When we were thirty, we thought we were ten feet tall and invincible. Our drive, energy, and enthusiasm for life was the fuel that drove us forward. Obstacles were those annoying things we swatted away like mosquitoes—we were wired to achieve our dreams. For many midlifers who prospered through the halcyon years of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, time was an expendable commodity ...

Decline of the Nuclear FamilyA nuclear family system is defined as a family structure that consists of a couple living with their children. This is quite different from an extended or intergenerational family system, in which the household may include other family members, such as grandparents, siblings with children, aunts, uncles, cousins, and so on. Over the past sixty years, career mobility ...

Some years ago, a Boy Scout leader we knew would give a copy of a book he’d found highly effective to the parents of his troop. The title of this book was How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. The simple message is that the words we use, our tone, and body language can have a profound effect on whether our message is really heard by ...

The word escape can be either a noun (i.e., a thing or place) or it can be a verb, which implies taking an action (e.g., running away from or toward something). The following is an excerpt from Robert Miller & Monika Lowry's newest book... THE NEXT CHAPTER - CHANGE THE MINDSET, CHANGE YOUR LIFE - and highlights how one couple's health challenge became the catalyst for an exciting lifestyle cha ...

Sound Mortgage Advice - understanding your optionsWhether you are looking to refinance, buy your first home, upsize or downsize... the advice of a qualified and experiened Mortgage Broker cannot be underestimated. While your Bank or other Financial Institutions also offer mortgages, the person you will be working with is an employee of that institution and is typically only able to offer financi ...

Spring 2024 Mortgage Update - There’s no argument it’s more challenging to purchase a home today, but it’s not unachievable. Whether you're looking to buy your first home or you know someone who is, this message is for you. Let's start with the basics. Set Realistic Expectations - Set realistic expectations when buying a home. Lower rates in the past made it possible for some fi ...

Understanding the ins and outs of mortgage refinancing is essential for homeowners looking to improve their financial situation or take advantage of new opportunities. Let’s explore the process, benefits, considerations, and eligibility criteria associated with mortgage refinancing in Canada. I.What is Mortgage Refinancing? Mortgage refinancing refers to the process of repl ...

Not all insurance products are created equal. It is important to understand all the different insurance products to ensure you have proper coverage. The following are the main insurance product options you will encounter with homeownership, and what they mean. Hi-Ratio Mortgage Insurance (eg. CMHC): This insurance is mandatory for homes where the buyer puts less than 20% d ...

It's crucial to be mindful of your finances and find ways to save money. Here are 12 tips to help you save during these challenging times:   Create a budget: Develop a comprehensive budget that outlines your income and expenses. This will help you understand where your money is going and identify areas where you can cut back Cut unnecessary expenses: Review your expenses and eliminate no ...

There is a connection between inflation and real estate, with some suggesting that the real estate industry serves as a hedge against inflation, particularly concerning rental income. Rental income growth and inflation are directly affected by factors such as market supply and demand, which determine a landlord's ability to raise rents. In times like these, investors should assess both income and ...

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.   The following is a quick overview of what each of these frequencies mean:   Monthly Payments: A monthly payment is simply a single large payment, paid once per month; this is the default that sets your amortization. ...

Virtually every industry has experienced some sort of increase in costs due to rising inflation rates. With costs continuing to rise in recent months, some may be wondering why they rise in the first place and how the Canadian inflation rate is calculate. Here's a brief explanation of inflation and its effect on Canada's economy.What Is Inflation?Inflation, in its simplest terms, is the rise ...

In this age of seemingly soaring interest rates, first-time homebuyers are uniquely disadvantaged. While everyone is feeling the pinch of recent announcements from the Bank of Canada if first-time home buyers couldn’t catch a break during the times of remarkably low-interest rates, what hope do they have now? Advice From Experienced REALTORS ® You can shop once you know the amount of t ...

Sometimes, a story will appear in the news: “Condo buyers caught off guard by high closing costs.” Someone purchases a condo or other property without doing their homework. As the sale goes through, they’re surprised to find that closing costs are higher than expected due to fees that they didn’t budget for, especially in Toronto. It’s unfortunate that high closing c ...

The latest statistics show fewer people than ever are adequately planning for retirement. With more people being part of the ‘gig’ economy (i.e. independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers), planning for a comfortable retirement is more heavily weighted on the individual than ever before.  Creating a healthy, ...

The Ontario government announced sweeping housing changes that will override municipal zoning laws in some situations and allow for the construction of up to three units on each residential lot. Elements of the new legislation were first presented publicly at a ticketed Toronto Region Board of Trade event attended by Premier Doug Ford and Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clarke. Speakin ...

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is a kind of secured financing. Your home equity serves as a guarantee to the lender that you will repay the loaned funds. This is known as a type of "revolving credit" loan. As a revolving credit loan, you may borrow money up to the credit limit stipulated in your contract, pay it back, and then borrow it again. HELOCs are different from home equity loans and ...