Notes & Dispatches
Short writing on the market, the comeback, and the life around both.
A walk through the eleven days between pre-approval and close on the deal that marked the return — and what nearly went wrong on day nine.
Why so many GTA buyers are asking the same question this fall, and the honest, unglamorous answer most of them actually need to hear.
Limited Canadian credit history doesn’t mean you can’t get a mortgage. Here’s how newcomer programs work, what documentation helps, and what to expect.
Self-employed income is real income, but lenders assess it differently. Here’s how qualification actually works, and how to put your strongest file forward.
On watching the industry from the outside, and what it revealed about which habits were actually worth keeping.
A HELOC and a refinance both unlock equity in your home, but they work very differently. Here’s how to decide which one actually fits your goal.
Every federally regulated mortgage in Canada is qualified at a higher "stress test" rate than the rate you'll actually pay. Here's how that rate is set and what it means for your budget.
Fixed and variable rates solve different problems: one buys certainty, the other bets on the future cost of borrowing. Here’s a framework for deciding which fits you.
The rate on your renewal letter is a starting point, not a final offer. Here's how to shop your renewal properly and avoid quietly overpaying for years.
How a Saturday golf game with the Indo-Canadian Golf Association turned into this year's biggest referral — and why the relationship always comes first.
From the RRSP Home Buyers' Plan to the First Home Savings Account and land transfer tax rebates, first-time buyers have several tools available. Here's how they fit together.
If your down payment is under 20%, your mortgage almost certainly needs default insurance. Here's what CMHC and other approved insurers actually do, and how the premium affects your loan.
