Financing is the First Step

Let’s Get You Pre-approved

You can’t buy a home until you’ve met with a lender. In fact, you can’t even start looking at homes until you’ve met with a lender. The good news is we can get you up and running quickly.

Click here to receive an email with the names and numbers of three friendly, highly skilled lenders. In the meantime, here’s a how-to guide to get you started.

I’ve written this as a list and arranged it in a (somewhat) chronological order so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Enjoy!

how to finance a regina home

YOU: Where can I get a loan?

ME: Banks and mortgage brokers. The banks include credit unions such as Conexus and Affinity and the big five we’ve all heard of—CIBC, BMO, RBC, TD and Scotia. A mortgage broker is a licensed professional who connects property buyers with a variety of mortgage lenders.

YOU: What’s the difference between banks and mortgage brokers?

ME: Banks and credit unions sell (yes, they sell you a mortgage because they make money on it) their own mortgage products, while a mortgage broker (sells you) a mortgage secured from one of a variety of lenders that may include one of the big banks but can also include secondary mortgage lenders.
When you deal with the bank, you work with their sales rep directly. When you use the services of a mortgage broker, you don’t communicate directly with the lender. All correspondence to the mortgage lender travels through your broker. The mortgage broker acts as a “middleman.”

YOU: Should I use a mortgage broker or my bank?

ME: They are both good choices but slightly different. I recommend meeting with both to discuss your situation.

YOU: What’s the advantage of using a mortgage broker?

ME: One advantage is great rates. A mortgage broker can shop around to find the lowest possible rate. They often boast shopping 100s(!) of lenders when they likely only deal with a few regularly. Another advantage of using a mortgage broker is they work outside of “banker hours”. To remain competitive, banks now offer mobile mortgage specialists that will meet you in your home during the evening and on weekends.

YOU: What’s the advantage of using my bank?

ME: One advantage is familiarity. If you’ve been at the same bank for some time, they have your financial information on hand. This can make processing the loan less painful, but it’s not always the case. They may also offer you some perks (free banking and the like) as an incentive for your business, but you have to ask. The banks may also negotiate their rate, but again you have to ask.

YOU: My credit isn’t great, but I make lots of money. Will I qualify for a mortgage?

ME: Probably not. Credit is as important as income. Lenders want to see a good credit history because they are lending you money. If you have a sloppy track record, they will notice.

Ask the lender what the payout penalty is if you break the mortgage. You don't want to be stuck owing thousands if you have to sell.

YOU: How much do I need for a down payment?

ME: You require a minimum of 5% of the purchase price as a down payment. It needs to be money you saved—you can’t borrow it or use a line of credit or a credit card.

YOU: I’ve heard of people using their RRSPs?

ME: You can borrow from an RRSP for your down payment. As you can guess, it comes with a whole bunch of rules. Read about it HERE

YOU: I’m a bit short on my down payment, can my brother in Toronto top it up?

ME: Yes. You can use a gift from a family member, providing they send confirmation to the lender that the money is a gift and you don’t need to pay it back.

YOU: What about a co-signer?

ME: A co-signer is fine, but remember this person’s name will appear on the title, and they are responsible for payments if you can’t make them. Better make sure you guys are tight first 🙂

YOU: I told my lender how much I make and what my debts are, and they gave me an idea of what I can afford. Can I shop for a home now?

ME: No. The lender needs all of your paperwork before you can look at homes. A verbal pre-approval is not good enough.

YOU: What’s required for mortgage pre-approval?

ME: This involves visiting your lender and providing your most recent pay stubs, bank statements, T4, job letter from your employer, and more. Before you start looking at homes, you need to be pre-approved by a lender. No exceptions.

YOU: So, once pre-approved, I’m guaranteed the loan?

ME: No. A second or final approval comes after you’ve made an offer on a home. Even though you are pre-approved, the lender will still review the property and confirm financing. Sometimes they say no, keep shopping.

YOU: Why would the lender decline to lend on a specific property?

ME: The lender can decline based on the condition, the purchase price (if it’s above market value), or any other factors they see fit. So, even though you’ve qualified for the amount of the purchase price, the lender may not approve the loan.

YOU: But if I’m pre-approved and it’s a decent house, the bank will give me the money, right?

ME: Not necessarily. During final approval, the lender may not lend to you based on your financial situation. If they find some debt you’ve been hiding from them, or you just bought a Winnebago, they may decline you. It happens from time to time. You get your deposit back in full and start looking in a lower price range when it does. Or give mom and dad the bad news they can’t convert your room into a fabulous home gym quite yet.

When shopping for a mortgage, it pays to speak with more than one lender. Be sure you get the answers you want before signing the papers.

YOU: What is mortgage insurance?

ME: Buyers with a down payment of less than 20% of the total purchase price must have their mortgage insured against default. Mortgage insurance protects the lender and not the borrower. Mortgage insurance assures lenders they will be covered if a borrower defaults on, or fails to make, their mortgage payments within 90 days of being due.

YOU: Who pays for the mortgage insurance?

ME: You do. The insurance is in place to protect the lender and not the borrower, but they pass the costs on to you. Bummer.

YOU: Is mortgage insurance expensive?

ME: Yes. It’s calculated as a percentage of the loan and varies depending on how much you’re putting down. Less down, the higher the rate. Current rates can be found HERE

YOU: How do I pay for the mortgage insurance?

ME: The good news (sort of) is that the insurance premium is added to your mortgage amount, calculated upfront, and paid only once in a lump sum. Your total mortgage becomes slightly higher, but you don’t have to pay for it out of pocket at the time of the purchase.

YOU: I’ve heard about terms and amortization periods. What’s the difference?

ME: The term is the amount of time your rate (percentage charged on your loan) and associated mortgage conditions are in effect. The amortization period is the total number of years until the mortgage is paid in full. Your term comes up for renewal after a certain number of years, and you must renew at the current rate. Your amortization period is set at the start and remains the same.

YOU: What’s the difference between a variable and a fixed-rate mortgage?

ME: Variable rates change as the prime rate changes. Fixed rates are set at the beginning of your term and won’t change regardless of outside markets. If you want to lock in at a fixed rate, it will be slightly higher than the current variable rate.

YOU: Which should I choose, fixed or variable?

ME: Depends on your tolerance for risk. If you’re ok having payments fluctuate with the current rates, then a variable rate might be the right choice. If you’d rather know what your payments will be every month for the next five years, you should lock in at a fixed rate. Over time variable rates have marginally outperformed fixed rates.

YOU: I’ve heard of a stress test. What is it?

ME: You now have to qualify at a slightly higher rate than you will actually be receiving. It’s designed to make sure the borrower can service their debt if rates rise in the future.

YOU: Will mortgage rates go up?

ME: Yes. And then sometimes they will go down. It works like that 🙂 My best advice is to make room in the budget for a 2-3% rate increase. Don’t buy more than you can afford.

YOU: What should I do next?

ME: Speak with a lender. I work with some great guys and gals who would love to help you. Let’s do it.

Find This Helpful? Don't Forget to Bookmark or Share With a Friend!

Share on:

IT'S UP TO YOU NOW

YOU’D LOOK GOOD IN A NEW HOME

Next up is to speak with a lender. Just fill out the form, and I’ll send you the names of three highly skilled lenders.

Financing is the First Step

Let’s Get You Pre-approved

You can’t buy a home until you’ve met with a lender. In fact, you can’t even start looking at homes until you’ve met with a lender. The good news is we can get you up and running quickly.

Click here to receive an email with the names and numbers of three friendly, highly skilled lenders. In the meantime, here’s a how-to guide to get you started.

I’ve written this as a list and arranged it in a (somewhat) chronological order so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Enjoy!

how to finance a regina home

YOU: Where can I get a loan?

ME: Banks and mortgage brokers. The banks include credit unions such as Conexus and Affinity and the big five we’ve all heard of—CIBC, BMO, RBC, TD and Scotia. A mortgage broker is a licensed professional who connects property buyers with a variety of mortgage lenders.

​

YOU: What’s the difference between banks and mortgage brokers?

​

YOU: Should I use a mortgage broker or my bank?

ME: They are both good choices but slightly different. I recommend meeting with both to discuss your situation.

​

YOU: What’s the advantage of using a mortgage broker?

​

YOU: What’s the advantage of using my bank?

​

YOU: My credit isn’t great, but I make lots of money. Will I qualify for a mortgage?

ME: Probably not. Credit is as important as income. Lenders want to see a good credit history because they are lending you money. If you have a sloppy track record, they will notice.

Ask the lender what the payout penalty is if you break the mortgage. You don't want to be stuck owing thousands if you have to sell.

YOU: How much do I need for a down payment?

ME: You require a minimum of 5% of the purchase price as a down payment. It needs to be money you saved—you can’t borrow it or use a line of credit or a credit card.

​

YOU: I’ve heard of people using their RRSPs?

ME: You can borrow from an RRSP for your down payment. As you can guess, it comes with a whole bunch of rules. Read about it HERE

​

YOU: I’m a bit short on my down payment, can my brother in Toronto top it up?

ME: Yes. You can use a gift from a family member, providing they send confirmation to the lender that the money is a gift and you don’t need to pay it back.

​

YOU: What about a co-signer?

ME: A co-signer is fine, but remember this person’s name will appear on the title, and they are responsible for payments if you can’t make them. Better make sure you guys are tight first 🙂

​

YOU: I told my lender how much I make and what my debts are, and they gave me an idea of what I can afford. Can I shop for a home now?

ME: No. The lender needs all of your paperwork before you can look at homes. A verbal pre-approval is not good enough.

​

YOU: What’s required for mortgage pre-approval?

ME: This involves visiting your lender and providing your most recent pay stubs, bank statements, T4, job letter from your employer, and more. Before you start looking at homes, you need to be pre-approved by a lender. No exceptions.

​

YOU: So, once pre-approved, I’m guaranteed the loan?

ME: No. A second or final approval comes after you’ve made an offer on a home. Even though you are pre-approved, the lender will still review the property and confirm financing. Sometimes they say no, keep shopping.

YOU: Why would the lender decline to lend on a specific property?

​ME: The lender can decline based on the condition, the purchase price (if it’s above market value), or any other factors they see fit. So, even though you’ve qualified for the amount of the purchase price, the lender may not approve the loan.

​

YOU: But if I’m pre-approved and it’s a decent house, the bank will give me the money, right?

When shopping for a mortgage, it pays to speak with more than one lender. Be sure you get the answers you want before signing the papers.

YOU: What is mortgage insurance?

​

YOU: Who pays for the mortgage insurance?

ME: You do. The insurance is in place to protect the lender and not the borrower, but they pass the costs on to you. Bummer.

​

YOU: Is mortgage insurance expensive?

ME: Yes. It’s calculated as a percentage of the loan and varies depending on how much you’re putting down. Less down, the higher the rate. Current rates can be found HERE

​

YOU: How do I pay for the mortgage insurance?

ME: The good news (sort of) is that the insurance premium is added to your mortgage amount, calculated upfront, and paid only once in a lump sum. Your total mortgage becomes slightly higher, but you don’t have to pay for it out of pocket at the time of the purchase.

​

YOU: I’ve heard about terms and amortization periods. What’s the difference?

​

YOU: What’s the difference between a variable and a fixed-rate mortgage?

ME: Variable rates change as the prime rate changes. Fixed rates are set at the beginning of your term and won’t change regardless of outside markets. If you want to lock in at a fixed rate, it will be slightly higher than the current variable rate.

​

YOU: Which should I choose, fixed or variable?

​

YOU: I’ve heard of a stress test. What is it?

ME: You now have to qualify at a slightly higher rate than you will actually be receiving. It’s designed to make sure the borrower can service their debt if rates rise in the future.

​

YOU: Will mortgage rates go up?

ME: Yes. And then sometimes they will go down. It works like that 🙂 My best advice is to make room in the budget for a 2-3% rate increase. Don’t buy more than you can afford.

​

YOU: What should I do next?

ME: Speak with a lender. I work with some great guys and gals who would love to help you. Let’s do it.

Find This Helpful? Don't Forget to Bookmark or Share With a Friend!

IT'S UP TO YOU NOW

YOU’D LOOK GOOD IN A NEW HOME

Next up is to speak with a lender. Just fill out the form, and I’ll send you the names of three highly skilled lenders.

ME: The lender can decline based on the condition, the purchase price (if it’s above market value), or any other factors they see fit. So, even though you’ve qualified for the amount of the purchase price, the lender may not approve the loan.