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Canadian Foreign and Local Housing Taxes You Can't Afford to Ignore

If you are a foreign investor or homeowner you’ll want to be acutely aware that Canada has many housing taxes that have been introduced throughout the recent years. While most provinces will have similar approaches, **below is how Ontario and British Columbia** set the various taxes that apply when you just buy a home and on a yearly basis for both locals and foreigners.

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What New First-Time Homebuyer Programs Save You Thousands?

As of September 2019, The federal government intended to make homeownership more affordable for young people by introducing the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI) - but is it worth it?

As someone who might be self-employed or if you are friends with an entrepreneur, you’ll likely appreciate a similar scenario when I was on CBC’s Dragons’ Den. Like the government, the Dragons’ wanted to inject capital in my venture to allow us to afford to be an entrepreneur for longer, and with faster growth. But it came at a cost.

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Fixed Rate vs. Variable Rate: What One Should I Choose?

75% of Canadians choose fixed-rate vs variable-rate mortgages because they want the "peace of mind" of paying the same every month and the rate not changing on them...but do they have the full picture? And what is best for you?

Most home buyers are unaware of the advantages when choosing a variable rate and have some misconceptions based on its name. Based on the past decade and a half, variable rates have been slightly lower than fixed rates, aside from 2007 and 2019. This may sound like a no brainer for a lower rate, but before you start leaning to one side instead of the other, let’s take a step back and understand what a fixed and variable rate means and the pros and cons of each. To conclude I’ll provide case studies on how to leverage a fixed and/or variable rate so you can determine which one is right for you.

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How Collateral Mortgages Help You Access Cash Without Breakage Penalties

A collateral mortgage is a type of mortgage product that is “re-advanceable,” which means the lender can loan you more funds as the value of your home increases without the need to refinance your home loan. In this case, your lender would register your property with a collateral charge, often for a higher amount compared to the loan amount required.

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Three Things Self Employed People Can't Afford To Forget When Mortgage Planning

With the stress and hard work of being Self-employed, people often forget to plan for the foundations of setting themselves up for their future mortgage.

Additionally, Self-employed Canadians are finding it increasingly difficult to qualify for their ideal mortgage as stress tests and financing get tougher. It’s hard to balance out saving taxes with reduced income declarations and the realities of stress tests. 

Here are three foundational things to not forget to do before you’re ready to actively find a mortgage that’s best for you.

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