Blogs

A reverse mortgage can be a great financial solution for Canadian seniors to unlock the equity in their home during their retirement. There are still a lot of myths about this product, so our team of certified reverse mortgage specialists wants to set the record straight.

When the latest B.C. property assessment arrived in your mailbox earlier this month, you may have had mixed feelings. If your property is typical of Victoria - or indeed most of the province - the assessed value of your property has probably increased by a percentage that's in the double-digits. On one hand, you've gained more equity simply by continuing to own your home. On the other hand, a higher assessment also brings higher property taxes that you may not have budgeted for.

One of the most difficult things for people when it comes to their personal finances is planning and sticking to a budget. When you're buying your first home, it's likely the biggest purchase you have made in your life; knowing what you can realistically afford each month becomes even more important!

Buying a property is a complex process and goes beyond your mortgage. We've asked our friends at Quadra Legal Centre to share their insight on why you would want to appoint a power of attorney when buying or selling real estate. Here's what they had to say:

Many Canadians run businesses from their homes these days – whether it's a full-time gig employing more than one person or a hobby turned part-time job in the hopes of making some extra money on the side. Do you know if your home-based business is covered by your homeowner's insurance policy?

Without fail, the number one New Year's financial resolution is paying off debt, followed closely by building up savings – every year. Why are we so terrible at meeting these goals? Let's face it: saving is no fun while we're doing it and we don't see any tangible, immediate benefits from paying off debt, especially when it feels like we're passing up buying things we want to have. But what if we turn it around and look at what you spend instead? Here are 3 tips to help make this the year you finally achieve your financial resolutions.

It may seem like a simple question, but if you're starting on the path to buying your first home it's important to ask yourself, “Why?”. In our experience, people usually have mixed reasons: