Blogs by Jessica

Welcome to Jessica’s Mortgage Blog, your go-to resource for navigating Canada’s mortgage landscape. Here, Jessica shares her expertise on everything from first-time home buying to refinancing strategies, helping readers make informed decisions at every stage of their mortgage journey.

Each post offers insights into market trends, tips for securing the best rates, and guidance on various loan options. Whether you’re buying your first home, renewing a mortgage, or planning long-term investments, Jessica’s blog provides practical advice to support your financial goals.

converting your basement to an income suite

converting your basement to an income suite

With the current interest rates and economic scenarios, many Canadians may be looking for ways to bring in some extra cash. One option for this is to put your home equity to work and consider renovating your basement into a legal income suite!
10 money saving tips

10 money saving tips

When it comes to saving money, there are a lot of little things you can do that add up to make a big difference! Here are 10 of my favourite money-saving tips to help get you started today:
economic insights from Dr Sherry Cooper

economic insights from Dr Sherry Cooper

It has been just over a year since the Bank of Canada started hiking interest rates. While the economy has remained surprisingly resilient, the housing market has weakened sharply. The Bank has remained on the sidelines for the past two Governing ...
why use a mortgage broker instead of your bank?

why use a mortgage broker instead of your bank?

There are several reasons why a potential borrower may want to consider using a mortgage broker instead of their bank. Here are a few reasons: Access to a wider range of lenders: When a borrower goes directly to their bank for a mortgage, they are...
How to Kick Your Adult Kids Out of The Home

How to Kick Your Adult Kids Out of The Home

It has become apparently harder for the younger generation to purchase their first home. With the interest rates and stress test, and lets not forget the price of homes, entering home ownership isn’t easy. However, there has been a trend over the p...
The Life of a Deposit – From Realtor to Close

The Life of a Deposit – From Realtor to Close

Buying a property can be overwhelming. Knowing who does what, where your money goes and all the ins and outs will provide you with some peace of mind when it comes to your deposit. Typically, when purchasing you are required to put a deposit down thr...
5 Tips to Get Pre-Approved for More!

5 Tips to Get Pre-Approved for More!

Getting pre-approved is a crucial first step when buying a home. It tells you how much you can spend on a home between your down payment and the approved loan amount. Sometimes, though, the pre-approval amount is lower than what you expect, throwing ...
helping your children enter the real estate market

helping your children enter the real estate market

As retirees or parents, we often strive for mortgage-free lives, but we also recognize the challenges our children face in entering today's competitive real estate market. However, fear not! There are three innovative solutions to ensure our children...
debt consolidation through mortgage refinancing

debt consolidation through mortgage refinancing

Are you tired of feeling like you're constantly playing catch-up with your finances? The struggle with debt can often feel like a prank that never ends. But fear not, because there's a strategic move you can make to turn the tables on your debt – d...
exploring shared home ownership

exploring shared home ownership

In today's real estate landscape, more people are turning to joint homeownership as a solution to rising prices and interest rates. This involves teaming up with friends or family members to buy a home together. While it sounds appealing, it's crucia...
small home improvements that make a big impact

small home improvements that make a big impact

Whether you’re looking to sell your home this year, or just want to make some updates, I have put together six small home improvements that can make a BIG impact on your space! From improving saleability to refreshing your home, here are some simpl...
2024 spring market expectations

2024 spring market expectations

The spring housing market is just around the corner! Whether you’re looking to sell, buy, or want to ensure your mortgage is in order, knowing what to expect can help.  Here is the low down on what we are anticipating for various factors affect...
fraud awareness

fraud awareness

Protecting yourself and your mortgage from fraud is crucial to safeguard your financial well-being. Understanding some of the more common mortgage fraud scams and how to protect yourself can make all the difference! The most common type of mortgag...
making your home workspace more productive

making your home workspace more productive

Fall in love with your home and your workspace again with these tips to help you make your home office space more productive! Establish Boundaries: A key component of being more productive at home is to establish proper boundaries between work and...
amortization options

amortization options

Your mortgage amortization period is the number of years it will take you to pay off your mortgage. Depending on your choice of amortization period, it will affect how quickly you become mortgage-free as well as how much interest you pay over the lif...
why you need fire insurance when getting a mortgage

why you need fire insurance when getting a mortgage

Today, let's delve into a topic that might not be the most glamorous but is absolutely crucial when it comes to your mortgage in Canada – Fire Insurance. So, grab a seat and let's break down the why, how, and what to expect of this essential safegu...
mortgage rule transformations since 2008

mortgage rule transformations since 2008

Embarking on the pathway to homeownership has always been a significant life milestone, and for Canadians, navigating the twists and turns of the mortgage landscape is an integral part of this journey. Over the years, the rules and regulations govern...
favourite holiday desserts

favourite holiday desserts

The holidays are a wonderful time of year for the merriment, music, lights… and treats! You’ll need to throw out the scale for this list of scrumptious holiday dessert ideas. Gingerbread Cookies: Did you know? The oldest recorded gingerbre...
winterizing your home

winterizing your home

We Canadians are no strangers to the chill of the winter season! As we shift into the final few months of 2023, now is a great time to check your home before the cold front hits. Below I have included a few tips that could help you save on bills, ...
mortgage renewal benefits

mortgage renewal benefits

Is your mortgage coming up for renewal? Do you know about all the incredible options renewing your mortgage can afford you? If not, I have all the details here on how to make your mortgage renewal work for you as we start to think about 2024. G...
financial freedom: how the rich get richer

financial freedom: how the rich get richer

What does financial freedom mean to you? It's a question that might elicit a wide range of responses, and that's the beauty of it – financial freedom is a deeply personal concept. For some, it's the dream of retiring early, spending endless days on...
market beware: condition-free offers

market beware: condition-free offers

When it comes to purchasing a home, most offers include “conditions” (or “subjects” if you are in the provinces of British Columbia or Manitoba), which are requirements or criteria to be met before the sale can be finalized and the property i...
spooktacular home tips

spooktacular home tips

Even though Fall has already started, there are a few things you can do still to ensure your home is well-prepared for the season. Whatever your plans, a quick check of your home will ensure there are no surprises!
fall market forecast

fall market forecast

As we round the corner into October, now is a great time to touch base about what to expect in the marketplace this Fall! As you may have heard, The Bank of Canada opted to maintain its policy rate at 5% as of September. The recent rate hikes over...
back to school: teaching kids about money

back to school: teaching kids about money

Financial independence is a critical skill for future success that your children will not learn anywhere else. Not only does financial literacy help your children have more success in life, but it allows them to move out sooner and it avoids delay...
economic insights with Dr Sherry Cooper

economic insights with Dr Sherry Cooper

The Bank of Canada has a single mandate—to ensure that inflation returns to the 2% target. This means that the Bank will raise interest rates if inflation is too high and lower interest rates if inflation is too low. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in...
first home savings account (FHSA)

first home savings account (FHSA)

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is specifically designed to help first-time homebuyers save for their down payment without having to pay taxes on the interest earned on their savings. This means that the interest earned on the savings in the...
easy ways to be nice

easy ways to be nice

Being nice to others is an important aspect of building strong relationships and creating a positive environment. Sometimes, small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone's day. Here are some easy ways to be nice to someone:
how to pay off your mortgage faster

how to pay off your mortgage faster

When it comes to homeownership, many of us dream of the day we will be mortgage-free. While most mortgages operate on a 25-year amortization schedule, there are some ways you can pay off your mortgage quicker! Review Your Payment Schedule: Taki...
your gardening to-do list

your gardening to-do list

If you are looking to have a garden that is the envy of the neighbourhood, May is a great time to get started on your gardening to-do list. I have put together some helpful tips and ideas for how to get started so your garden shines all summer lon...
spring cleaning tips

spring cleaning tips

As the sun starts coming back around, it is a great time to scrub those windows and deep clean your home! Here are some tips for a successful Spring clean: Create a Playlist: Everything is more fun with a great playlist! Not only is music great...
choosing your ideal payment frequency

choosing your ideal payment frequency

Your payment schedule is the frequency that you make mortgage payments and ranges from monthly to bi-monthly, bi-weekly, accelerated bi-weekly or even weekly payments. Below is a quick overview of what each of these payment frequencies mean: Mo...

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