17 Dec

10 Money Saving Tips!

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Carrie Dragos

When it comes to saving money, there are a lot of little things you can do that add up to make a big difference!

Here are 10 of my favourite money-saving tips to help get you started today:

  1. Automatic Savings are one of the most effective ways to save because you can’t spend what you can’t access! Instruct your employer to transfer a certain amount from your paycheck each pay period into an RRSP or savings account (or both) or set up automatic transfers in your banking account to coincide with your payday.
  2. Consolidating Debt will result in a single monthly payment and lower interest costs! Many people don’t realize just how much money they are wasting on interest each month, especially if you have multiple loans or credit cards. Consolidating debt can help you gain control and maximize spend on the principal amounts to pay off loans faster.
  3. Budget with Cash if you have trouble with overspending or find it too easy to use your card. After your bills are paid, take out the remaining cash (spending money) and only use that. Once the cash is gone, you’re out of money until next payday! Having physical cash in hand can also help you think twice when making purchases.
  4. Buying in Bulk is a great way to save a bit here and a bit there when doing your regular grocery shop or purchasing other items. Know you’ll need more? Stock up at once for bulk savings, which will help you in the long run!
  5. Before Buying there are two things you should always do. The first is to wait at least 24 hours and the second is to shop around! If you still want to buy something the next day, make sure you get the best price available!
  6. Plan Your Meals. Most of us don’t have time to make breakfast (let alone lunch!) before we fly out the door for work. But what if I told you that getting up an hour earlier could save you over $100 a week!? Just think about how much you spend going out for breakfast AND lunch each day? Groceries are a lot cheaper and you can even prep a few days worth of meals on Sunday while you get ready for the week.
  7. Think in Hours versus Dollars every time you are looking to make a purchase, especially large ones to help you understand the TIME value of money. A new $24 Blu-Ray = 1 hour of work. A brand-new mattress = 41.67 hours of work. Understanding the time that went into earning money for a purchase can help with reconsidering frivolous items, or encourage you to look for the best deal on necessary products.
  8. Utility Savings can help you save each month! Don’t blast your A/C with all the doors in your house open, don’t pump the heat without sealing cracks and consider things like installing water-saving toilets and running cold-water wash cycles to save energy (and money!) every day.
  9. Master DIY – While sometimes you can spend $120 to make a $20 item yourself, there are some things that do benefit from DIY, such installing dimmer switches, that can help save you money in the long run.
  10. Save Windfalls and Tax Refunds for a rainy day. A good rule of thumb is to put 50% of bonuses, tax refunds or other windfalls into your savings account and put the rest against loans owing. While you might want to go on a shopping spree or plan a vacation, paying off your debt NOW will free you up in the future.

Written By: DLC Marketing Team (originally posted June 2023)

9 Dec

What to Know about Second Mortgages

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Carrie Dragos

A second mortgage is a mortgage that is taken out against a property that already has a home loan (mortgage) on it.

Generally people take out second mortgages to satisfy short-term cash or liquidity requirements, have an investment opportunity or to pay off higher-interest debts (such as credit cards and student loans) that a second mortgage might offer.

If you are considering a second mortgage for any reason, here are a few key points to keep in mind:

Second Mortgages and Home Equity: Your second mortgage and what you can qualify for hinges on the equity that you have built up in your home. Second mortgages typically allow you to access up to a max of 80% of the home value; very few lenders will consider a second mortgage over 80% of the home value.

For example, if you are seeking an 80% Loan-to-Value loan (“LTV”):
House Value $850,000
80% LTV (maximum mortgage amount) $680,000
less: First Mortgage ($550,000)
Amount Available Through Second Mortgage $130,000

Second Mortgages and Interest Rates: When it comes to a second mortgage, these are typically higher risk loans for lenders. As a result, most second mortgages will have a higher interest rate than a typical home loan. There is also the option of working with alternative and private lenders depending on your situation and financial standing. Keep in mind, typically lenders who offer a second mortgage are private lender MICs (Mortgage Investment Companies) – in addition to some trust companies and credit unions. For major banking institutions, you would need to hold your first mortgage with them in order to be considered for a second mortgage.

Second Mortgage Payments: One advantage when it comes to a second mortgage is that they have attractive payment factors. For instance, you can opt for interest-only payments, or you can select to pay the interest plus the principal loan amount. Work with your mortgage broker to discuss options and what would work best for your situation.

Second Mortgage Additional Fees: A second mortgage often comes with additional fees that you should be aware of before going into the transaction. These fees can vary widely but often are a percentage of the mortgage. Other fees to consider include appraisal fees, legal fees to set up the second mortgage and any lender or broker administration fees (particularly with alternative or private lenders).

Second mortgages are a great option for many homeowners and, in some cases, may be a better solution than a refinance or a Home Equity Loan (HELOC). If you are interested in learning more or want to find out if a second mortgage is right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me today.

Written By: DLC Marketing Team (originally posted February 2023)

2 Dec

First Home Savings Account (FHSA)

First Time Buyer

Posted by: Carrie Dragos

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is specifically designed to help first-time homebuyers save for their down payment without having to pay taxes on the interest earned on their savings. This means that the interest earned on the savings in the account is not taxed, nor are withdrawals from the account.

Plus, since your contributions to this account are not taxed, your money will have the opportunity to grow faster in an FHSA than a traditional savings account.
If you are interested in creating a FHSA, there are a few things to note:
• This savings account is eligible to Canadian residents who are at least 18 years of age.
• You are a first-time homebuyer – you and/or your spouse or common-law partner have not owned a home where you lived in the year in which you open the account or at any time in the previous four years.
• Allows you to contribute tax-free for up to 15 years.
• The maximum contribution is $8,000 annually, plus up to $8,000 of your unused contribution room*.
• Maximum lifetime contribution limit is $40,000.
• Setting up automatic contributions can help you stay on track.

*You can carry forward any unused FHSA contribution room from the prior years up to a maximum of $8,000 (subject to your lifetime contribution limit of $40,000). Therefore, if you contribute less than $8,000 in a given year, you can contribute the unused amount in a subsequent year in addition to the $8,000 annual contribution limit for that year.

Another thing to consider is combining the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) with the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) to help you purchase a qualifying home. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) allows you to withdraw up to $35,000 from your RRSP to buy a home. Keep in mind, you will need to repay the amount you draw for the Home Buyers’ Plan within 15 years back to your RRSP, PRPP or SPP.

If you are interested in setting up an FHSA or learning more, please don’t hesitate to contact me today!

Written By: DLC Marketing Team (originally posted June 2023)

25 Nov

Choosing Your Ideal Payment Frequency

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Carrie Dragos

Your payment schedule is the frequency that you make mortgage payments and ranges from monthly to bi-monthly, bi-weekly, accelerated bi-weekly or even weekly payments.

Below is a quick overview of what each of these payment frequencies mean:

Monthly Payments: A monthly payment is simply a single large payment, paid once per month; this is the default that sets your amortization. A 25-year mortgage, paid monthly, will take 25 years to pay off but includes the added burden of one larger payment coming from one employment pay period. With this payment frequency, you make 12 payments per year.

Example: $750k mortgage, 3-year fixed rate, 5.34%, 30-year amortization you would have a monthly payment of $4,156.19. No term savings; no amortization savings.

Bi-Weekly Payments: A bi-weekly mortgage payment is a total of 26 payments per year, calculated by multiplying your monthly mortgage payment by 12 months and divided by the 26 pay periods.

Example: $750k mortgage, 3-year fixed rate, 5.34%, 30-year amortization you would have a bi-weekly payment of $1,915.98 with term savings of $177 and total amortization savings of $1,769.

Accelerated Bi-Weekly Payments: An accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payment is also 26 payments per year, but the payment amount is higher than a regular bi-weekly payment frequency. Opting for an accelerated bi-weekly payment will not only pay your mortgage off quicker, but it’s guaranteed to save you a significant amount of money over the term of your mortgage. This frequency also allows the mortgage payment to be split up into smaller payments vs a single, larger payment per month. This is especially ideal for households who get paid every two weeks as the reduction in cash flow is more on track with incoming income.

Example: $750k mortgage, 3-year fixed rate, 5.34%, 30-year amortization you would have accelerated bi-weekly payments of $2,078.10 with term savings of $1,217 and total amortization savings of $145,184. Plus, you would save 4 years, 12 months of payments by reducing scheduled amortization.

Weekly Payments: Similar to monthly payments, your weekly mortgage payment frequency is calculated by multiplying your monthly mortgage payment by 12 months and dividing by 52 weeks in a year. In this case, you would make 52 payments a year on your mortgage.

Example: $750k mortgage, 3-year fixed rate, 5.34%, 30-year amortization you would have weekly payments of $957.50 with term savings of $253 and total amortization savings of $2,526. You can move to accelerated weekly payments to save even more!

Prepayment Privileges: In addition to fine-tuning your payment schedule, most mortgage products include prepayment privileges that enable you to pay up to 20% of the principal (the true value of your mortgage minus the interest payments) per calendar year. This can help reduce your amortization period (the length of your mortgage).

By exercising your prepayment privileges, you can take time off your mortgage. For instance:

  • Extra $50 bi-weekly is $32,883 total savings and an additional 1 year, 2 months time saved
  • Extra $100 bi-weekly is $62,100 in total savings and an additional 2 years, 3 months time saved on your mortgage
  • Extra $200 bi-weekly is $111,850 in total savings and an additional 4 years, 1 month of time saved on your mortgage.

Understanding the different payment frequencies can be key in managing your monthly cash flow. If you’re struggling to meet a large payment, breaking it up can be effective; while the same can be true of the opposite. Individuals struggling to make a weekly or bi-weekly payment, may benefit from one monthly sum where they have time to collect the funds.

Consider getting in touch with me today to determine what payment frequency is best for you OR you can download my app and calculate them for yourself!

Written By: DLC Marketing Team (originally posted May 2023)

20 Nov

How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Carrie Dragos


When it comes to homeownership, many of us dream of the day we will be mortgage-free.
While most mortgages operate on a 25-year amortization schedule, there are some ways you can pay off your mortgage quicker!

 

 

1. Review Your Payment Schedule: Taking a look at your payment schedule can be an easy way to start paying down your mortgage faster, such as moving to an accelerated bi-weekly payment schedule. While this will lead to slightly higher monthly payments, the overall result is approximately one extra payment on your mortgage per calendar year. This can reduce the total amortization by multiple years, which is an effective way to whittle down your amortization faster.

2. Increase Your Mortgage Payments*: This is another fairly simple change you can execute today to start having more of an impact on your mortgage. Most lenders offer some sort of pre-payment privledge that allows you to increase your payment amount without penalty. This payment increase allowance can range from 10% to 20% payment increase from the original payment amount. If you earned a raise at work, or have come into some money, consider putting those funds right into your mortgage to help reduce your mortgage balance without you feeling like you are having to change your spending habits.

3. Make Extra Payments*: For those of you who have pre-payment privileges on your mortgage, this is a great option for paying it down faster. The extra payment option allows you to do an annual lump-sum payment of 15-20% of the original loan amount to help clear out some of your loan! Some mortgages will allow you to increase your payment by this pre-payment privilege percentage amount as well. This is another great way to utilize any extra money you may have earned, such as from a bonus at work or an inheritance.

4. Negotiate a Better Rate: Depending on whether you have a variable or a fixed mortgage, you may want to consider looking into getting a better rate to reduce your overall mortgage payments and money to interest. This is ideally done when your mortgage term is up for renewal and with rates starting to come back down, it could be a great opportunity to adjust your mortgage and save! This may be done with your existing lender OR moving to a new lender who is offering a lower rate (known as a switch and transfer).

5. Refinance to a Shorter Amortization Period: Lastly, consider the term of your mortgage. If you’re mortgage is coming up for renewal, this is a great time to look at refinancing to a shorter amortization period. While this will lead to higher monthly payments, you will be paying less interest over the life of the loan. Knowing what you can afford and how quickly you want to be mortgage-free can help you determine the best new amortization schedule.
*These options are only available for some mortgage products. Check your mortgage package or reach out to me to ensure these options are available to you and avoid any potential penalties.
If you’re looking to pay your mortgage off quicker, don’t hesitate to reach out to me today! I can help review the above options and assist in choosing the most effective course of action for your situation.

By: DLC Marketing Team (originally posted May 2023)