General Gary Masur 9 Oct
Dominion Lending has great leaders like President Eddie Cocciollo and VP of Sales Darren Mackenzie. Call me to find out more and to see if you are the right fit for Dominion Lending.
VP of Sales Darren Mackenzie President Eddy Cocciollo
General Gary Masur 18 Sep
Currently, all borrowers in Canada need to qualify for a new mortgage at the current Bank of Canada Benchmark Qualifying Rate or at their approved mortgage interest rate plus 2.0%, whichever is higher.
For more than a year, this Bank of Canada Benchmark Qualifying Rate has been 5.34%. Now, for the first time in 3-years, the Bank of Canada has decreased that Qualifying Rate to 5.19%, a 0.15% decrease.
What does this mean?
Well, this Bank of Canada Qualifying Rate is essentially a bank’s Stress Test Rate. If a borrower has an annual gross income of $60,000, they can qualify for a $265,000 purchase price with a 10% down payment at a 5.34% qualifying rate.
Change that qualifying rate to 5.19%, that same borrower qualifies for a $269,000 purchase price at 10% down payment. This is a $3,700 increase in borrowing ability.
A borrower with $80,000 of gross annual income and a 20% down payment qualifies for a $455,000 purchase price at a 5.34% Bank of Canada Qualifying Rate. Change it to 5.19%, it increases to $462,000. A $5,600 increase in borrowing ability.
1.5%. That is the increase borrowers now have in their borrowing ability.
Ironic part of all these calculations, the stress test was implemented to protect consumers against rising interest rates. Their concern was that borrowers would not be able to cover their monthly payments when they came up for renewal.
Highest 5-year interest rate since January 2010? 3.79%.
Highest 5-year fixed interest rate in the past 5-years? 3.24%.
Last time someone had to pay an interest rate above 5%? For one month in 2009 and before that, summer of 2008.
Food for thought! If you have any other questions regarding the Bank of Canada and mortgage Stress Test rules, please reach out to Dominion Lending Centres mortgage professional today.
General Gary Masur 12 Sep
A good perspective on the risks to your financial well being if faced with a critical illness diagnosis.
There are a number of obstacles that could potentially de-rail a comfortable retirement. These include marriage breakdown, a stock market crash, and being sued. Another huge obstacle would be the diagnosis of a life threatening critical illness affecting you or your spouse. While it might be difficult to insulate yourself against some of the threats to retirement security, Critical Illness insurance goes a long way to mitigate the financial disaster that could result from a change in health as we approach retirement.
Considering that the wealth of many Canadians is comprised of the equity in their homes and the balance of their retirement plans, having to access funds to combat a dreaded illness could put their retirement objectives in jeopardy. Imagine that you are just a few years into or approaching retirement and you or your spouse suffers a stroke. The prognosis is for a long recovery and the cost associated with recovery and care is projected to be substantial. Statistics show that 62,000 Canadians suffer a stroke each year* with over 80% surviving* many of whom would require ongoing care. Since 80% of all strokes happen to Canadians over 60 those unlucky enough could definitely see their retirement funding jeopardized.
Sun Life recently reported that for a 45-year old couple, the risk of at least one spouse having a serious health condition by age 70 is 61.5%. With odds like these it is fortunate that a product exists that will provide tax-free cash to help defray the expenses associated with the care and recovery from a serious illness. Accessing retirement plans on the other hand, would trigger income tax on the funds withdrawn, adding to the financial burden.
While statistics indicate that the chances of having a critical illness are high, they also support the notion that those with the foresight in their planning to include Critical Illness insurance have a greater chance of keeping their retirement funds intact.
Critical Illness insurance is offered by most major Canadian life insurance companies. It can be purchased with different terms, from 10-year renewable to permanent plans providing protection up to age 100. Like most insurance products the cost is based on the age of the insured so the younger you get it the lower the cost will be. While 10 or 20-year plans are appealing based on price, consider how long you will need the coverage for.
If you wish to keep the policy into your retirement years, for the reasons stated here, a permanent plan or one that offers coverage to age 75 may be preferable, as premiums are locked in at lower rates. Some policies offer a Return of Premium rider that refunds premiums paid when the contract expires or is cancelled with no critical illness claim.
Saving for retirement is always a good idea and protecting your savings in the event of a critical illness is essential. It may be wise to consider doing it now, while you are still in good health and can take advantage of lower premiums.
General Gary Masur 11 Sep
The new First Time Home Buyer Incentive program from CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation) was officially released on September 2. This program was met with mixed reactions across the mortgage industry, but we wanted to take a minute to give you the facts regarding the program. Below are the key points you need to know, and as always if you do have any further questions please reach out to us.
What is it?
Eligible homeowners are able to apply for a 5% or 10% shared equity mortgage with the Government of Canada. A shared equity mortgage is where the government shares in the upside and downside of the property value. The Incentive enables first-time homebuyers to reduce their monthly mortgage payment without increasing their down payment. The Incentive is not interest bearing and does not require ongoing repayments.
Through the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, the Government of Canada will offer:
• 5% for a first-time buyer’s purchase of a re-sale home
• 5% or 10% for a first-time buyer’s purchase of a new construction
It’s important to understand that with this program, the government will then OWN 5-10% of the equity of your home (pending on how much was contributed to the down payment).
Who is eligible?
First, you must be a First Time Home Buyer. This incentive is only offered to those who are purchasing their first home. Second, you need to have the minimum down payment to be eligible. The minimum down payment is 5% of the purchase price of the property, and this must come from your own resources. The Federal Government will not give you 5% to put towards/cover the entire down payment. Third, your maximum qualifying income is no more than $120,000. Lastly, your total borrowing is limited to 4 times the qualifying income.
There are restrictions on the type of property you can purchase. The below are the eligible properties:
o New construction (5-10% incentive)
o Re-sale home (5% incentive)
o New and resale mobile/manufactured homes (5% incentive)
Residential properties include single family homes, semi-detached homes, duplexes, triplex, fourplex, townhouses, condominium units. The property must be located in Canada and must be suitable and available for full-time, year-round occupancy.
How Does Repayment Work?
You can repay back the incentive in full at any time without a pre-payment penalty or you can repay the incentive after 25 years or if the property is sold, whichever happens first. The repayment of the incentive is based on the property’s fair market value:
o You are given a 5% incentive of the home’s purchase price of $200,000 or $10,000. If your home value increases to $300,000 your payback would be 5% of the current value or %15,000
o You are given a 10% incentive of the home’s purchase price of $200,000 or $20,000 and your home value decreases to $150,000, your payback amount would be 10% of the current value or $15,000.
If you are interested in this program or have further questions, we encourage you to reach out to your Dominion Lending Centres mortgage broker. This is a brand-new program and more details are coming out each day. We also are working to better understand the implications of this type of shared equity mortgage and will keep you updated on any news or updates we receive.