Recent Blog Posts by Carol Ireland

Property Moguls Wanted in Realopolis

CENTURY 21 Canada has launched a fun, free online game designed to help you learn more about real estate investing. The unique game was developed to mirror many of the situations of the real world. From deciding which mortgage to go with, or which contractors to use, to figuring out whether or not to report a suspicious neighbor - the events reflect possible situations that players may experience ...

TD, National join big Canadian banks lowering their fixed mortgage rates

By The Canadian Press TORONTO - Three more Canadian lenders say they will lower some of their fixed rate mortgages as nervous investors move to bonds, causing a drop in long-term interest rates. TD Bank (TSX:TD), National Bank (TSX:NA) and Desjardins Group said Wednesday that their fixed five-year closed rates will drop 0.1 of a point to 5.34 per cent, effective Thursday. The move follows similar ...

FIXED Rate Mortgage or VARIABLE rate mortgage??

What is the right choice for your client? It can be confusing especially in an environment where fixed rates are still at a record all time low and Prime Rates are on the rise. The media creates a frenzy with every movement in Prime, we know it's going to increase, and we know the Government has to be cautious as our economy recovers. Even with the .75% increase in prime this year the variable ...

Choosing the right mortgage

(NC)—Mortgage options can be confusing for first time home buyers. Choosing what's right for you depends on a number of factors, including your comfort with interest rate risk and when you plan to sell your home. “First time home buyers should sit down with a professional and ensure they know exactly what each mortgage option means to them,” says Chris Wisniewski, Associate Vice ...

Advice for home buyers

(NC)—With spring home buying season in full bloom, Chris Wisniewski, Group Product Manager, Real Estate Secured Lending, TD Canada Trust, offers this list of things Canadians, especially first time buyers, should consider when purchasing a home. “The Big Things”   • Consider a larger down payment – a 10% or greater down payment will make a big difference to ...

Buying A New Home Gets A Little Tougher!

OTTAWA — New federal measures meant to cool the red-hot housing market will make it more difficult for homebuyers to qualify for government-backed mortgages, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty acknowledged this morning. Some buyers will have to settle for less expensive houses or a bigger mortgage as a result of the rule changes brought in by the Conservatives. To give the financial industry time ...

Buying your first home

(NC)—There's nothing quite like owning your own home – getting to know your neighbours, decorating your home and creating a place that you can call your own. But owning a home is not quite as simple as finding the right home in the right neighbourhood; your financial situation can be an important factor in the type of home you can afford. For example, you will need to determine how much ...

Re-negotiating Mortgages

There is compensation costs involved with breaking a mortgage and it is not always in the best interests of the borrower to do so, despite recent media attention around all time lows for interest rates. Compensation equals the greater of 3 months interest or interest rate differential. This means that if you are currently 2 years into a 5 year mortgage with an interest rate of 6% and you want to ...