Friday, January 23, 2009

5 Tips on Choosing a Mortgage

By Amy Nutt

The most important investment you will ever make is buying a home. This is because it shelters you, it protects you, and it does take quite the bite out of your wallet. It is quite the incredible investment, but one that will benefit you for the rest of your life. However, you have to choose the right mortgage for you. This means choosing the right Canadian Mortgage Broker or Lender, and looking at the many aspects that can make or break you.

So here are 5 tips to help you choose the right mortgage for you:

- You first have to choose your financial institution. You may already have an institution in mind. If you do, make sure you check with them regarding their closing costs, application fees, inspection fees, and any other charges that they may add. Every institution is different and so are the mortgage rates carried by each institution.

- Always compare interest rates. You have your base Canada mortgage rates, but each financial institution will have different criteria that determine your rate. They do base it off of your credit situation, amount of the loan, income, etc.

- You have to decide whether an adjustable rate mortgage or a fixed rate mortgage is the best for you. In an adjustable rate mortgage, the rate will change over time. This means you will have a lower payment in the beginning, but the payment will be higher in the end. You have to determine if this is something that you can afford to do. Some individuals cannot afford this, so they may lose their home if they default on their mortgage.

- Are you a first time homebuyer? Look into the options that are available to those buying for the very first time. There are certain deals that can be offered regardless of credit rating in many cases.

- If mortgage refinancing is what you need to do, then you should use the above tips when finding the right mortgage. When you refinance, you are usually doing it so that you can take advantage of some of the equity that you have built over time. You refinance for the value of your home, pay off your old mortgage, and you then get the difference in your equity back to do what you wish with. Just make sure that you are making the right decision and keep in mind that Canada mortgage rates can vary from institution to institution, even in mortgage refinancing.

These are all very important things to keep in mind when getting your new Canadian mortgage or in mortgage refinancing Canada. You want to ensure that you are doing everything right from the beginning. That way you can make sure you have your home for many years to come. You don't want to be one of these individuals taking out the variable rate mortgage for the low payment to find that they can't pay it in the future. It is a rather disheartening situation. It also takes a toll on credit, on reputation, and leaves you wondering where you are going to live when the bank takes possession of the home.

So make sure you compare, you weigh your options, and that you feel good about your decision. You might be quite surprised how right your gut feeling can be about the mortgage you are looking at. If you don't feel good about it, then don't take it. And don't forget that the Canada mortgage rates are not the same everywhere. This can be a huge determining factor when it comes to your mortgage.

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