Understanding Collateral versus Standard Charge Mortgages

More lenders are moving to collateral charge mortgages so it’s becoming increasingly important to understand the differences between a collateral and standard charge mortgage. TD Bank announced in 2010 that all new mortgages will be a collateral charge mortgage. ING made the same announcement at the end of 2011 and it is expected that other lenders may follow.  Collateral charge mortgages are now the only option with TD and ING.  Standard charge mortgages are offered by the majority of all other lenders, although some offer both – standard charge mortgages and HELOCs, which are a collateral charge. You choose the option that best meets your needs. So what’s the difference, and which is better for you?

What’s the difference?

They both have advantages and disadvantages; the one that is right for you depends on your preferences, future needs, and long-term goals. The primary difference is that a collateral charge mortgage registers the mortgage for up to 125% (TD) or 100% (ING) of the value of the home at closing, instead of the amount you need to close your transaction. The advantage behind this is that it makes it easier to tap into your equity for debt consolidation, renovations or to invest in property or investments easily and cost effectively, since you don’t need to visit a lawyer and pay legal fees. This flexibility is one of the primary advantages of collateral charge mortgages. However you do still need to qualify for the payments on the increased mortgage funds. Even though the mortgage is registered for 125% of the value of your home, you can NOT increase the mortgage over 80% of the appraised value of the home.

The downside comes at mortgage renewal. For consumers who want to keep their options open at maturity and have negotiating power with their lender, this isn't the best product feature because collateral charge mortgages are difficult to transfer to another lender. That means if someone wants to change lenders for a better rate or product feature, they need to start from the beginning and pay new legal fees, which range from $500 to $1,000. Technically they can be assigned but lenders don’t accept the transfer. With regular standard charge mortgages, you can switch for free, although certain minor charges may apply. In addition, with a collateral charge, it could be difficult to get a second mortgage unless your home significantly appreciates in value.

Make the right decision

The ability to take out equity is one of the primary features of Home Equity Lines of Credit, which are collateral charges for this reason. In these cases, clients want the ability to extract equity when they need it or as it becomes available. If you feel that there is a very good chance you will refinance to consolidate debt or to extract equity for a renovation or to invest, then a collateral charge mortgage may be a wise decision.

If you don’t believe that you’ll need to refinance or extract equity, then a regular standard charge mortgage will suit you fine, and it will give you the ability to move to another lender at renewal should you want to without incurring legal fees. In other words, it’s easier for you to keep your options open. If you need to borrow more with a standard charge mortgage, you have the option of a second mortgage or line of credit.

Determining whether to get a standard or collateral charge mortgage adds another layer of complication for many home-buyers and owners. Speak to an experienced mortgage broker who is only focused on mortgages and knows what each of the over 50 lender partners have to offer. Your broker will analyze your situation and help you determine what’s right for you, and what’s not.

www.themortgageguyniagara.com

Reference

http://www.canadasbestmortgage.com/blog/understanding-collateral-versus-standard-charge-mortgages?utm_content=7531136&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin

Advice for Credit Challenged Clients

Advice for Credit Challenged Clients

In today’s economic climate of tighter credit requirements and increased unemployment rates taking their toll on some Canadians, there’s no doubt that many people may not fit into the traditional banks’ financing boxes as easily as they may have just a year ago.

Your best solution is to consult your mortgage professional to determine whether your situation can be quickly repaired or if you face a longer road to credit recovery. Either way, there are solutions to every problem.

Mortgage professionals who are experts in the credit repair niche can help credit challenged clients improve their situations via a number of routes. And if the situation is beyond the expertise of a mortgage professional, they can help you get in touch with other professionals, including credit counselors and bankruptcy trustees.

If you have some equity built up in your home and still have a manageable credit score, for instance, you can often refinance your mortgage and use that money to pay off high-interest credit card debt. By clearing up this debt, you are freeing up more cash flow each month.

In the current lending environment, with interest rates at an all-time low, now is an ideal time for you to refinance your mortgage and possibly save thousands of dollars per year, enabling you to pay more money per month towards the principal on your mortgage as opposed to the interest – which, in turn, can help build equity quicker.

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 so you’re only using 30% of your limits. Revolving credit like credit cards seem 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.

  

Some financial institutions don’t even report your maximum limits. As such, the credit bureau is left to only use the balance that’s on hand. The problem is, if you consistently charge the same amount each month – say $1,000 to $1,500 – it may appear to the credit-scoring agencies that you’re regularly maxing out your cards.

The 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, however, 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 – your mortgage professional 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.   

www.themortgageguyniagara.com