Leverage, defined by Investopedia as an investment strategy of using borrowed money — specifically, the use of various financial instruments or borrowed capital — to increase the potential return of an investment, is a core strategy of real estate investors. In my post entitled Real Estate Yield. Understanding Your Cash-on-Cash Return , I reminded readers Read More

I am often asked if it’s hard to compete with the banks. While they may offer competitive rates at times, right now we have much better rates than the banks. However, we have certain advantages which allow us to blow them out of the water most of the time. More Choice – banks are limited Read More

So now that you’re a home owner, what are your next steps? Well first, you will have to figure out exactly how you are going to get RID of that mortgage. Yes, that’s right. Now that you got it, here are four ways you can pay it off and be done with it! 1. ACCELERATE Read More

Over the last month, as the big banks and many of our monolines mortgage lenders wind down their fiscal year, we are starting to see some very obvious changes in what your credit score can get you. I heard a few months ago that 720 beacons were going to become the new 650. The 650 Read More

Since we know that lenders can back-end insure our mortgages (please read our Mortgage Insurance Market and Wholesale Lenders article first), and that this specifically makes these mortgage investments more attractive to investors, what does it mean for borrowers (every day people like you and me)? To recap, any mortgage that is inexpensive for a Read More

A Guarantor, when it comes to mortgages, is exactly what it sounds like—they “Guarantee” the mortgage for another person if they are unable to pay back the loan. Guarantor’s or co-signers are often used if someone has: • Damaged or poor credit • Insufficient income In most cases, someone with poor credit and/or insufficient income Read More

There is a myth out there that once you’re pre-approved for a mortgage, you’re good to go out and buy a home… with a no subject offer… DON’T do it! A pre-approval means that based on being able to PROVE (through documentation) your CURRENT income, expenses, down payment and credit bureau you SHOULD be able Read More

As many of you already know, Canada just became the second country in the world to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational purposes. Of course, this historic moment in Canadian history has cannabis activists jumping for joy while others are not s-toked on the idea. With legalization comes the realities of growing your own pot Read More

As a community newspaper reporter for a decade around B.C., I covered a lot of stories. I probably wrote thousands of pieces during my career. And the range was as wide as you’d expect in cities with thousands of people. They could be interesting, fun, and in some cases, heart wrenching. You get it all Read More