No one has the knowledge of Denver or Colorado home loans like local Denver mortgage lenders, despite the fact you can shop for a Colorado or Denver mortgage online or fill out a Colorado and Denver application with the press of a button. Those far removed from the unique housing market of the area can really give you the understanding you need for a Denver and Colorado mortgage.Colorado and Denver Mortgage lenders and their knowledge

The real estate market in Colorado is its own animal. It’s unique and a Colorado mortgage company will know that. Denver mortgage lenders understand that you can find modest single family homes, investment properties, luxury homes and vacation

properties all in the same market. Other markets are very different, with not as many kinds of properties available, so lenders outside the market may try to fit only one type of Denver and Colorado home loans to a lender — without success. Those seeking Denver Colorado home loans and properties will be more successful if they find a Denver mortgage lender who can offer more products specifically targeted to the individual’s needs.

The unique nature of the market means you must have someone working for you with a good knowledge base of Denver and Colorado home loans and a Denver or Colorado mortgage company that can get to a variety of products.

The best Denver mortgage lenders should be able to access many different funding sources for Denver Colorado home loans, jumbo loan products for those seeking larger Denver Colorado home loan and standard Denver Colorado home loans for conforming loans under $417,000.

With these products, Denver mortgage lenders can also provide program flexibility, with the ability to access both fixed and variable rate products for Denver mortgage lenders serving short- and long-term home seekers.

Different buyers have different Denver Colorado home loan needs, including those who want to sell after a few years, those who are looking to refinance and those who want to stay in their homes for a long time and want stable Denver Colorado home loan payments (and preferred fixed rate loans from Denver mortgage lenders).

The bottom line for those looking for a loan is that the needs will differ depending on what kind of loan you want and need. Finding the best rates for your needs means finding a good Denver and Colorado mortgage company which is flexible and experienced enough to provide a good Denver and olorado home loan. Consumer watch groups like the Tom Martino mortgage referral system can help those shopping for Denver Colorado home loans. The system makes looking for a good Denver mortgage lender that much easier. Plus, the added security of a good consumer advocate can be a big boost in finding reliable Denver mortgage lenders.

Here are seven ways mortgage brokers can help:Access to competitive rates

Brokers deal with multiple competing lenders and can often access exclusive rates. Based on the number of mortgages brokers complete each year, they also have the power to negotiate rate discounts from lenders, which can be passed on to their clients.A free service

Mortgage brokers’ services are typically available at no cost to consumers. Brokers are paid by the lender selected by their clients.Knowledgeable advice

Brokers offer consultative service, advice and solutions that are customized to each client’s needs. And unlike banks, brokers work for you.Speed and convenience

Brokers will work around a client’s schedule to make the transaction as easy and convenient as possible.Pre-qualification

Whether you’re shopping for a new home or refinancing your existing mortgage, a broker can help you obtain a pre-approved mortgage, often with up to a 120-day interest rate guarantee.Preserved credit rating

When you shop for a mortgage, there is an accumulation of lender inquiries on your credit bureau report, possibly affecting your credit rating and, ultimately, the rate and terms of your mortgage. This isn’t the case with a mortgage broker, who only does one inquiry yet can still get many competing lenders to quote on your business.Peace of Mind

The Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Brokers has a stringent Code of Ethics that members are required to adhere to in order to retain membership.

Most of us can accept the idea that we must borrow money to purchase a home. We look for the best mortgage, and then just keep doling out the money for as long as it takes to pay it off. Most Canadians choose to amortize their mortgage over 25 years. That’s a long financial commitment, and it could more than double the cost of your home. But with good planning and a few smart tactics you should be able to enjoy your mortgage-burning party much earlier.

Here are a few strategies for fast-tracking your mortgage:

1. Increase your monthly payments. Rather than choosing your amortization period first, ask yourself how much you can afford each month. For example, you may feel that you can afford $1,000 per month. You’re delighted when your $125,000 mortgage only demands an $800/month payment (at a 6% interest). But make a monthly payment of $1,000 instead, and you’ll shave 8.75 years and almost $46,000 off your total interest cost.

2. Take advantage of lower rates. In addition to reducing the overall interest component of your mortgage, you can take the opportunity to pay down more principal faster simply by maintaining your original payment. You should even increase your payment if you can, to reap the benefits of the cheapest mortgage money in memory. Again, you could take years and thousands of dollarsoff your ontario mortgage.

3. Tie mortgage payments to your pay schedule. Many Canadians are paid on a bi-weekly schedule. If you accelerate your payments to bi-weekly instead of monthly, you could improve your own cash flow and fit in an extra payment each year. That means that you’re paying off principal faster leaving you with less interest to pay overall. It doesn’t seem like much but like putting your coffee budget to work the bi-weekly strategy can have you mortgage free four years sooner, with almost $22,000 in savings.

4. Use any bonuses, tax refunds or “found money” to pay down principal. This is especially valuable in the early years of your mortgage. If you receive an annual bonus or other lump-sum compensation, see if you can put it against the principal. An extra $1,000 per year is a great way to fast-track to mortgage-free!

5. Consolidate your loans into a new mortgage and use the savings to boost your payments. If you’re a homeowner with some equity, you can use your mortgage to consolidate your other loans: student loans, car loans, etc. Add the money you’ve been spending on loan payments to your mortgage payments, and you could see big savings in overall interest.

With ontario mortgage rates at historic lows, you should take the opportunity to get an expert mortgage analysis from an independent mortgage broker with access to mortgages from a wide spectrum of lenders. You’ve got a great opportunity to put some fast-track tactics in place. You’ll remember what a good decision you made at your mortgage-burning party.

We’ll start with Amortization” and “Term”. Both refer to periods of time in the life of your mortgage, and you’ll want to be sure that you understand the difference.

The amortization” of your mortgage is the length of time that would be required to reduce your mortgage debt to zero, based on regular payments at a specified interest rate. The amortization period is typically 15, 20 or even 25 years, although it can be any number of years or part-years. You could establish that you are able to make a certain payment each month of say $950 for your $130,000 mortgage at 5.5%. In this case, your amortization period will be just under 18 years. Or you could tell your broker that you’d like to be mortgage-free in just 10 years. With an amortization period of 10 years at the same interest rate, your $130,000 mortgage will cost you about $1,407 per month. That’s a tougher monthly payment, but you would save thousands of dollars in interest. (More than $35,000, in fact.) As you arrange your mortgage, then, keep in mind that your amortization period may be fairly long — although the shorter you can make it, the less you’ll wind up paying for your home in the long term.

The “term” of your mortgage will typically be shorter. The “term” is the duration of your mortgage agreement, at your agreed interest rate. This will be a very specific length of time, although you will have several choices. A 6-month mortgage is a very short-term mortgage. A 10-year mortgage will be one of the longest terms, generally with a higher rate of interest to represent the higher degree of uncertainty in the economic outlook. After your mortgage term expires, you will need to either pay off the balance of the mortgage principal, or negotiate a new ontario mortgage at whatever rates are available at that time.

Now, back to the term “Mortgagor”. This is one of three very similar terms: “Mortgagee”, “Mortgagor”, and “Mortgage”. A Mortgagee is the lender of the money: a bank, company, or individual. A Mortgagor is the borrower: the person or persons (or company) that is borrowing the money, and who will pay it back to the mortgagee. The Mortgage, of course, is the legal document that pledges the property as a security for the debt.

Still confused? Speak with a mortgage professional. Get the best mortgage suited to your needs and all your questions answered in plain talk.

That combination — strong valuations and low mortgage rates — has an unprecedented number of Canadians looking for ways to capitalize on the great opportunities available to them.

Whether it’s to buy their first home, trade up, or take equity back out of their homes, Canadians are jumping at the opportunity to borrow at today’s rock-bottom rates.

While many homebuyers are reconsidering the value of fixed-rate mortgages to lock in those low rates, you should keep in mind that adjustable-rate mortgages – the darling of the dropping rate trend – can still offer real value to homeowners. It’s a matter of finding the right combination of mortgage features and options.

As banks have been joined by other lending institutions, we have seen our menu of ontario mortgage options grow accordingly – with some innovative new mortgage types now available to help Canadians take advantage of today’s unusual opportunities.

One of the most innovative mortgages we’ve seen in a very long time is a new adjustable-rate mortgage with some very compelling features. First, it’s based on an institutional rate benchmark known as Bankers Acceptance. Most of us are familiar with the rate benchmark known as Canadian Prime – and we are accustomed to assessing mortgage rates based on Prime. The BA, on the other hand, is the rate at which banks will lend money to one another – and it’s typically a lower rate (sometimes much lower) than the prime rate offered to a bank’s best customers. The new BA-based mortgage – compared to the best prime-based mortgage available – could have saved a mortgage client a bundle over the last several years, primarily because the prime rate tends to be “stickier” in an environment where rates are falling. Often, the more fluid, market-based BA rates deliver the rate change more quickly. The BA rate is no trade secret, by the way; pick up a copy of your favourite financial paper and look for the published money rates to find the Bankers Acceptance Rate.

But the attractive rate structure is not the only perk. The same BA-based mortgage – so welldesigned to help clients wring the last quarter point from their mortgage rate – now also comes with a rate cap which guarantees that your rate will never climb higher than 2.15% above the starting base rate – no matter what happens to rates during your mortgage term. There’s no worry about locking in too high because the rate is always adjustable down.

Only the ceiling is fixed. It’s a homebuyers’ dream:

A mortgage with limited upside and unlimited downside. If you’re thinking about buying a home this year, or you haven’t had your mortgage reviewed in the last several months, take the opportunity to get an expert assessment of your many options from a mortgage professional. It could be the best investment you’ll make this year!

In the past few articles, we’ve talked about the importance of your mortgage as one of your most significant financial decisions. We’ve explored the value of seeking the advice of a mortgage professional -whether you’re buying a home or renewing an existing mortgage.

Today, let’s take a look at the bottom line: the savings you can enjoy by making the right mortgage decisions.

It is the primary role of a mortgage broker to find you the right product for your personal situation. A mortgage broker is a financial professional and – like your investment advisor – he or she will want to understand your personal situation and payment preferences. Your mortgage broker has access to a broad spectrum of lending institutions, so you can do some valuable comparison shopping for the right combination of features, rates and mortgage options.

All these choices offer you substantial opportunities to save money over the life of your mortgage.

If you are like most homeowners, you are focused -for good reason – on finding the best possible rate for your mortgage. Your mortgage broker can offer you the best range of rate options and terms. If a mortgage broker can get you one per cent off the posted rate, that could translate into more than $13,000 in interest per $100,000 borrowed over a 25-year amortization schedule. If, however, you believe that most mortgage rates are basically the same from one institution to the next, then consider the fact that even an eighth of a point difference in the rate can offer significant savings over the duration of your mortgage.

But it’s also important to look beyond the rate. There are other ways to find savings in your mortgage. Your mortgage broker is up-to-date on market trends and new opportunities… as well as some of the tried-and-true ways to save money in a mortgage.

Do you get an annual bonus in your job? You may want to use that bonus to pay down the principal of your mortgage. If you pursue this strategy consistently over the life of your mortgage, you could save thousands of dollars in interest by paying your mortgage off sooner.

Are you paid bi-weekly or bi-monthly? Consider a change from the usual monthly mortgage payment. Set up your mortgage payment schedule to coincide with your pay period. Again, you can shave years off your mortgage, and enjoy thousands of dollars in savings.

In the coming weeks, we’ll look at some of these savings opportunities in more detail. In the meantime, consider the old penny proverb again. How much is your time worth? Time savings is one of the key, unexpected benefits that clients say they have enjoyed when they choose to work with a mortgage broker. Above all, a mortgage broker is an expert in customer service, and that means that your broker looks after every detail of your mortgage research and negotiations on your behalf.

That’s why it’s such great news for Canadians that the mortgage industry now has national accreditation: the Accredited Mortgage Professional (AMP). When you meet with a mortgage broker with an AMP, you’ll be assured that your business is in the hands of a professional.

Canadians are accustomed to purchasing financial products like investments and insurance from an accredited professional. Now they can look for a similar professional designation from their mortgage expert.

Like similar accreditation programs for mutual fund sales people, or stock brokers, the AMP is designed to ensure an appropriate level of training and experience. Mortgage professionals from every field are eligible to acquire the accreditation: from mortgage brokers on the front lines to those who specialize in lending or mortgage insurance, for example.

While the vast majority of Ontario mortgage brokers take seriously the important responsibility that they have to their clients, the designation provides mortgage customers with a tool to help select their mortgage expert. This kind of designation is especially valuable in an industry where provincial regulations vary – and so a variety of practice standards are in place. A single national proficiency standard brings mortgage brokers in line with other financial professionals.

The AMP designation can now offer you confidence that your mortgage broker has industry experience, has taken ethics and industry training, and is committed to a program of ongoing education to retain their designation. In order to qualify for the designation, mortgage professionals must have at least five years experience or successfully complete a recognized mortgage professional proficiency course, and take an ethics training course. They must also commit to a minimum 10 hours of continuing education each year, and agree to be governed by the professional code of the national CIMBL organization.

With a growing number of Canadians now seeking the services of independent mortgage brokers to help them assess their mortgage options – in a $600 billion industry – the timing is perfect. It’s your money, after all, and you should have the tools to make the best possible decision. An independent mortgage broker can offer you the broadest range of mortgage rates and options. Now they can also offer you the added assurance of their newly minted designation: the AMP.

Okay, that may have been an easy one if you read the headline of this column. For most Canadians, their home is their biggest investment – and their most powerful financial tool.

It’s odd – given the importance of the mortgage decision – that many homebuyers will spend much more time deciding on which mutual funds they should invest in… or even which sofa to buy… than on which mortgage will best meet their needs.

Times are changing though. Mortgage options are exploding, and Canadians have begun to demand – and receive – better rates, more flexible products and more personal service than ever before. And to get a better look at their growing range of options, more homebuyers than ever are going to a mortgage “store” – and to the professional mortgage brokers who run them.

The Ontario mortgage store is a symbol of just how much the mortgage industry has changed since those days when you simply walked into your local bank to apply for a mortgage. Today, one in three first-time Canadian homebuyers choose to work with a mortgage broker, and those numbers are climbing. It’s estimated that in the not-so-distant future, up to 50% of all Canadian mortgages may go through a mortgage broker for their financing needs. Our American neighbours are far ahead of us; almost 70% of all U.S. residential mortgages are now arranged through a mortgage broker.

Here in Canada, homebuyers are demanding choice – and they’ve been beating a path to the door of independent mortgage brokers to get it. Happily, that path is becoming shorter and more traveled; with attractive and inviting storefront offices, many independent mortgage brokers are now setting up “Main Street” offices… just like the banks.

It’s hard not to get excited about the options available through a mortgage store. To begin, consider that many different institutions lend money for mortgages: banks, trust companies, credit unions, pension funds, insurance companies, finance companies, etc. At a mortgage store – like those run by many independent consultants at Mortgage Intelligence, Canada’s premier player in the mortgage broker industry, homebuyers (through their mortgage broker) can access mortgage rates and information from a huge, varied group of lenders, including traditional banks, of course. The mortgage broker doesn’t represent any specific lending institution, but works to find a tailored mortgage solution. And they have information on the growing list of specialized mortgages that now cater to niche markets like the self-employed, or homeowners looking for a recreational or investment properties, for example.

For many Canadians, the family home has been their best-performing investment in the last several years. It’s a reminder that a Ontairo mortgage is an important financial tool – and access to a broad range of lending institutions is a critical advantage. After all, a quarter-point difference on your mortgage rate can add up to many thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage.

Ontairo mortgage storefront offices are popping up in towns and cities all across Canada. For your own financial well being, they’re definitely worth a browse!