance and term. And, better   yet, the ability to port also saves you money by avoiding early discharge   penalties.

It’s important to note, however, that not all mortgages are   portable. When it comes to fixed-rate mortgage products, you usually have a   portability option. Lenders often use a “blended” system where your current   mortgage rate stays the same on the mortgage amount ported over to the new property   and the new balance is calculated using the current interest rate.

With variable-rate mortgages, on the other hand, porting is   usually not available. As such, upon breaking your existing mortgage, a   three-month interest penalty will be charged. This charge may or may not be   reimbursed with your new mortgage.

 

Porting conditions
  While porting typically ensures no penalty will be charged when you sell your   existing property and buy a new one, some conditions that may apply include:

      

  • Some lenders allow you to port your mortgage, but        your sale and purchase have to happen on the same day. Other lenders        offer a week to do this, some a month, and others up to three months.
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  • Some lenders don’t allow a changed term or force you        into a longer term as part of agreeing to port your mortgage.
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  • Some lenders will, in fact, reimburse your entire        penalty whether you’re a fixed or variable borrower if you simply get a        new mortgage with the same lender – replacing the one being discharged.        Additionally, some lenders will even allow you to move into a brand new        term of your choice and start fresh.
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  • There are instances where it’s better to pay a        penalty at the time of selling and get into a new term at a brand new        rate that could save back your penalty over the course of the new term.

As always, if you have any questions about mortgage   portability or your mortgage in general, I’m here to help!

Angela Calla 604-802-3983 callateam@dominionlending.ca

Getting a mortgage after bankruptcy or debt settlement

General Angela Calla 30 Oct

More than one in eight adult Canadians will declare bankruptcy or negotiate a debt settlement – consumer proposal – with creditors. That’s a lot of people with devastated credit.
 
The majority of those people will want a mortgage at some point, but they’ll find their options are limited. Following the credit crisis, funding shrank for high-risk mortgages, causing more than a dozen subprime lenders to close their doors in Canada.
 
Nowadays, riskier homebuyers with subprime (aka non-prime) credit make up less than 5% of borrowers. And with a shaky housing landscape and nervous regulators, lenders are more careful than ever.
 
For credit-challenged homebuyers, getting the best mortgage isn’t easy – it requires discipline and planning.
 
Click here for what you need to know if you’ve recently gone through a bankruptcy or consumer proposal, a deal with creditors to pay less than you owe, courtesy of the Globe and Mail.

Questions on getting the best mortgage? Contact The Angela Calla Mortgage Team directly at 604-802-3983 or callateam@dominionlending.ca

 

Have Mortgage Rule Makers Gone Too Far?

General Angela Calla 30 Oct

FORMER US FED CHAIRMAN CAN’T GET A MORTGAGE.

Anyone remember this guy?  Ben Bernanke.   He’s just the former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Bank. He served two terms from 2006 to 2014.   Earlier this month, he revealed that he was declined for a mortgage refinance.  Now, just to put this in perspective, he used to make a nice 6 figure salary.  And today, he is paid an estimated $250,000 per speaking engagement.

How can he not qualify?  Clearly, the mortgage rules tightening process has gone waaaaaay overboard.   But this isn’t just happening in the US.   Canada’s mortgage lending rules have always been tighter than the US.  And over the past 6 years, the Canadian govt has brought in numerous changes to tighten the rules even further.  (Actually, experts agree that they went way overboard.  And we are only now seeing the effects of the rule changes.. Look out.  You’re in for a big surprise the next time you need mortgage money).

CANADIAN MORTGAGE RULES ARE EVEN TIGHTER!!

Canada’s Banking industry has been the envy of the world.  We came out of the 2008 US sub-prime mortgage crisis with no visible scars. In fact, our BIG SIX BANKS never skipped a beat and continued to post record profits year after year.  Yet, our Federal govt agencies have mysteriously found it necessary to continue to tighten our mortgage rules.  Each of the last 5 yrs has seen mortgage rules get tighter and tighter.

But why? and was it really necessary?   We already had some pretty tough qualifying rules in place.   Here’s a SUMMARY OF THE MORTGAGE RULE CHANGES OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS…  CAN YOU SAY OVERKILL??

  • Variable rate mortgages were being qualified at 5 yr fixed rates.  The govt said that wasn’t enough made us qualify at the Posted 5 year fixed rate.
  • We had 40 yr amortization but this got cut back to 25 years.
  • Secured lines of credit could be had up to 90% loan to value (ltv).  That was cut back to 65% ltv.  That’s right, you can only borrow up to 65% ltv on a secured line of credit.
  • Refinancing was available up to 95% ltv.  The govt cut this to 80%.
  • Self employed individuals qualify with different rules.  Lenders use their net after tax income to qualify.   Line 150 on their tax returns.  Salaried employees get to use their gross pretax income to qualify.  New rules force lenders to use this after tax income to qualify..  An $80k self-employed income is the same as a $104k income.. yet, this self-employed person can only qualify for a $387,000 mortgage.  The salaried employee qualifies for a $512,000 mortgage.  How is this fair or even prudent?
  • Self employed used to have access to self-employed programs where they could borrow up to 80% ltv without paying any CMHC or Genworth insurance.   Not any more.  Anything above 65% ltv has to be insured by CMHC or Genworth at the borrowers expense.
  • Self employed individuals must also pass a new income reasonability test to prove they can service the mortgage. (the definition is so vague that NO Bank or Lender can explain this in writing).
  • Eliminated mortgages for rental properties above 80% ltv.  You used to be able to finance these up to 90% ltv. (in fact, most lenders have cut these back to 75% ltv)
  • Lenders can now only use 50% of rental income to offset the mortgage for qualification purposes.  That’s down from 80%.   End result is fewer people can qualify to buy a rental property.
  • Eliminated mortgage insurance for homes over $1million. (while some might think it’s not necessary to buy a home for a $1million plus with less than 20% down, the reality is that most mortgages get insured by your Bank or Lender, after closing so that they can offer lower cost rates.. it’s hidden to the borrower but it provides a low-cost source of funds.   And in markets like Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary, where $1million house sales are becoming more common, this has had a significant impact on mortgage qualifying).
  • Cashback mortgages will disappear from Banks.. some local Provincial lenders will still offer this.. This helped those that didn’t have enough down payment but could afford the monthly payments…  say good-bye.
  • If you want a mortgage term for less than 5 years, or a Variable rate mortgage, you must qualify at the 5 year post rate.  This is forcing Canadians into longer terms… Longer terms usually means higher rates.
  • If you have an unsecured line of credit, or a secured line of credit with a $0 balance, Lenders and Banks will have to factor in a minimum payment in your debt servicing ratios.   In many cases, the borrower will have to cancel their credit lines in order to qualify for a mortgage.  Yet, any financial advisor will tell you that it’s important to have and keep a line of credit available for emergency situations. (we haven’t seen this sort of underwriting policy since the early ’90s.   Back then, Lenders had to factor in a 3% minimum payment based on your credit limit ..example $5,000 limit = a $150/mth payment to be added to your liabilities…  this sort of old school thinking disappeared when stats showed this was an unnecessary policy… yet it’s back now. )
  • Most Banks and other major Lenders will not lend on more than 4 properties.  If you own 4 properties, and you want to buy a 5th, better contact your Mortgage Broker for advice.   This new rule is making life miserable for veteran property investors. (like investing in the stock is a better option)

    CONCLUSION…..  WE’RE PAYING OUR MORTGAGES AND UNSECURED DEBTS BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE!

    Get the picture?  In case it still isn’t clear, let me give it to you straight.   Our mortgage arrears are at record lows.  Our unsecured debt arrears are at record low levels.  We don’t have a credit default problem.  Canadians are actually paying their mortgage way faster than first believed.  Well known CIBC Economist, Benjamin Tal, was recently quoted as saying “Today, for every mortgage dollar taken, a record high 90 cents of principal are being paid back.”

    Wow! Did you get that? We are paying back our mortgages faster than ever..   So do we really need to continue to tighten the mortgage rules?  It feels like a truck going downhill with no brakes.  The momentum is pushing qualified applicants, from just a few years ago, either out of the housing market or into the ‘B’ lending market where the same borrowers are now perceived as higher risk.  These people are now having to pay 1% and 2% higher interest rates..  Something is very wrong with this picture.   There is no data to support the huge credit crunch.

EXAMPLES OF CANADIANS THAT DIDN’T QUALIFY FOR A MORTGAGE

And if you really need to see how ridiculous things have become, These are some examples where Canadian applicants were declined recently… these same applicants would have easily been approved just a few short years ago…

  • A mutual fund manager for a well-known organization (manages over $3billion) earning $400k plus salary, was turned down for an 80% ltv mortgage because he had too much real estate.  He owned close to $8million in real estate, had a net worth of over $3million, but was considered a risk??  This would have been approved just a few years ago.
  • A middle management employee working for a major corp with 25 yrs on the job, perfect credit and a $200k income.  Owned 4 properties with an average 50% equity position.. His net worth was over $2million.  He was declined for a small mortgage on house he wanted to buy and rent because they said he had too many properties.
  • A Canadian living and working overseas earning $210k wanted to buy a house with 25% down.  He was declined because the Bank wanted 35% down payment.
  • A young couple bought a home 2 yrs ago.  There was a small collection item on their credit report.  The lender disregarded this as the rest of his financial profile was very strong.  Today, he wants to do a $40k reno.  He was declined by that same lender for an increase because of the collection item.  Thank you new rules!!
  • A client can buy a house with as little at 5% down today.  They can even finance home improvements at the time of purchase.   Yet, they were conservative, and didn’t want to get into too much debt at first.  They waited 3 years and then decided to to the renos.   But they were out of luck.  Why?  Because the govt decided you can’t refinance your mortgage above 80% ltv.  So this couple is now forced to pay down the mortgage for another 4 or 5 years before being able to get their renos.  By they way, they fully qualify for a much higher mortgage but can’t get access to the money.
  • In 2008, with an annual income of $55,000, you could qualify for a mortgage of $300,000.   Today, you need to earn $68,000 to qualify for that same mortgage.   Shorter amortization periods and tighter qualifying rules are killing the dream of home ownership for Canadians.
  • Most small business owners have a hard time financing their business.  Instead, they turn to the equity in their homes.  In years past,  you could borrow up to 80% ltv on a secured line of credit.  This sort of flexible financing was a perfect product as it allowed one to borrow and repay the debt as needed… it’s gone.  Today, you can only go to 65% ltv.  These borrowers are now pushed to secondary lenders with rates 2% and 3% higher.
  • An elderly couple has a $500k home.  They live on CPP and Old Age Security.  Their combined income is $43,000 year.  They want a $250k line of credit to live comfortably during their retirement years.   In years past, they could borrow up to 65% ltv on a line of credit. (that’s $325k)   This was a good credit risk as there was little to no chance the Bank would ever lose money on them.  Today, you cannot borrow any money unless you can prove that you can make repayments.   The new line of credit rules mean this couple has to qualify using the posted 5 yr fixed rate (4.79% today) with a 25 year amortization.  They can only borrow $130k.   Why should this couple be limited to only being able to borrow 26% ltv?   They will probably forced to sell an appreciating asset or get a Reverse Mortgage.   Reverse Mortgage rates are around 2% higher than regular rates.
  • Put another way, I have another couple with a $700k home.  They want to borrow $350k to do some small renos, use funds for kids university fund, take a small trip.   Only problem is that he was off work for year due to being injured.   That’s okay. He put enough aside for just such an emergency.  His credit is great.  He’s back to work. There is no risk to the Bank on this mortgage.  Plenty of equity in the home.  No way the Bank would lose.  Today, they can’t borrow any funds unless they go to a secondary lender.. paying rates 2% higher than normal.   That’s because they aren’t able to show any recent income.  Does anyone think this couple would actually default on their loan and lose all that equity?  Of course not.

Do ya think the govt has gone too far with their mortgage credit tightening agenda?   Remember folks, they haven’t touched unsecured loan rules or credit card rules.  And both of these credit facilities are considered to be ‘BAD’ debt.   Buying cars, TVs, electronics, etc, are not good spending habits. (strange how the BIG SIX BANKs keep having record profits as more Canadians are forced to borrow higher interest rate product)  Depreciating asset purchases are never good.  But buying a home, an appreciating asset, is considered ‘GOOD’ debt.   Yet more Canadians are being forced out of home ownership.

STAY POSITIVE ABOUT HOME OWNERSHIP

It’s easy to get depressed and feel negative about real estate.  These past few months has seen a steady stream of negative news when it comes to the housing market and house prices…  I’m really not sure why the media is so focused on slamming our housing market.  Don’t get caught up in the negative talk regarding real estate.  History has proven it be a solid investment.  It’s harder to get a mortgage today, but it’s still possible.  Don’t be discouraged.  I encourage buying for the long term.  Plan to own and hold for at least 7 years.  It’s not exciting but it’s a proven strategy.  Get a sound plan and stick with it.

 

Questions about the best mortgage for you? The Angela Calla Mortgage Team is here to help directly at 604-802-3983 or callateam@dominionlending.ca