All your debts are consolidated and your highest interest debts are paid off. Because the high-interest debts are gone, your single, streamlined payment, which includes your mortgage, is often less than the combined amount you were previously paying. Your monthly payment includes both the principal and interest on your loan. This means you are steadily paying down the debt you owe, whereas previously you might have only been paying off interest payments, meaning your debt continued to increase.
We’ll also recommend you aim to build up an emergency fund, should your life situation warrant it in the future.
No. It’s better to keep using the cards, and keep paying off your balance each month, to steadily improve your credit rating. That will help you achieve better mortgage or lending rates in the future.
It will improve it. By refinancing and paying off your high interest debts, you are left with a lower interest mortgage. Before, if you were only making minimum payments, it’s likely that the size of your debt was growing each month. WIth a debt consolidation mortgage, your single payment will go toward the principal and interest. This will lower your debt over time, and help improve your credit score.
Not necessarily. Very low interest loans, such as a zero interest car loan, may not be paid off immediately. We’ll look at every option and choose a strategy with the best savings for you.
Yes. It’s best to think ahead now, as we seek a consolidation mortgage, instead of piling up credit card debt later. The interest rate on your consolidation mortgage should be far lower than credit card rates. You might want to consider possible near-term expenses such as home renovations, vehicle needs, as well as adding funds to your TFSA, RRSP and emergency funds.
Often the only out-of-pocket cost for a consolidation mortgage is the appraisal fee, which can be avoided or reduced much of the time. While an appraisal fee costs between $300 and $500, we typically seek approval using an online valuation, with a cost of $99. If the online valuation isn’t sufficient, and a full appraisal is required, some lenders will reimburse the cost.
Any other costs, such as a breakage fee for refinancing your in-progress mortgage, or a lawyer fee, if applicable, can come from the proceeds of your consolidated mortgaged, so they won’t involve an out-of-pocket expense.
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