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The countdown is on to January 1st, when the latest mortgage rules from OSFI will come into effect! A recent survey by Re/Max found that over 40% of Canadians don't even know about the upcoming changes, and another 40% don't think – or aren't sure – that the new rules will affect them. At the same time, nearly half of Canadians are considering purchasing a home in the next five years. A home is the largest purchase most of us will make, so do you really want to go into that decision without all the facts?

Everything is set for your mortgage. You've signed the paperwork, chosen your payment frequency, and you know when your first payment will be due – or do you? While you've covered the major points, one thing we don't often discuss when it comes to financing is the interest adjustment date.

According to many, it's the most wonderful time of the year: whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another holiday during the month of December, chances are you're busy decorating your home to give it a festive glow. However, all those decorative touches can increase the risk of fire in your home, and that's one glow you definitely don't want to have. Here are the top 5 holiday fire hazards – and how to avoid them.

On November 22, the federal government unveiled a National Housing Strategy that aims to reduce homelessness and improve the availability and quality of housing for Canadians in need. The goals include investments in new affordable units, repairs to existing units, and protecting those who have already secured housing from losing an affordable place to live. The results of this work can't come soon enough for those of us who live in areas where traditional ideas of home price affordability were left by the wayside months – or years – ago.

Every mortgage calculator you run across on the internet is going to be slightly different – and they're not all created equal! Let's be honest: a calculator is a great way to get you to spend time on the website and it probably gets you excited for the possibilities around buying or refinancing your property. But you also want the calculator to provide you with an accurate idea of the size of mortgage you qualify for and what your payments will be. That all comes down to knowing what information you will need to enter.

Do you feel a sense of dread when a bill arrives in your mailbox? Do you take an out of sight, out of mind approach to managing your bank account? You're not alone! Almost two thirds of households in British Columbia say their worry "is constant" according to a study commissioned by debt advisors Sands & Associates earlier this year.

If you've been worrying about rising mortgage rates, you're not alone! With home prices still near all-time highs in Victoria and Vancouver, Canadian home owners owe more on their mortgages than ever before. How dire is the situation? We took a look back to see what could happen.