The promise of a quick profit in real estate can be hard to resist. But consumers who misrepresent information when buying or refinancing a home could end up being responsible for any shortfall when the property is sold. If the misrepresentation is intentional, they could also be held criminally responsible as accomplices to mortgage fraud.
The most common form of mortgage fraud, called straw buying, occurs when someone with good credit is convinced to put their name on a mortgage application for a home that someone else will be buying, usually in return for the promise of a quick profit.
To protect your name, credit and family, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) offers the following tips on how to avoid becoming part of a mortgage fraud scheme:
• Never accept money, guarantee a loan or add your name to a mortgage unless you fully intend to purchase the property. If you allow your personal information to be used for a mortgage, even for a brief period, you could be held responsible for the entire debt even after the property is sold.
• Always know whom you’re doing business with. If you’re buying or selling a home, use only licensed real estate agents/brokers and other industry professionals. And never sign anything until you know exactly what you’re signing.
• Determine the sales history of any property you’re thinking about buying, and consider having it inspected and appraised. Ask for a copy of the land title search, and find out if anyone else has a financial interest in the home. If a deposit is required, make sure the funds are held “in trust” by the vendor’s realty company or lawyer/notary.
• Get independent legal advice from your own lawyer/notary. Talk to your lawyer/notary about title insurance and other alternative methods of protection.
To protect yourself from identity theft, never give out your personal information until you know whom you’re dealing with and how your information will be used. Review your mail, bank statements and other financial statements on a regular basis for inconsistencies. Shred or destroy all personal and financial documents before you throw them away. And inspect your credit report on a regular basis by contacting Equifax Canada at www.equifax.ca and TransUnion Canada at www.transunion.ca.
Most important, be wary of anyone who approaches you with an offer to make a quick profit in real estate. Remember: if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If you suspect that you or someone you know has been the victim of real estate fraud, contact your local police department immediately.
• For information on fraud prevention or any other aspect of owning, maintaining or buying a home, visit the CMHC website at www.cmhc.ca.

Ashley Chrunik
DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

Regardless of how long you’ve had your mortgage or how large or small the current balance is, there are a variety of ways to make prepayments work for you to pay down your mortgage faster and, therefore, pay less interest throughout the life of your mortgage.
After all, each extra payment amount will reduce your principal balance, which, in turn, reduces the amount of interest you’ll have to pay on your borrowed mortgage amount.
Most lenders allow you to make a lump-sum payment of anywhere between 10% and 25% of the value of your mortgage per year. The lump-sum payment is based on either the original amount you borrowed or the amount currently outstanding. Since mortgages decrease with each payment, it’s best to negotiate a lump-sum payment option based on the original amount you borrow. That way, if you come into an inheritance, a bonus or save some extra money, you can pay down the largest amount possible.
Another factor to consider is when you can make a lump-sum payment. Some mortgages allow prepayments throughout the year, while others permit them only on the anniversary date. Still others allow you to make prepayments on the day you make your regular payment.
If you can’t pay the maximum prepayment amount, it’s still worth your while to at least make some form of extra payments, even if it’s a few thousand dollars each year. That will still save you thousands of dollars in interest payments throughout the life of your mortgage.
Another prepayment option involves taking advantage of flexible payments. Most lenders allow you to increase your regular payment up to a set maximum, such as 15%, while others allow you to double up your payments.
If, for instance, you have a $1,000 per month mortgage payment and increase it by 15% to $1,150, you could shave off as much as five-and-a-half years on a $200,000 mortgage.
Even rounding up your mortgage payments a few dollars each payment can help make your balance decline sooner. If you round up your mortgage payment from, say, $766 to an even figure such as $800, you can feel confident in knowing that every extra bit goes toward your principal.
You can also pay off your mortgage faster by moving to a different payment schedule. Instead of making monthly payments, make them biweekly or even weekly. Using an accelerated mortgage payment plan – where you make payments every two weeks as opposed to twice a month – you actually make one extra payment each calendar year. By paying more and paying faster, you reduce your principal earlier, which lowers the amount of interest you pay.
As always, if you have questions about paying your mortgage off quicker, or other mortgage-related questions, I’m here to help!

Ashley Chrunik
DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

It’s important to be careful what you do between the time your mortgage is approved and when it funds. Mortgage lenders and insurers have been doing something that most people don’t know and that is pull new credit bureaus prior to funding, especially if there is a long period between the time of your approval and when the mortgage actually funds.
Following are eight tips to keep in mind between your mortgage approval and funding dates:
1. Don’t buy a new car or trade-up to a more expensive lease.
2. Don’t quit your job or change jobs. Even if it’s a better-paying job, you still are likely to be on a probationary period. If in doubt, give me a call and I can let you know if this may jeopardize your approval.
3. Don’t change industries, decide to become self-employed or accept a contract position even if it is within the same industry. Delay the start of your new job, self-employment or contract status until after the funding date of your mortgage.
4. Don’t transfer large sums of money around between bank accounts. Lenders get especially skittish about this one because it looks like you’re borrowing money. Be ready to document cash transactions or money movements.
5. Don’t forget to pay your bills, even ones that you are disputing. This can be a real deal-breaker. If the lender pulls your credit bureau prior to closing and sees a collection or a delinquent account, the best you can hope for is that they make you pay off the account before they will fund. You don’t want to have to scramble to pay off a debt at the last minute!
6. Don’t open new credit cards. Again, just wait until after your funding date.
7. Don’t accept a cash gift without properly documenting with me – even if this is from proceeds of a wedding. If you have a bunch of cash to deposit before your funding date, give me a call before you deposit it.
8. Don’t buy furniture on the “Do not pay for XX years plan” until after funding. Even though you don’t have to pay now, it will still be reported on your credit bureau, and will become an issue – especially if your approval was tight to begin with.
While you may not risk losing your mortgage approval because you have broken one of these rules, it’s always best to talk to me before doing any of the above just to make sure!

Ashley Chrunik
DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

Planning ahead to ensure your credit is healthy before applying for a mortgage can translate into a better mortgage rate and product – which can save you significant money throughout the term of your mortgage. Following are five steps you can use to help attain a speedy credit score boost:
1) Pay down credit cards. The number one way to increase your credit score is to pay down your credit cards. Revolving credit like credit cards seems to have a more significant impact on credit scores than car loans, lines of credit, and so on.
2) Limit the use of credit cards. Racking up a large amount and then paying it off in monthly installments can hurt your credit score. If there is a balance at the end of the month, this affects your score – credit formulas don’t take into account the fact that you may have paid the balance off the next month.
3) Check credit limits. If your lender is slower at reporting monthly transactions, this can have a significant impact on how other lenders may view your file. Ensure everything’s up to date as old bills that have been paid can come back to haunt you. Your best bet is to pay your balances down or off before your statement periods close.
4) Keep old cards. Older credit is better credit. If you stop using older credit cards, the issuers may stop updating your accounts. As such, the cards can lose their weight in the credit formula and, therefore, may not be as valuable – even though you have had the cards for a long time. You should use these cards periodically and then pay them off.
5) Don’t let mistakes build up. You should always dispute any mistakes or situations that may harm your score. If, for instance, a cell phone bill is incorrect and the company will not amend it, you can dispute this by making the credit bureau aware of the situation.
If you have repeatedly missed payments on your credit cards, you may not be in a situation where refinancing or quickly boosting your credit score will be possible. Depending on the severity of your situation – and the reasons behind the delinquencies, including job loss, divorce, illness, and so on – I can help you address the concerns through a variety of means and even refer you to other professionals to help get your credit situation in check.
As always, if you have any questions about you credit situation or your mortgage in general, I’m here to help!
Ashley Chrunik
Mortgage Associate
DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca

Planning ahead really can save you money down the road. And with the high-cost holiday gift-buying and entertaining season quickly approaching, this may be the perfect time to refinance your mortgage and free up some money instead of relying on high-interest credit cards.
You may find that taking equity out of your home will help bring joy back into your holiday season – and start the New Year off on a debt-free note, as you may also be able to use some of the equity in your home to pay off high-interest debt such as your credit card balances. This will enable you to put more money in your bank account each month.
And since interest rates continue to hover near historic lows, switching to a lower rate may save you a lot of money – possibly thousands of dollars per year.
There are penalties for paying your mortgage loan out prior to renewal, but these could be offset by the lower rates and extra money you could acquire through a refinance. I can sit down with you and work through all of the equations to ensure this is the right move for you.
With access to more money, you’ll be better able to manage both your holiday spending and existing debt. Refinancing your mortgage and taking some existing equity out could also enable you to do many things you’ve been longing to accomplish – such as purchasing an investment property, taking that well-deserved vacation, renovating your home or even investing in your children’s education.
Paying your mortgage down faster
By refinancing, you may extend the time it will take to pay off your mortgage, but there are many ways to pay down your mortgage sooner to save you thousands of dollars in interest payments. Most mortgage products, for instance, include prepayment privileges that enable you to pay up to 20% of the principal (the true value of your mortgage minus the interest payments) per calendar year. This will also help reduce your amortization period (the length of your mortgage), which, in turn, saves you money.
You can also increase the frequency of your mortgage payments by opting for accelerated bi-weekly payments. Not to be confused with semi-monthly mortgage payments (24 payments per year), accelerated bi-weekly mortgage payments (26 payments per year) will not only pay your mortgage off quicker, but it’s guaranteed to save you a significant amount of money over the term of your mortgage.
By refinancing now – before the holiday season is in full swing – and planning ahead, you can put yourself and your family in a better financial position.
As always, if you have any questions about refinancing, reducing debt or paying down your mortgage quicker, I’m here to help!

Ashley Chrunik
Mortgage Associate
DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca

Canadians seeking a sure-fire investment return should look no further than their mortgage. Paying it down as quickly as you can will, in most cases, result in a stellar return on your investment.
Prepayment options are worth exploring because paying down even a small amount of principal (the true cost of the mortgage loan minus the interest) has huge benefits over the life of a mortgage.
Mortgages are front-loaded when it comes to interest meaning, in the early years, most of the money you pay goes toward paying the interest on the amount you borrow as opposed to the principal.
For instance, if you borrow 95% of your home’s value, you’re paying $3 of interest for every $1 of principal you pay. So, by paying an extra $1 of principal, that’s $3 less you’ll have to pay in interest, at least in the early stages of a mortgage.
Range of Prepayment Options
There are a variety of ways to make prepayments work to pay down your mortgage faster. We can discuss your specific needs, but following are some general rules.
Most lenders allow you to make a lump-sum payment of anywhere between 10% and 25% of the value of your mortgage per year. The lump-sum payment is based on either the original amount you borrowed or the amount currently outstanding. Since mortgages decrease with each payment, it’s best to negotiate a lump-sum payment option based on the original amount you borrow. That way, if you come into an inheritance, a big bonus or save a large sum of money, you can pay down the largest amount possible.

Another factor to consider is when you can make a lump-sum payment. Some mortgages allow prepayments during the year, while others permit it only on the anniversary date. Still others allow you to make prepayments on the day you make your regular payment.
If you can’t pay the maximum prepayment amount, it’s still worth your while to at least make some extra payment, even if it’s a few thousand dollars each year. That will still save you thousands of dollars in interest payments.
Another prepayment option involves taking advantage of flexible payments. Most lenders allow you to increase your regular payment up to a set maximum, such as 15%, while others allow you to double up your payments.
If, for instance, you have a $1,000 per month mortgage payment and increase it by 15% to $1,150, you could shave off as much as five-and-a-half years on a $200,000 mortgage.
You can also pay off your mortgage faster by moving to a different payment schedule. Instead of making monthly payments, make them biweekly or even weekly. Using an accelerated mortgage – where you make payments every two weeks as opposed to twice a month – you actually make one extra payment in the calendar year. By paying more and paying faster, you reduce your principal earlier, which lowers the amount of interest you pay.
Another option is to round up your mortgage payment from, say, $766 to an even figure such as $800, because any extra little bit goes toward the principal.

Ashley Chrunik
Mortgage Associate
DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

For many hom­eowners, the concept of profes­sional home staging is shedding new light on how to promote a home in their real estate marketplace. If you’re thinking of selling your home, deciding on the best ways to organize your property before the “For Sale” sign is erected can help sell your home faster and at a higher price. Following are some home staging tips:
1. Make an impression. Prospective buyers make up their minds about your house even before they get out of the car. To ensure they have the right idea, clean up your yard, get rid of unsightly weeds, and sweep/shovel your driveway and porches. Get out the rags and cleanser and spend 30 minutes scouring your front door, porch, railings and steps. Then tuck away all your recycling cans and bins at the back of the house or in a corner of the garage.
2. Declutter. A common phrase used to describe the importance of decluttering is: Clutter eats equity. So purge your closets, empty cupboards and box up small appliances. You may even want to rent a storage locker to keep items you simply cannot part with, while throwing out items you’ve collected over the years that you don’t want to take with you to your next home. This will also save you time during your big move. Ensure you pay close attention to your countertops and coffee tables as well.
3. Impersonal works. You want buyers to imagine themselves living in your home, so stash anything connected to your family or personal interests. Hide your son’s hockey trophies, store family photos and remove all traces of day-to-day life. This also includes removing personal effects from the bathrooms.
4. Keep it fresh. There’s nothing worse than stepping into a house that smells of smoke, dampness or pet odours. The easy solution is to keep your windows open for 10 minutes a day. This strategy works better than deodorizers since a lot of people have allergies to artificial room fresheners. The oldest trick of all? Leave chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. Yes, it’s hokey, but the smell does do wonders to help buyers bond with your home.

5. Declare war on grime. Cleanliness helps put a buyer’s mind at ease since it suggests that you’ve probably taken good care of your residence in other ways as well. So clean everything: walls, door handles, light fixtures and pantry cupboards. And don’t forget to dust your furnace room and furnace, since this makes your furnace look newer. Power washing windows, walkways, eavestroughs and pathways can also do wonders for your home’s exterior.
6. Hire a handyman. If you don’t have the time or expertise to deal with the aesthetics of your home, consider hiring a professional. Dripping faucets, cracked tiles and mouldy caulking around the bathtub can knock thousands of dollars off the price of your home.
7. Colour it up. Your single best investment may be a fresh coat of paint in key areas of your home. Try painting your front door and placing some urns containing seasonal arrangements on your front step or just inside the entryway. Remember that small touches can make a house seem cared for and important.
8. Reduce furniture. An easy way to create a sense of space is to get rid of some furniture. Moving a sofa and end tables into storage can give a small room some much-needed breathing space. If your furniture dates from the Mulroney era, consider packing it away and renting or borrowing some modern, stylish furniture or a couple of well-chosen pieces of wall art. Keep your rooms clean and simple like a hotel room or the showroom for a new house.
sunnier a space, the easier it is to sell. If you don’t have the time or energy to clean all of your windows – inside and out – it may be a wise investment to hire a professional window-cleaning company. Thoroughly clean the shades on your light fixtures, change light bulbs and add floor lamps if an area seems dim. Finally, when it comes time to show your home, make sure all the lights are on, especially in hallways.
10. Add a touch of humanity. A couple of planters containing seasonal arrangements on your front porch, a vase of flowers on your dining room table, or even a simple rose in a vase can warm up a room. Candles can also do wonders in lighting and warming a room.

DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

With mortgage rates still very low, chances are you’ve considered breaking your current mortgage and renewing now before rates rise any further.
Perhaps you want to free up cash for such things as renovations, travel or putting towards your children’s education? Or maybe you want to pay down debt, pay your mortgage off faster or buy a new home?
If you’ve thought about breaking your mortgage and taking advantage of these historically low rates, feel free to give me a call to discuss your options.
In some cases, the penalty can be quite substantial if you aren’t very far into your mortgage term, but we can determine if breaking your mortgage now will benefit you long term.
People often assume the penalty for breaking a mortgage amounts to three months’ interest payments so, when they crunch the numbers, it doesn’t seem so bad. In most cases, however, the penalty is the greater of three months’ interest or the interest rate differential (IRD).
The IRD is the difference between the interest rate on your mortgage contract and today’s rate, which is the rate at which the lender can relend the money. And with rates so low these days, the IRD tends to be greater than three months’ interest. Because this is a way for banks to recuperate any losses, for some people, breaking and renegotiating at a lower rate without careful planning can mean they come out no further ahead.
Keep in mind, however, that penalties vary from lender to lender and there are different penalties for different types of mortgages. In addition, the size of your down payment and whether you opted for a “cash back” mortgage can influence penalties.
While breaking a mortgage and paying penalties based on the IRD can result in a break-even proposition in the short term, if you look at the big picture, you’ll see that the true savings are long term – as we know that rates will be higher in the years to come. Your current goal is to secure a long-term rate commitment before it is too late, and here lies the significant future savings.
As always, if you have questions about breaking your mortgage to secure a lower rate, or general mortgage questions, I’m here to help!

DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

When purchasing a revenue property looking at your goals for the future is essential. The choices made on one revenue property could mean the difference of getting approved for the purchase of your next investment property, not to mention, the opportunity to putting extra cash in your pocket every month.
One of the new regulations that took affect on March 18/11 was lowering amortizations for a high ratio mortgage. The maximum was reduced from a 35yr amortization down to a 30yr amortization and most lenders are using this guideline for conventional (<20% down payment) mortgages as well. For example on a $250,000 mortgage having a 35yr amortization compared to a 30yr will lower your payment approx. $85/mth.
There is good news; some lenders are still offering a 35-40yr amortization for a conventional mortgage. Lowering your monthly mortgage payment by having a longer amortization increases your DCR (debt coverage ratio) that is a calculation that lenders use to see if you have cash surplus from the rent after expenses (taxes, mortgage, management, etc.).
Using these products is great for a real estate investor that wants to maximize positive cash flow, which in turn helps with growing their portfolio in the future.

DLC Cornerstone Mortgage and Leasing Inc.
Ph.780-910-6908
Fax. 780-665-6025
Email: achrunik@dominionlending.ca
Web: www.albertamortgageagent.ca

Real estate analyst says Edmonton on the verge of a boom