Deutsche Bank reveals 7 reasons why ‘Canada is in serious trouble,’ starting with a 63% overvalued housing market

Deutsche Bank’s chief international economist Torsten Sløk has circulated a chart deck looking at global housing markets, and Canada stands out as having quite a few problems. According to the report, homes in Canada are 63 per cent overvalued, greater than the 50 per cent levels in Australia and Norway, Deutsche Bank AG said in […]

Canadians’ debt payoffs rise as mortgage principal payments targeted

Contrary to all the hype about consumer debt levels, Canadians are actually paying off their debts at a faster rate than the Bank of Canada estimates, says Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce economist Benjamin Tal. Indeed, he says consumers are being quite responsible in the face of extremely tempting low interest rates. True, they are […]

We’re paying off mortgages faster than thought

TORONTO – A new report suggests that Canadian homeowners are paying down their mortgages faster than they’re being given credit for. CIBC deputy chief economist Benjamin Tal says homeowners are taking advantage of record-low interest rates to accelerate their mortgage payments, and shorten their amortization periods. The CIBC World Markets study says that homeowners are […]

The newly rich: How your world changes when downsizing creates a windfall

You may never have imagined yourself sitting on a financial windfall and wondering what to do with it but many older Canadians who have lived through the housing market’s finest hours are facing just that. If the investment in your family home has paid off handsomely over your lifetime, there might come a time to […]

Canada may need tougher rules to slow overvalued housing market, IMF warns

Canada may need tougher rules to slow gains in the housing market, the International Monetary Fund said. Millennials lured by lengthy stretch of low rates spur Canada’s condo boom at their peril Experts warn of danger ahead when these young people, who have no experience in interest rate shocks, face a spike in mortgage payments. […]

It’s taxes versus a mortgage for the self-employed

Eighty of mortgage broker Dustan Woodhouse’s clients who were approved for a mortgage in 2011 wouldn’t have qualified for the same mortgage today. In the summer of 2012, Canada’s financial regulator introduced Guideline B-20 as a way of tightening up the banks’ approval processes. Part of B-20 requires banks to examine incomes more closely, but […]

Applying for a fixed-rate mortgage? Why you need to do your homework

Imagine you’ve applied for a five-year fixed-rate mortgage. Then, before you close, the lender drops its best five-year fixed interest rate. You’d expect that new lower rate, right? Most people in this position would. But with some lenders, that’s not the way it works. If you’re going mortgage shopping, take a minute to understand your […]

First-time homebuyers are feeling the weight of Canada’s housing boom

Many times over the last few years, John Norquay has been stricken with pangs of anxiety over not being a homeowner. Should you rent or own your home? Bank of CanadaPeople say that when you grow up, you buy a home. But owning doesn’t make sense for everyone and in some cases, it might be […]

Breaking Down Debt: How 4 Different Loans Affect Your Mortgage-Worthiness

Want to get a new mortgage? Then, your credit score is a really big deal — it can make or break your mortgage payments, and ultimately determine whether or not you get the house you want. But before we talk about credit scores, let’s talk about the debt that affects them. There are two types […]

Mortgage Broker Practices Score Well on Regulator Suitability Report

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2014 /CNW/ – A report from the Mortgage Broker Regulators’ Council of Canada (MBRCC) should help bolster the confidence borrowers have in the services being provided by mortgage brokers in Canada. The report indicates that most mortgage brokers work to direct their residential clients toward suitable mortgages. However, the report also notes that […]

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