March 2019

Along with credit score and total assets, the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio is an important component for lenders. Even people with perfect credit scores can be turned down from their dream mortgage if their debt is too high in proportion to their income. It is important to not only understand what the DTI ratio is, but also discuss other aspects of the sometimes confusing mortgage process with a mortgage lender prior to searching for a new home to purchase. How can potential home buyers become a more attractive candidate for a loan?

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a financial advisor before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

What Exactly Is DTI?

When lenders calculate your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, they

Many people who buy homes also want one with a garage. However, many people's garages become a storage space for everything they can't fit into their home. Whether it's seasonal decorations or that exercise machine someone ordered on a late-night infomercial, the space can become crowded quickly. This may work out fine—until homeowners realize that they can't find anything or that there's no room for any additional items. Here a few ways that everyone can get their garage in order.

Use the Walls

The walls are absolutely crucial for homeowners who use this area for storage. Group similar items together on shelves, or hang large items on hooks along the wall. This not only makes it easier to locate certain items, but it will also give everyone

Selling a home can be both an exciting and challanging time in a homeowners life. One item that will need to be dealt with by a Canadian home seller is the Seller Disclosre Form. There have been cases of issues discovered by unsuspecting Canadian home buyers after closing on a home. Sellers may not have disclosed or been aware of problems such as mould behind walls, foundation cracks and basement flooding.

Sellers should understand that they may want to share certain types of information when selling a home and buyers would do well to take time to review a seller's disclosure. Understand more about a seller's disclosure on the sale of property in Canada.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional

In the first year of homeownership, many homeowners are too busy unpacking and making home improvements to focus much on upgrading their home's landscaping. If you're a new Northeast Calgary homeowner who would like to keep your new home looking nice but you don't have much time for making major landscaping changes, these tips can help.

Don't Be Afraid to Prune (or Remove!)

Old shrubs can start to look scraggly or overgrown with time. Pruning shrubs rejuvinates them. Once the leaves grow back, they look almost new. Most plants need to be pruned in spring or fall. Homeowners who aren't sure when to prune their shrubs can check with a local nursery to find out when is the best time.

Plant Annuals for Low Maintenance Beauty

Annual plants

When a home buyer has finally found a home that they love and want to buy it, it comes time to make an offer. But what many buyers don’t realize is that there’s more to making an offer than just naming a price. Offering on a home requires extra pieces that all work in tandem to convince the homeowner to accept it. Here is what all home buyers need to include in their offers to make them the best they can be.

For informational purposes only. Always consult with a licensed real estate professional and mortgage broker before proceeding with any real estate transaction.

1. The Offered Price, Down Payment, and Earnest Money

The most important part of an offer is of course going to be the price that the buyer wants to pay. Whether it’s $50,000