Calgary Real Estate Blog - Calgary Mortgage Tips

Getting a Mortgage Pre-approval - Dos and Don’ts

For many Canadians, owning a home is a life-long dream. It’s a dream that requires a lot of planning and hard work if it’s going to come true, however. From finding the right realtor to sifting through home listings, fighting bidding wars and navigating open houses, buying a home is a big commitment. 

Of course, most people will need a mortgage to purchase a home. This can be a major obstacle for some, but you can improve the process by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. A mortgage pre-approval will let you know how much you can borrow with minimal risk. This will give you the confidence to get out there and see what you can afford.

How does mortgage pre-approval work in Calgary?

Whether you’re looking to buy your first home or you’re an…

1469 Views, 0 Comments

How To Buy A House With Bad Credit

The idea of purchasing a home can sometimes be daunting. If you have bad credit, getting started with the process of buying a home can be an even tougher task to accomplish. 

If you have bad credit, getting started with the process of buying your first home can seem especially difficult. There are ways of buying a home, and getting the loan that you need, even if you have a poor credit score. Bad credit home loans have been established and are available for those that qualify for them. This means that your credit score may not be as big of an obstacle that you think it is for purchasing a home.

This article will go over how to get a mortgage with bad credit, what you need to know about your credit score, what you need to qualify for a home loan, and…

2629 Views, 0 Comments

Buying vs Renting in Calgary: 2021

The rent vs buy conversation in Calgary is certainly not something "new" on the scene in 2021.  Clients ask on a regular basis if we think it's a good time to buy or if they should keep renting.  In the past 5 years in Calgary, we've seen reasonable vacancy rates and market rents have been affordable. Because of this, finding a great accommodation to rent hasn't been a difficult task in Calgary and lots of newcomers to the city have chosen to rent instead of buy.  But, the question to ask is, "What is the best for your long term financial goals?"

Renting a Home in Calgary

8411 Views, 0 Comments

When is the Best Time of Year to Buy a House?

If you’re browsing the housing market and find yourself asking the question “when is the best time of year to buy a house,” the short answer is: it depends! We unpack some external effects including the time of year, mortgage rates, and other factors that will help you determine when is the best time to purchase a home. 

Pro Tip: Have you locked in interest rates? Saavy home buyers should have taken advantage of the low interest rates and would (or should) have locked them in, (typically for up to 120 days). If you haven't click here to jump into our mortgage approval form. We'll get you in front of the top mortgage partners we work with and have them assist you in locking in the best rates in the market, and helping you understand how much home…

2156 Views, 0 Comments

Questions to ask your mortgage broker

When you’re asking your friends, family and colleagues about their recent home purchase and their mortgage experience, often the conversation starts  and ends with “what’s your mortgage rate?’ 

Here is the truth, when you’re shopping for a mortgage, the rate is a super important piece of the conversation, but it shouldn’t be the only piece of the conversation. We sat down the Renee Huse at Spire Mortgage one of our key impact partners and got the low down on the important questions you should ask your mortgage broker if you’re planning to get a mortgage.

7 things to ask your Mortgage Broker if you’re getting a mortgage in Calgary

1.    What is the down payment requirement for this mortgage rate? 

Reminder, mortgage rates…

1392 Views, 0 Comments

Why Do I Have Different Credit Scores?

Oftentimes, as we move through the mortgage pre approval process with our clients, they end up confused about their credit score.  They check the score themselves using one of their banking apps or Credit Karma and the score reads 780, but when we pull their beacon score, they are so frustrated that often their score is lower.

Here are the straight goods:  Every credit information provider has a different algorithm for calculating credit scores.  They all scrape information from the internet in different ways and they all come up with a different number in the end.  It’s also super important to remember that credit scores fluctuate monthly.  My personal credit score can land between 750 and 850 depending on the month.  If I’ve had…

2906 Views, 0 Comments

What Are Closing Costs?

Buying a home can feel like an epic adventure, full of ups and downs. From working with a real estate agent to viewing Calgary homes for sale to organizing open houses, it can be stressful. 

So, when closing day approaches, buyers are overjoyed and relieved that part of the journey is over. However, while finding the home of your dreams and closing the sale are major accomplishments, before you crack open the bubbly, you'll need to pay some administrative fees, otherwise known as closing costs.

What are closing costs in Alberta? Our experts will explain.

Closing Costs: The Breakdown

Closing costs are fees or expenses that the buyer owes before or on closing day. Homebuyers should budget 1.5%-4% of the property's purchase price in…

1226 Views, 0 Comments

How To Find A Mortgage Broker In Calgary

 If you're thinking about buying a home, one of the first steps almost every buyer starts with, is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Below are some of the many advantages of doing this key first step in your home buying journey.

Read Below For Our Guide On Where To Go For Mortgage Brokers In Calgary

• This will move you one step closer to home ownership
• You'll discover how much home you can afford. Allowing you to truly narrow and refine what homes you should be looking at.
• Demonstrate your worthiness to sellers in your offer. Whether this be the removal of a condition, or the ability for your agent to leverage your purchase power in a situation where you're in multiple offers. 
• Minimize or reduce waiver timelines within your offer,…

1850 Views, 0 Comments

Calgary Mortgage Deferral

With new information and changes coming daily, our impact mortgage partner Renee Huse who runs the incredibly popular and busy Spire Mortgage Team took the time to digest and provide her thoughts on one question many Calgarians, and Canadians have been asking in their homes. Should I defer my mortgage?  

Calgary Mortgage Tips

Thanks to the SPIRE mortgage team! 

To defer or not to defer – it’s the million dollar question! As COVID 19 hit Canada over the past weeks and many non-essential businesses began laying off employees, there has been much miscommunication from the government, both federally and provincially, that lead both homeowners and tenants to believe that mortgages are being “forgiven.” This is just not correct.  Period.  There…

731 Views, 0 Comments

Is Calgary Real Estate affordable?

Calgary carries a high dependency on the oil and gas sector, this accounts for roughly 70% of businesses based in Calgary, this can mean high volatility and risk of bust-boom cycles that come and go with a natural resource like oil. Recently Calgary has been recovering from highs in 2012 due to Oil prices taking a nose dive. Residents in Calgary on average earn more than other cities in Canada with an average weekly take home pay of about $1150 per week, this compared to Toronto and Vancouver being $1015 and $950 respectively.

Calgary is considered one of the top business hubs in Canada and the top of Western Canada with over 100 head offices, our city is recognized as a global leader in Energy and Engineering. Calgary usually sees a GDP growth of…

3120 Views, 0 Comments