Only available for the 2009 tax year, the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) is providing Canadians a welcome incentive to improve their home. These improvements can be made to an eligible dwelling (personal residence, home, or cottage). As well, the tax credit applies on purchases over $1,000 but less than $10,000. What Qualifies as an …
Interest rates sit at near-historic lows. This reason alone is compelling enough for many people to make the transition from renting to ownership. If that’s you, congratulations! You have many factors working for you right now: plenty of homes available for purchase, low interest rates, and the fact that many homeowners are looking to sell …
A recession hit us. I know, I know, brace yourself. That’s a bit of surprising news, isn’t it? Sarcasm aside, there’s no denying that the global economic crisis (AKA, the recession) really put a lot of people in positions they weren’t used to being in. For many people born post 1980, a “recession” was an …
A common myth that is very prevalent is that people who are self-employed, or who work on a commission basis, can not get a mortgage/have difficult time getting a mortgage. While this myth is true in certain situations, it is not a universal rule. In fact, obtaining a mortgage when you’re self employed can be …
Do you remember the days when getting a mortgage was easy? Simply show up to your favourite broker or banks office with a pay stub and a decent credit score, and after signing a few papers, you walked out the door with a mortgage! Okay, perhaps it was never that easy, but the global financial …