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Category: Tips (70 posts)
Why You Need to Use a Mortgage Broker in 2025
April 24, 2025 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Why You Need to Use a Mortgage Broker in 2025 Are you shopping for a home or thinking about refinancing in Atlantic Canada? Whether you're in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, or Prince Edw ... [read more]
Back to School Season Tips
September 12, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Back to School Season Tips: Balancing Your Finances for a Smooth Transition As summer winds down and the back-to-school season begins, families often face a surge in expenses. From buying supplies ... [read more]
Breaking Mortgage News August 2024
August 7, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Mortgage News August 2024 Recent developments in the mortgage market indicate several key trends and policy changes. These trends and policies are shaping the mortgage landscape in Canada, of ... [read more]
Budgeting for Home Maintenance: A Guide to Protecting Your Investment
July 12, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Budgeting for Home Maintenance: A Guide to Protecting Your Investment Owning a home is one of the most significant investments many people will make in their lifetime. However, maintaining this inv ... [read more]
Mortgage Strategies: Using a Line of Credit for Debt Consolidation
July 9, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Mortgage Strategies: Using a Line of Credit for Debt Consolidation A strategic approach that can help individuals manage and reduce their overall debt burden is by using a line of credit for debt c ... [read more]
Tips for Handling Your Mortgage After a Natural Disaster
June 13, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Tips for Handling Your Mortgage After a Natural Disaster A natural disaster requires a strategic and compassionate approach regarding your mortgage. When nature's fury strikes, it not only leaves ... [read more]
Divorce and Managing Your Mortgage
May 16, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Divorce and Managing Your Mortgage Divorce can indeed have significant implications for your mortgage depending on the specific circumstances of the separation and the agreements reached between th ... [read more]
Benefits of Investing in Income Properties
February 15, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Benefits of Investing in Income Properties Investing in income properties in can offer several benefits. However, it's important to note that the real estate market can vary across different region ... [read more]
Mortgage Loan Insurance Explained
February 8, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Mortgage Loan Insurance Explained In Canada, mortgage loan insurance is a financial product designed to protect lenders in case borrowers default on their mortgage payments. This type of insurance ... [read more]
Should I Break My Mortgage Early?
January 26, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Should I Break My Mortgage Early? Deciding whether to break your mortgage early depends on various factors, and it's essential to carefully consider the potential benefits and costs involved. Here ... [read more]
Unlocking Your Home's Wealth
January 18, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
UNLOCKING YOUR HOME'S WEALTH Your home is not just a place to hang your hat; it's a valuable asset that can work for you. One often-overlooked aspect of homeownership is the equity built up over ti ... [read more]
Post Holiday Blues? A Mortgage Broker Can Help!
January 12, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
POST HOLIDAY BLUES? A MORTGAGE BROKER CAN HELP! A mortgage broker may not directly address post-holiday blues, as that is more related to emotional and psychological well-being. However, a mo ... [read more]
Navigating Your 2024 Mortgage Journey
January 5, 2024 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Navigating Your 2024 Mortgage Journey Happy New Year! The 2024 real estate landscape continues to present both challenges and opportunities for aspiring homeowners. DLC Ideal Mortgage is here to gu ... [read more]
Home for the Holidays: A Broker’s Christmas Tale
December 21, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Home for the Holidays: A Broker’s Christmas Tale ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and here at DLC Ideal Mortgage, we're spreading festive cheer in the most heartwarming way possible&mdash ... [read more]
Mortgage Broker Myths
December 14, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Mortgage Broker Myths If you’re in the process of buying a house, chances are that you’re looking for a mortgage product to match your financial situation and requirements. Mortgage bro ... [read more]
Advantages of a Consolidation Mortgage
November 8, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Advantages of a Consolidation Mortgage Interest rates on mortgages and home equity loans or lines of credit are often much lower than those on credit cards and consumer loans. Consolidation mortgag ... [read more]
Preparing for Christmas While Managing Your Mortgage
November 2, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Preparing for Christmas While Managing Your Mortgage Preparing for Christmas while managing your mortgage can be a juggling act, but with some careful planning, you can enjoy the holiday season wit ... [read more]
The Relationship Between You and Your Mortgage Broker
October 25, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
The Relationship Between You and Your Mortgage Broker Purchasing a home is one of the most significant financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. Navigating the complex world of mortgages ... [read more]
Smart Strategies to Stay Financially Secure
September 21, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Smart Strategies to Stay Financially Secure If you have a mortgage, it's essential to prepare for the possibility of reduced income, job loss, or unexpected expenses during tough times that can po ... [read more]
Rising Rates and Your Mortgage Options
September 14, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Rising Rates and Your Mortgage Options Exploring your mortgage options when interest rates are rising is a crucial step in managing your housing expenses and ensuring your financial stability. Risi ... [read more]
How to Make the Most of Your Home Equity
August 3, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
How to Make the Most of Your Home Equity Making the most of your home equity can be a smart financial move, providing you with additional funds or opportunities to improve your financial situation. ... [read more]
Will Divorce Affect My Credit?
June 23, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Divorce and Your Credit Rating Divorces are difficult because there is a lot to consider quickly, often under pressure. Managing funds is frequently at the forefront of conversations pertaining to ... [read more]
Be Life Rich! Not House Poor
June 2, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
BE LIFE RICH! NOT HOUSE POOR Having the biggest and best home on the block sounds great – but not if it is at the expense of your life and monthly finances! Be smart about your budget and avo ... [read more]
5 Tips to Reduce or Avoid Prepayment Penalties
May 4, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 Tips to Reduce or Avoid Prepayment Penalties Prepayment penalties can cost thousands of dollars. It’s important to know when they apply and how your lender calculates them. If you have an o ... [read more]
Selling Your Home in the Spring.
March 10, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Selling Your Home in the Spring. Are you looking to sell your home? We have a few tips to help you make the most of the spring season!1. Hire an Experienced Realtor: Before prepar ... [read more]
7 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home
March 2, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
7 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home If you are looking to buy a home or want a current value of your property, you will need an appraisal.Before banks or lending institutions can consider loa ... [read more]
8 Tips on How to Get a Mortgage With Bad Credit
February 17, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
8 Tips on How to Get a Mortgage With Bad Credit When applying for a mortgage with bad credit, there are a number of things borrowers can do to help their chances:1. Get a copy of your credit fileAl ... [read more]
5 Tips to Get the Best Mortgage Rates
January 13, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 Tips to Get the Best Mortgage Rates Obtaining the best rates will require you to research so you know how to select a mortgage that’s right for you and can save you thousands of dollars ove ... [read more]
Post-Holiday Debt? Consolidate Today!
January 5, 2023 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Post-Holiday Debt? Consolidate Today! The holidays are a season of giving and often times, we can often find ourselves carrying some extra debt as we enter the New Year. If you happen to be someo ... [read more]
Home Security Tips.
December 9, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Home Security Tips. Your home is your biggest asset and it is important to protect it. When it comes to the various areas in your home, some key points for security are your windows, doors and exte ... [read more]
5 Ways To Save Money When Purchasing A New Home
November 23, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 Ways To Save Money When Purchasing A New Home As impossible as it sounds, you can save money when you're purchasing a home! Here are some things you can do right now to save money on that new hou ... [read more]
5 Tips to Reduce Heating Costs.
November 10, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 Tips to Reduce Heating Costs. When it comes to the winter season, it can be easy to go overboard when it comes to heating – but there is a better way! With a little awareness – and th ... [read more]
Don’t Be Scared to Buy an Old Home
October 21, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Don’t Be Scared to Buy an Old Home Buying an old home doesn’t have to be as scary as it might seem. Here are the top 5 myths about buying an older home! Myth 1: Old Homes are Dark and ... [read more]
Back to School: Credit Clean Up!
September 8, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Back to School: Credit Clean Up! It’s time to go back to school… for your finances! The fall is the perfect time for a credit clean-up so that you are ready for the holiday spending se ... [read more]
Financial Advice that Never Gets Old
July 14, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Financial Advice that Never Gets Old It’s difficult to find timeless advice in the ever-changing world of personal finance but these five are about as close as you can get. 1. Start sm ... [read more]
How to protect yourself from real estate fraud and schemes
April 8, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
How to protect yourself from real estate fraud and schemes. As online-based transactions become more prevalent, cybercriminals are finding new and creative ways to steal your money. So, what can ... [read more]
Understanding Your Mortgage Rate
March 29, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Understanding Your Mortgage Rate When it comes to mortgages, one of the most important influencers is interest rate but do you know how this rate is determined? It might surprise you to find out th ... [read more]
5 Reasons to Invest in a Home Inspection.
February 25, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 Reasons to Invest in a Home Inspection. While home inspections might not be the most exciting part of your home buying journey, they are extremely important and can save you money and a major h ... [read more]
Understanding Insurance
February 11, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Understanding Insurance Not all insurance products are created equal. One of the most common mistakes homeowners and potential homeowners make is that they hear the word “insurance” a ... [read more]
10 Easy Ways to Winter-Proof Your Home
January 5, 2022 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
10 Easy Ways to Winter-Proof Your Home 1. Close all Curtains during the day and add a liner with cheap thick material for even more insulation. Open them periodically for the greenh ... [read more]
Budgeting for the Holidays
December 1, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Budgeting for the Holidays. Be mindful with money this season! Along with holiday joy come holiday bills, to avoid a sleigh-size tab, plan ahead to save money and maximize the payoff. ORDER ONLINE ... [read more]
Leverage the equity in your home to build wealth.
November 5, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Leverage the equity in your home to build wealth. For some people, just owning one property and having a single mortgage is enough to handle. But there may be no better way to grow your net worth t ... [read more]
Choosing Your Mortgage Broker
August 12, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Choosing Your Mortgage Broker There is a little doubt that the biggest purchase of your life will be your home. When embarking on your homeownership journey, having the right support and informatio ... [read more]
4 REASONS WHY THIS SUMMER'S HOUSING MARKET IS ALREADY MOVING FAST
July 14, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
4 REASONS WHY THIS SUMMER'S HOUSING MARKETIS ALREADY MOVING FAST!! Do yourself a favor: Before you start, talk with your DLC Ideal Mortgage professional or visit GetTheIdealMortgage.com and preq ... [read more]
5 Actions to Take Before the BOC Raises Interest Rates
July 9, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 Actions to Take Before the BOC Raises Interest Rates The Bank of Canada holds the key interest rate at 0.25 per cent, but as the economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation is rising a ... [read more]
4 REASONS WHY MORTGAGE BROKERS ARE BETTER THAN BANKS
June 29, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
4 REASONS WHY MORTGAGE BROKERS ARE BETTER THAN BANKS It’s easy for brokers to compete with the banks. While banks may offer competitive rates at times, right now we have much better rates th ... [read more]
What's on your bucket list?
May 7, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
What's on your bucket list? Your bucket list includes all the goals you want to achieve, and the life experiences and dreams you want to fulfill. It's often viewed as a “to-do” list fo ... [read more]
Common Myths About Credit Scores
April 27, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Making The Grade: Common Myths About Credit Scores. How is your credit score calculated? It is a complex answer and, as such, common myths persist. Today, we are going to help you get a better unde ... [read more]
Homebuying - Step By Step
April 16, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Homebuying - Step By Step The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is one of Canada’s three mortgage insurers. Beyond insuring mortgage, CMHC also offers consumer guidance in the f ... [read more]
Relocate or Renovate
April 9, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Relocate or Renovate. Like Lighting in a Bottle. That’s how Todd Talbot describes the chemistry between him and Jillian Harris, his co-host of the reality TV series Love It or List It Vanco ... [read more]
How to Handle the Home and Mortgage During a Divorce
April 6, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
How to Handle the Home and Mortgage During a Divorce Divorce is always a very difficult time, and the changes to the mortgage rules over the last few years have made it even more difficult. For the ... [read more]
6 Important Questions to Ask Before a Big Home Renovation
April 1, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
6 Important Questions to Ask Before a Big Home Renovation. So you want to make a major home renovation. Congratulations! Now, you’ve got to find the right contractor for the job. While doing ... [read more]
Top 5 Reasons to Stay in the Home You Love as You Age.
March 26, 2021 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Top 5 Reasons to Stay in the Home You Love as You Age. According to a report by Mustel Group and Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, 86% of Canadian baby boomers and older homeowners want ... [read more]
Understand Your Mortgage Options
December 10, 2020 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Understand Your Mortgage Options When it comes to mortgages, there can be a lot to know! Do you go with a fixed-rate mortgage or a variable-rate? What are the terms? What are the penalties? ... [read more]
Which renovations go right to your bottom line?
September 18, 2020 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Which renovations go right to your bottom line? Whether you are looking to buy a fixer-upper or renovate your existing home to improve the quality of life for you and your family, it’s worthw ... [read more]
An Annual Mortgage Checkup Can Be A Smart Financial Move
July 10, 2020 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
On a yearly basis, it's a good idea to have a mortgage professional check under the hood of your mortgage. Life doesn't stand still, which means your mortgage needs may have changed. You'll want to ... [read more]
10 Mortgage Mistakes to Avoid
January 20, 2020 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
10 Mortgage Mistakes: Avoid these potential deal-breakers when it comes time to line up financing for your next home. Have you been approved for a mortgage and are waiting for the completion date t ... [read more]
How Credit Scores Are Calculated
November 8, 2019 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
How Credit Scores Are Calculated For most people, your personal credit score and how a credit score is calculated are complete mysteries. How can you be expected to play and be successful if you ar ... [read more]
Four Home Run Mortgage Strategies
September 20, 2019 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Four Home Run Mortgage Strategies While most people start off their mortgage search by going after the lowest rate, what they are really after is the mortgage with the lowest cost. Then again, the ... [read more]
4 Home Improvements That Will Increase The Value Of Your Home
June 21, 2019 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
4 Home Improvements That Will Increase The Value Of Your Home Some home improvements provide more of a payback when you sell the house down the road.Here’s a list of the four home improvement ... [read more]
SPRING Into Action
March 22, 2019 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
SPRING Into Action We sprung forward last earlier this month by changing our clocks one hour ahead. For some, their microwave and oven clocks are once again displaying the correct time since the la ... [read more]
Broker VS Specialist - What's the Difference
March 8, 2019 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
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Have A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
December 21, 2018 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
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Is It Time For A Mortgage Checkup?
December 11, 2018 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Is It Time For A Mortgage Checkup? It’s coming up on the end of the year. It’s most likely been another busy year for you; when is it not right? While there’s so much to do as we ... [read more]
Get a FREE Copy of Your Credit Bureau
November 14, 2018 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
How to Get a FREE Copy of Your Credit Bureau Think of your credit score as a report card on how you’ve handled your finances in the past. A credit score is a number that lenders use to determ ... [read more]
Why You Need A Home Inspection Before You Buy
October 5, 2018 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Why You Need A Home Inspection Before You Buy In an active housing market sometimes, buyers are urged by their realtors to make an offer with no conditions. As a mortgage broker this always makes m ... [read more]
Why choose a mortgage broker over the bank?
August 7, 2018 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
Why choose a mortgage broker over the bank? According to a recent report from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, nearly two-in-five homeowners in Canada used a broker for their mortgage ... [read more]
Plug Those Money Leaks!!
May 24, 2018 | Posted by: Keith Leighton
5 ways to plug the money leaks! It’s a great time to review your finances and particularly your spending. Whether you are saving to buy a home or pay one off, your “money leaks& ... [read more]
