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The advantages to buying a house depend primarily on your current situation, your values and your needs. Becoming a homeowner is definitely a way of enjoying a good quality of life. 

If you value stability and the feeling of pride that comes with owning your home, buying is certainly an option. You could be “master in your own home” rather than living at the mercy of a landlord.

From a financial point of view, a house, a condo or a multiplex represents a low-risk asset that gives you the benefit of enjoying it every day while its value will most likely rise over time. Owning such an asset can also become an effective tool to leverage other projects.

Based on to your current budget, you can evaluate whether it is more profitable to rent or buy using our “Rent versus Buy” calculator. This tool will allow you to estimate how many years it will take to make the purchase profitable. How would you feel about becoming a homeowner for the price of your rent? Take the test!

A mortgage is a loan secured by real estate. The mortgage can be a closed or open loan and/or a home equity line of credit.

The home equity line of credit provides funds secured by your property, for a total of up to a maximum of 65% of its market value. As in the case of a closed or open mortgage, you must go through a notary to take out a home equity line of credit.

You can use the amount of a home equity line of credit as you see fit. In fact, it works just like a personal line of credit. One of the significant benefits of the home equity line of credit is that the rate is usually lower than that of a loan or personal line of credit. You can benefit from the home equity line of credit for as long as you own your property. On the other hand, it is a financial tool that requires great financial restraint. Depending on how disciplined you are, a mortgage loan can sometimes be more advantageous and economical in the long run. We can help you make the right choice!

For more information please consult the page "Mortgage versus line of credit".

Amortization is the number of years it will take you to pay off your entire mortgage. To choose the period of amortization, it is important to consider your ability to pay, your medium and long-term goals and the down payment your able to make. The period can vary between 10 and 30 years.

If you opt for a shorter amortization period for your mortgage, you will save a lot of money because you will pay less interest on the loan and you will free yourself from your mortgage sooner. However, your mortgage payments will be higher.

To reduce the amortization period, you can also increase the frequency of your payments from monthly to every two weeks or accelerated-week, increase your mortgage payments, make additional capital payments, or make double payments. You can use the Multi-Prêts mortgage payment calculator to simulate different scenarios.

If your needs change, your initial amortization period may be reviewed when you renew your mortgage. It could make a big difference, so look into it! Be sure to read How to choose your mortgage term to learn more.

If you choose a shorter amortization period, you will pay off your mortgage faster and save a lot of money.

To reduce your amortization period even more, you can increase the payment frequency to bi-weekly or even weekly accelerated, increase the amount of your mortgage payments, make additional payments on capital or double your payments. Use Multi-Prêts' mortgage calculator to simulate various scenarios and compare the savings and gains based on various reimbursements set-up.

As a rule, the end of your term is the best time to renew your mortgage. This key moment allows you to take stock of your situation, which will most likely have changed over time. It would therefore be beneficial at this point to review your mortgage strategy.

It is tempting to accept a renewal offer from your bank – often for lack of time – but in  most cases their product is no longer the best one suited to your current needs. Your mortgage broker will be able to examine your present situation with you and offer a better solution in the circumstances. Taking a few minutes to call us. You could save you thousands of dollars over a period of 5 years. We have access to products that are often not available at your bank.

Renewing your mortgage is also a good opportunity to take advantage of a favorable rate to finance projects such as renovating your home, planning a trip or just consolidating your debts. Contact us for a winning solution!

• Discover all our advices for mortgage renewal.

Cash back mortgage, or discount is a product whereas the lender gives back a certain amount of money that could be useful for renovation projects, closing fees, buying furniture or appliances or pay off existing debts. If you opt for this product, you could even make an anticipated payment on the capital of your mortgage, potentially saving thousands of dollars in interests. For more details on cash back, the different products available and today's promotions contact us.

Funding programs do exist for first time buyers, such as the federal and provincial (Quebec) tax credit for the purchase of a first home. Combined, these credits could save you $ 1376 on income tax. Interesting, isn’t it?

In addition, if you buy a new or energy-efficient home, you could benefit from other programs. The Canadian government is offering a partial tax refund on the GST and HST for new houses. To find out if you are eligible, see the eligibility requirements.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) also supports energy efficiency efforts. It has a program that refunds up to 25% of the mortgage insurance premium for homebuyers of energy-efficient homes or for those who are renovating their new home to reduce their energy consumption. Many conditions apply; please read more on this topic here. 

Finally, don’t neglect contacting the municipality where you intend to settle! Many offer a variety of advantageous programs.

• Government credit for the purchase of a house
• Government credit for renovations

The best way is to simply obtain the best possible interest rate and also to reduce your interest costs by repaying your capital faster. Here are some worthwhile strategies:

• Increase your payment frequencies. Ask us how much you could save in interest by making accelerated weekly or bi-weekly payments.
• Take advantage of lump-sum payments
• Increase your payments
• Take advantage of the double up option

Each year, at the anniversary date of your loan, you can usually repay up to 20% (could be higher with some financial institutions) of the original borrowed amount without having to pay any commissions or penalties.

Once a year, you can also increase by as much as 20% your regular payment amount without commissions or penalties.

You can also reduce both interest fees and repay your mortgage faster in doubling your usual payments, including principal and interest (taxes & insurance if applicable), at each normal payment date, without commission or penalty. You can choose to double all of your payments or just do it once a year. The whole amount of your additional payment is being applied towards reducing the principal of your loan (capital). 

A mortgage is much more than a rate. When you take out your mortgage, you will have to choose the terms of your loan. The choices you make will depend on your needs and on your situation at the time you take out the loan.

Among other things, you will first have to choose the term. The term is the duration of the loan after which you need to renew the clauses of your agreement. The advantage of a short term is that the rate is usually lower. Your decision will be based primarily on your tolerance for risk. If your tolerance is high and a low rate is your priority, then a shorter term will be the most suitable choice for you.

Then comes the choice between an open or a closed loan. In most cases, the closed loan will be the most advantageous choice. The open loan, which has a higher interest rate, is more beneficial for a short-term property sale or if you plan to repay your loan quickly because this product allows you to repay part of or all the mortgage without paying a penalty.  Learn more by reading our article "Open versus closed mortgage".

Several other elements will have to be taken into consideration, such as advance repayment, penalty calculation, etc. That's why relying on a good ally such as a mortgage broker is a wise choice that could make you save a lot.

To begin with, you can compare different scenarios using our Mortgage Payment Calculator.

Opting for a fixed rate versus a variable rate depends on your tolerance for interest rate fluctuations and your ability to pay. Choosing a variable rate mortgage product is the best choice on the market, as the rate is generally better than fixed rate mortgage products. However, it is important to understand that with a variable rate, the amount of your payments may change. On one hand, you immediately benefit from rate cuts, so you pay your mortgage faster. Fixed rate mortgage products don’t offer this advantage, but they guarantee the rate and repayments for the term of the loan (from 6 months to 10 years). On the other hand, when rates go up, you must immediately pay more interest and, if your payments become insufficient to pay the full amount, you must increase your payments to maintain the amortization period you initially chose.

Yes, absolutely. Bad credit shouldn’t mean a refusal. Each financial institution has its own criteria for evaluating an application. It is not uncommon to see an application being accepted after it was initially rejected by a competing financial institution. However, most recognized financial institutions reserve the right to issue restrictions on mortgage customers who may have experienced financial difficulties in the past. If this is your case, the best way to determine your current chances of obtaining financing is to talk to us. Our tips on improving your credit rating could also prove to be helpful. 

Because we can offer a range of products through more than 20 financial institutions, and because we know better than anyone the processes used in each financial institution, we are most likely able to help you in this kind of a situation. Here are tips on how to develop healthy financial habits.

Most established financial institutions reserve the right to restrictions towards individuals who may have had financial difficulties in the past. If this is your case, the best way to determine you chances to obtain a mortgage loan is to sit down with one of our consultants. We might be able to help through our pool of lenders.

For more information, check out our tips for buying a house with low credit score.

Yes! It is possible, and you could even save a sizeable amount if you consolidate all your high interest rate loans and all your credit card balances with your mortgage. The interest rate on your mortgage is usually much lower than the cumulative rates of your various loans. In addition, you’ll have less to worry about knowing that you have only one payment to make. It is possible to borrow up to 80% of the net worth of your property.

You could save a considerable amount of money by consolidating all you high interest loans and credit cards with your mortgage. Your mortgage interest rate is usually lower than the sum of your other loans. You will have peace of mind knowing you will only have one payment to make.

Debt consolidation is worth considering if you are having trouble making ends meet, if your income has decreased or if you simply find that your interest rates are too high. Debt consolidation is a measure that allows you to regain control of your debts, which will be spread over a greater number of years at a lower interest rate. Please do not hesitate to contact us. We will advise you on the best option available. 

Learn more: How to consolidate debts with a mortgage

Several reasons may lead your bank to refuse your mortgage application. However, in most situations, there are other options to fall back on. First, you should know that financial institutions each use their own eligibility criteria when studying your application.

The new reality of financial institutions leads them to offer a range of products tailored to meet their clients’ specific needs. The drawback is that they have occasionally become less efficient in certain niche markets. So, if your loan application is turned down by a financial institution, it very well may be accepted by another institution that uses different eligibility criteria.

In addition to the well established financial institutions that you most likely know, there are now virtual lenders that make the offer even more diversified and give the borrower greater bargaining power. This type of bank is subject to the Bank Act of Canada just like all chartered banks. First National Financial, a major Canadian financial institution, is a good example. These virtual lenders are usually accessible through a mortgage broker.

If no institution accepts your request, you can turn to alternative lenders. These lenders agree to take a greater risk of non-payment; in exchange, they usually charge a slightly higher interest rate. This can be a good alternate solution for some borrowers.

A mortgage broker is an important ally that will help you see more clearly through the multitude of products to choose from. He or she can help you realize your dream despite the difficulties!

There could be several reasons prompting you to renovate your home. Your situation may be changing, and sometimes renovating is more sensible than moving, but funds may not be available at the right time. If this is the case, your house can become an interesting lever to finance your project.

With mortgage refinancing, it is possible to borrow up to 80% of the net worth of your property, including the outstanding balance of your current loan. We advise that you carefully assess your renovation needs to  both protect your investment and increase its value.

Compared to mortgage refinancing, the home equity line of credit offers more flexibility and could be a beneficial choice. You can make capital repayments at your own pace and its rate is lower than for a regular margin of credit.

However, it presents a similar danger with respect to self-discipline as a personal line of credit. Since you can withdraw funds at your own discretion, it is important to keep a check on your expenses and not let it become a source of deb overload. Make sure you are well informed about these two options.

For more information, please see our article "How to finance home renovations".

Buying a home will be one of the biggest investments you will ever make. Your mortgage comes with a huge responsibility, and it could compromise your family's safety.

What would happen if you were to die suddenly? Or if you were to become ill and could not work while your mortgage payments are still running? Because the Multi-Prets consultants want to offer you the best possible products and service, they offer you, along with your mortage, the possibility to subscribe to an insurance policy from Mortgage Protection Plan, which constitutes a good solution to protect yourself and your family.

The mortgage credit insurance will compliment your existing portfolio of insurances to help you enjoy a worry free mortgage. The main advantage of this insurance is that you can transfer your mortgage to another financial institution without having to change insurer.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is a Crown corporation created in 1945 and fully owned by the federal government. Its role is to help stabilize the housing market. How? By providing greater access to homeownership to Canadians by insuring mortgages for which the down payment may be insufficient for lenders.

The government requires lenders to insure all mortgages with a down payment of less than 20%. With its mortgage loan insurance, the CMHC has been protecting banks for many years against payment default by adding its insurance premium to the loan. The calculation of the premium depends on the down payment of the buyer. There are two other players in the business of loan insurance: Genworth and Canada Guaranty.

• You can make an estimate of the loan insurance premium using our Mortgage Payment Calculator.
• What are CMHC fees?

A mortgage is a loan granted by a financial institution that is secured by real estate. The amount of the mortgage is calculated on the value of the property purchased minus the down payment.

Several criteria then determine your mortgage, such as the amortization, the frequency of payments and the terms, which notably include the rate.

The amortization of the mortgage can last up to 30 years – or 25 years in the case of insured loans. However, if you have the means, you can save on interest by choosing a shorter amortization to repay your mortgage.

Your payments can be made monthly, bimonthly, every 2 weeks or weekly. You also have the option of making accelerated payments to repay your debt faster and save money.

The terms are the contractual conditions related to your mortgage. It is important to negotiate the most advantageous terms based on your situation. In addition to the mortgage rate, the terms (conditions) include the term (duration), the possibility of additional payments, closing costs, portability, penalties and other conditions. Before making such a significant decision, it is important to be well informed and to be well advised. If this seems complex, your Multi-Prêts mortgage broker will gladly assist you throughout this process.

For more information please see the "What is a mortgage" page.

When you meet with us, you will determine together your borrowing capacity. In other words, they will establish the amount you can borrow for the purchase of a property based on your financial situation. However, you should also be aware of your personal limit for making payments because your maximum borrowing capacity may not be a “comfortable” zone of payment with respect to your quality of life. Considering your personal limit based on your budget will spare you from finding yourself in an embarrassing financial situation.

Examine your personal finances, compare your income with your usual expenses and make sure you can repay your debt without making much of an effort. It is also important to know that you can get an interest rate guarantee for 150 to 180 days depending on the lender. This guarantee protects you from any rate increase.

• For a simulation of your borrowing capacity, please use the How much mortgage can I afford? calculator.

In most cases, you must have:

• A stable income
• A satisfactory credit rating

We will determine your capacity to repay.

In Canada, the minimum investment required by financial institutions for properties worth less than $ 500,000 is 5% of the purchase price. For a $ 300,000 property,  the minimum down payment required would therefore be $ 15,000.

You must also prove that you have funds equivalent to 1.5% of the purchase price to cover the closing costs, such as legal fees, notary fees and disbursements, appraisal fees and the costs of a certificate of location.

At first glance, this amount may seem difficult to come up with. However, there are ways to accumulate this sum without drawing on all your savings. First, there are traditional sources of funding such as the Home Buyers Program (HBP), which allows you to use a portion of your RRSP to purchase your first property. Alternately, if you already own a property, you can use the net worth of that property as collateral for the purchase of a second one.

Other - less conventional - options exist. For example, you can get a donation or a loan from close family  members to use as a down payment. You can also take out a loan or personal line of credit to make your down payment. In this case, however, the lender will have to consider repayment installments in calculating your debt ratios.

These options require good financial discipline and a good credit record. Contact us; together, you will examine which options are most beneficial for you!

Also all mortgages with a downpayment of less than 20% will need to be complemented by a mortgage loan insurance through CMH, Genworth or Canada Guaranty.The higher your down payment, the lower the overall cost of borrowing.

• Other options for a down payment

• A donation from a relative
• Your RRSP (with the Home Buyer's Plan (HBP) you can withdraw up to $25,000 per person tax-free and without penalties).
• Your savings

When the source is a gift from your relatives, you have provide a letter signed by the donor confirming that it is a gift, not a loan.

• Read more about down payments.
• Contact us for more information.

The government's the Home Buyers' Plan, or HBP program, allows each person to withdraw up to $ 25,000 from an RRSP without penalty to pay the down payment or for any other expenses related to the purchase of a house. In the case of a couple that jointly buys a property, this withdrawal can therefore be doubled to a maximum of $ 50,000. However, there are subtleties to this program. For example, you must intend to live in the house you wish to buy using the HBP. If it is not your first home, you must respect the conditions related to the four-year period to withdraw from your RRSP.

The beneficiary of the HBP has 15 years to pay back without interest the amount withdrawn from his or her RRSP. The repayment period begins in the second year following the year in which you made your withdrawal. Ask us to explain the details of this program. 

To learn more, read our article "Withdrawing from RRSP to buy a house".

Before deciding whether to buy a property or not, evaluate all one time expenses as well as recurring charges related to the purchase and maintenance of a house. To establish your budget, consider the following expense items:

Costs associated with the purchase of a house:

• Appraisal fees
• Notary fees
• Survey or certificate of location
• Land transfer tax
• Mortgage Insurance Premium (CMHC, Genworth)
• Tax on mortgage insurance premium
• Moving costs
• Property insurance
• Prepaid property tax adjustments
• Monthly mortgage payment (capital and interest)
• Property taxes
• Mortgage life insurance
• Heating costs
• Condominium fees (if applicable)
• House maintenance costs

Your Mutli-Prêts consultant will be able to help you evaluate these costs. Contact us.

You can get prequalified for a loan even before you find the property you want to buy. You can get a mortgage pre-qualification here.

Our lenders offer preauthorizations that protect your rate against increases for periods ranging from 60 to 180 days. Moreover, in the case of a new construction, many of them grant an appropriate delay considering the scheduled construction work. There is a definite advantage to obtaining your pre-authorization: you will know your borrowing capacity and will be able to look for a home stress-free. In addition, you will have an excellent interest rate during the time you are looking for or building a new home, as well as being protected from any rate hikes.

Multi-Prêts Mortgages offers you an exclusive online tool allowing you to obtain your mortgage prequalification in less than 5 minutes. You will quickly get the best deal among our 20 mortgage lenders, for free. We will follow up on your request and will accompany you throughout your transaction by ensuring that you have the product best suited to your needs.

The amount you will pay for your mortgage each month will depend on several factors including the total amount of your mortgage (purchase price minus down payment), the amortization period, the interest rate and the frequency of your payments.

How can I calculate my mortgage payments?

You can use our Mortgage Payment Calculator to determine the approximate amount of your monthly payments. Our Multiple Scenarios Calculator also allows you to create several scenarios and compare different options to see which one suits you best according to your budget. It also lets you see how much you can save on interest and whether you can pay off your mortgage faster. Note that we are always available to guide you and give advise on the best solution for your you. Feel free to try our other calculators, like “How much can I afford?” and “Rent versus Buy” to learn more.

You can use our services for several types of mortgage loan projects:

• To buy a property
• For a mortgage refinancing
• To renew an existing mortgage loan coming to term
• To transfer a mortgage from one financial institution to another
• To get guidance about mortgages
• For the HBP program
• To learn about the financing programs aimed at self employed people
• To obtain a cash back mortgage
• For a pre-approval

The mortgage broker is the intermediary between a person wishing to subscribe to a mortgage loan and the financial institution that will lend the desired amount.

Our role is primarily to advise, negotiate and obtain the most advantageous loan for the buyer from the financial institution. Dealing with a mortgage broker offers several benefits.

We negotiate for you with more than 20 recognized financial institutions to get the best rates on the best terms, according to your needs.

As Multi-Prêts Mortgages brokers generate a large volume of transactions with various lenders, they give them rate reductions which you benefit from directly. In addition, the financial institutions pay us, the service is offered to consumers free of charge for any residential mortgage. Finally, we ensure the process of your transaction runs smoothly, from presenting your application to the lender until you sign the deed of sale before a notary.

• Advantages of a mortgage broker

The services of a mortgage broker are totally free on residential mortgages. It is the financial institution that pays a finder's fee for every mortgage loan request transmitted to the institution and that is ultimately closed at the notary's office. The financial institutions actually bear the cost of these fees. As such, there are no hidden fees to the consumer.

We negotiate on your behalf with over 20 established financial institutions to get you the best rates at the best possible conditions according to your particular needs. Since Multi-Prêts generates a high volume of transactions with different lenders, we consequently obtain rate rebates from which you benefit directly. Contact us for more details.

The Multi-Prêts mortgage consultants only work for you! Since Multi-Prêts is not affiliated with any bank or lender, its consultants are truly independent and provide you with the best rates available amongst 20+ financial institutions.

The privacy of our clients is our priority. We only collect the information that will be useful to our lenders to appropriately assess your financial situation. Only the lenders we deal with have access to your personal information. The information you entrust to us is deemed confidential and will not be disclosed without your prior consent.

• Complete Privacy and confidentiality policy 

All online requests entrusted to us with personal data are protected by a security system. It means that all communication between you and Multi-Prêts is strictly private and secure. It is,however, your own responsibility to ensure that your local system is adequately protected using appropriate anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-spying software.

• Complete Privacy and confidentiality policy 

For any question dealing with the services being offered by Multi-Prêts, please communicate with us at 1-800-798-7738 or use our online request for information form.