The Westlake Team
161 Dianne Avenue L6J 3K2 Oakville, ON, Canada

Congratulations to all the winners, including our Brokerage - Dominion Lending Centres Inc - National Network of the Year!

This month we touch on: -Selling your home in the winter -Family Day activities during a pandemic -Benefits of using a Mortgage Broker -Info on our brokerage ... Enjoy!

As we ease into 2021, we have some great tips to help get you started and refresh your space. From the Pantone of the Year for 2021 to annual mortgage check-up tips and home maintenance strategies, we have you covered! Thank you for your continued support and introductions! Keep them coming! I hope you have a wonderful year!

We are super excited to work with more amazing clients this year! With so many solutions we can't wait to be a part of the journey! Take a look and see why!

30 second video on why you should consider using a Mortgage Broker for your next mortgage!

I want personally wish everyone a Happy New Year & thank everyone that supported our Mortgage Brokerage and other business ventures through 2020! It is because of amazing people, in our network, that we got through 2020 on the right side of this pandemic and allowed us to do more for those around us, thank you!

If you, your clients or someone you know is a first time home buyer, this information package is for you! We put together our brokerages top tips and resources for helping you buy your first home. Through thousands of client interactions and helping First Time Home Buyers navigate the mortgage process when buying their first home, this information package includes everything you need to know!

couple tips to help get your home ready for the winter!

Our partners at Home Equity Bank share the 5 most common expenses Canadian's don't expect in retirement. Retirement, like a lot of life events require preparation and planning. Real estate is often a Canadian's single largest asset and with that an important part of the balance sheet to take into consideration in any planning!

Thank you to everyone that supported our Mortgage Brokerage this past year! Despite all the challenges 2020 brought upon the world, we came together as an industry and company and supported a lot of Canadian's! We helped get Canadian's into their dream homes, provided emergency capital when in need, made changes to allow the mortgage process to be safe and seamless virtually and are giving back to the community and our small business partners!!! Thank you to all our amazing clients, referral sources and industry partners and of course our amazing team! Have a healthy and happy holidays and cheers to the New Year! Cant wait to connect with you in the New Year! Sincerely, Scott! [email protected]

According to planned immigration levels, it is estimated that Canada will receive 341,000 permanent residents in 2020. In 2021, we are expecting 351,000 and 361,000 in 2022. Federal Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino, stated that by 2022, the year’s new permanent residents in Canada will account for one per cent of the population. With all these new faces wanting to plant roots in this great country, we wanted to touch base on how new immigrants can qualify to be homeowners!

This year we are financing a lot more rural properties than in years past. Our mortgage brokerage has always been exposed to cottage country, having personal ties, and therefore first hand knowledge of some of the unique qualities when lending on rural properties. This year, since the beginning of covid, it feels like a lot more families are considering a combination of recreational properties in more rural areas as a secondary homes or moving from population dense cities to rural areas for more space, when proximity to work isn't as strong of a priority. These are our must know's when buying rural property and looking for financing. Let us know if you need a hand on your next rural property!

If you or someone you know is planning to buy a home in 2021, then this information is for you! Our brokerage put together our top planning tips when buying a home. We touch on: Credit, budget, Down Payment, Paper Work, Pre Approval, Mortgage Options & How To Start Shopping. We also answered our clients top questions related to buying a home from 2020!... Enjoy!

If you plan on selling your home in 2021, we have put together "The Ultimate Checklist for Selling Your Home." Then, when you buy, we will ensure you have the best mortgage possible! Should you port, break your mortgage and take out a lower rate - increase or decrease your mortgage or amortization, adjust cash flow, consolidate debt, consider fixed or variable, use a reverse mortgage, insured vs. uninsurable, bank, credit union, trust company or monoline lender...

We've been managing our clients rate holds for years - a significant advantage in working with a great mortgage broker. But, I don't think many people understand what a rate hold is. We used to manage (and still do to a degree) large development sites with hundreds of mortgage potentially closing anywhere from 30 days to 6 months and managing the entire portfolio. it was a huge advantage to our clients to help them navigate best terms from occupancy to final registration. If you don't know the importance of rate holds, take a read.

Commentary from our Chief Economist Sherry Cooper, Ph.D., ICD.D on the BoC committed to low interest rates. If you are looking for more information on how this impacts your borrowing needs, future or current, email [email protected] and our team will follow up!

Happy to share the link to the most recent Invidiata Magazine - Home & Lifestyle Winter 2020/21. We love supporting great local businesses, especially ones tied to real estate that we specialize in financing. Happy to connect to see how our mortgage brokerage can support your business be it local, tied to real estate or have other synergies in working together of 2021! email [email protected]. Check out of info on page 118-119

As we near the end of the year, you are probably thinking about your plans for 2021. See the attached for some great resolutions for your home, and tips on how to make your finances work for YOU in the New Year. Plus, we have included some great holiday party tips to make yours a roaring success! With 2020 winding down, its important we give special thanks to all our clients, referral sources, friends and family for their support and introductions. 2020 was a challenging is many ways but our group stayed strong and worked extremely hard to ensure we made it the best year possible. We truly thank you!

Economic insights from our Chief Economist Sherry Cooper, Ph.D., ICD.D

Bank of Canada schedule for Interest Rate Announcements & Business Development Outlook

Time is money and our brokerage can help you with both. Between our top rated, free Mortgage App, Same day pre-approvals (fully underwritten), Secure Online Application & Dedicated Underwriting, our clients and referral sources get fast results, saving you time and money! Check out how!

We may have helped you get into your dream home, now you need to protect your big investment! Some tips to get your home winter ready, enjoy!

The holidays are just around the corner, as is the new year! With that, now is a great time to start planning for a debt-free holiday and thinking about winter-proofing your home! Plus, all you need to know about fixed vs. variable rate mortgages heading into the New Year. Thanks again for your continued support and introductions!

Understanding how property is considered and underwritten when applying for a mortgage. We address this through: 1. The type of property 2. The location of the property 3. The use of the property

Prior to COVID-19, Canadians and Canadian homeowners were showing their strongest financial fitness to date. Social isolation, job loss, remote work and other sacrifices resulted in a decline on Canadians’ financial fitness overall, but by less than it certainly would have been without federal government programs and mortgage deferrals. Getting Canadians back to work and reinforcing homebuyer confidence will be the critical next steps. The information included is a snapshot of Canadians' Homeownership Attitudes and Financial Fitness through 3 demographics; Behaviour of Canadians. Behaviour of Millennials & Behaviour of New Canadians, enjoy!

Our Chief Economist commentary on the Bank of Canada discontinuing the purchase of Canada Mortgage Bonds and its potential impact on mortgage interest rates

According to a study by Finder.com 67.7% of Canadian parents assist their adult children financially. There are many reasons why our clients may need to help out a family member, however, its important that they do so without jeaprodizing their retirement. Below, we look at different options for freeing up funds and the pros and cons of each.

Find out what its like to get access to more lenders for your next mortgage! Access means options and thats very powerful in todays market. Find out why...

Try downloading our free mortgage app and get pre qualified in under 60 seconds for your next mortgage, be it purchase, renewal or refinance: https://www.dlcapp.ca/app/scott-westlake

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! From ours to yours

Welcome to our monthly mortgage newsletter! On a monthly basis we try to update our clients and referral sources with market relevant information to help support whats happening in the world of mortgages & home ownership that might be relevant to you! This month we touch on 1. Tips for Renewing your Mortgage, which might be very opportunistic with the reduction in all mortgage rates!... 2. Budgeting for the holidays 3. 5 tips to reduce heating costs 4. Information about Dominion Lending Centres 5. Information About The Westlake Mortgage Team!

Great read if your looking to access equity in your home without breaking your existing mortgage

As of October, Realtors in Ontario can incorporate! We are sharing some information our good friends at MNP put together to assist. To any of our real estate partners looking for an introduction to see how this can impact you, we are happy to assist in making the introduction. For other realtors we have not connected with in the past, we are happy to connect to see what synergies exist between our business and also make this introduction. Info sheet attached. Email [email protected] or dm for more information

Some great commentary from our Chief Economist, on our red hot summer housing market, which continued in August as sales and new listings boom! If you require assistants in financing real estate, its a great time to connect. [email protected]

A couple reasons to consider an "in-house" mortgage relationship.

Check out some of the ways The Westlake Team & DLC are prioritizing speed in this hot real estate market to ensure their clients and referral sources can make quick decisions! Dominion Lending Centres Carl Pereira Lisa Alphonso Scott Westlake

With the start of September, most of us are automatically thinking about back-to-school so, in the spirit of education, why not teach your kids about finances? This month we touch on: Back to School Credit Clean Up, Teaching Your Kids About Finances, 10 Money Savings Tips. Thanks again for your continued support and introductions!... Have a great summer!

Congratulations to all those nominated and winners at the 2020 Canadian Mortgage Awards. A Special shout out to my peers at Dominion Lending Centres Inc that brought home some hardware, including yours truly Scott Westlake. Check out our thoughts on this years CMA's...

How long would it take for you to shop 90 stores to find the perfect couch? Now ask that same question about your mortgage. Find out why access to more lenders is an advantage to our clients and referral sources!

We realized this post didn't go live on our site. Its now been posted. If you have any questions pertaining to the mortgage qualifying rate and how it pertains to you qualifying for a mortgage let us know. Commentary attached!

Some great commentary from our Chief Economist, Dr. Sherry Cooper on our Canadian Housing Markets very strong July! As we said before, we will say again - now is the time to surround yourself with a great team to ensure your housing dreams come true. Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Professional & Lawyer!

Summer is just around the corner and you know what that means! Vacation, vacation, vacation! If you have ever been interested in having your own vacation home (or even a second property), I have put together some great information below to get you started. For all of you out there looking to sell, I have provided some information on what you need to know before you list.... If you are looking to buy, there is also a great article on house-hunting mistakes to avoid. Thanks again for your continued support and introductions! Please see all our great information below and enjoy the rest of your summer!

A couple tips on what information you need to successfully finance a cottage!

Introducing new technology that allows our clients to take their mortgage process with our team online - securely, safely and efficiently. Be it pre-approval, purchase, refinance or renewal we are confident in this new origination software and are very excited to help speed up the mortgage application process. You can easily apply now!

We are excited to announce that we now have access to instalment loans for our clients and referral partners. We now have access to a Canadian online consumer lending platform designed for mortgage brokers and their clients. We can now offer Canadians quick and easy access to loans at interest rates that can save them money, when consolidating high interest debt.

Did you know there are 3 types of lenders for a mortgage: Banks, Credit Unions and Alternative Lenders, such as Monolines, Trust Companies and Private Institutions. Some of these lenders ONLY work with Mortgage Brokers. You need to explore all you mortgage options by contacting a great broker today!

Another Net Worth Mortgage Lending Solution available for our clients and referral partners!

Updated contact details - particularly newer email ([email protected]) Feel free to connect anytime. We hope everyone is having a great start to their summer!

Our brokerage is continually investing in our business which in turn, is an investment in our clients and referral sources. Over the past year we introduced one of the best mortgage app/calculators in the industry. In addition, we provided quarterly content in "Our House Magazine," we were at the forefront in providing content on all necessary mortgage related information through our COVID website and now we have partnered up to provide access to Easy NOA. Check out what Easy NOA can do to support our clients and referral sources!

Great example of a recent solution we provided for our clients, for vacant residential development site

Super happy to be involved in this initiative. As a first time voter its super humbling. It breaks my heart how many need our support. Its great to be making a difference but what a challenge it is to go through the process for the first time. How does one pick one cause over the other. Hopefully we keep growing this group and can help more.

Im super excited about this Master Class!

Is now the time for a financial check in or check up? Given all the volatility in the markets and changes in rates and lending, we explore the advantages of a financial check in or check up and if a mortgage refinance is right for you and how to handle your next mortgage renewal.

Income is a huge part of the underwriting process for any mortgage - especially in today's market! Most lenders are requesting income upfront! If you are applying for any mortgage, getting your income together can be the difference between obtaining an approval. In addition, capturing all income and presenting it up front will make any mortgage pre approval more accurate positioning you better in the market to buy and also give you the best chance of approval for any purchase, refinance or renewal! Contact for details and see our checklist.

When working towards a clients real estate closing an area we often are helping clients clean up is their down payment verification. Lenders are required to trace all sources of down payment. We reviewed some past files to come up with the most common sources of down payment and what documentation you should retain to trace and support your mortgage application.

Summer is just around the corner and we have some great articles for you this month! We have compiled some helpful tips on what you need to know BEFORE you start house-hunting, as well as why getting pre-approved matters. Plus, We have included some fun tips on staying cool and saving money during the summer months! Have fun out there and don’t forget your sunscreen! Thanks again for your continued support and introductions to amazing people - referral sources, clients, business owners & many friends! Have a great month!

Sunday’s with this guy are the best #feelinggood #sundaybest

We can't believe after years of mortgage lending - probably north of $1B in volume, we never asked for reviews or testimonials. We just started and what has been amazing is the quality of the reviews. Its blown our mind. We expected a quick thank you but the quality and thought that goes into them makes all the ups and downs with mortgage lending worth it. We are going to start going back to see how many of the amazing people we interact with, can share those experiences! ...We highly recommend looking at company reviews before you work with them to get a sense of how you will be treated! Its not about having the most reviews or all perfect reviews. Learning from ones mistakes helps make a company better at its craft - but It is important to get a sense of how other customers have experienced a companies service and what that interaction may be like for you! If you have interacted with our team and want to share you experience we truly appreciate it! To Leave a Review: http://reviews.thewestlaketeam.com

How the recent decrease in mortgage qualifying rate increases your purchasing power and increase the amount of mortgage you qualify for!

With the sudden change in weather and certain restrictions being lifted, real estate interest is starting to increase. Is now the time to get pre approved?

We always try to surround ourselves with amazing people. It gives us a unique competitive advantage. A couple reasons why you may want to consider us for your mortgage needs...

Very happy to be pushing the gas pedal on our charitable initiatives. Now more than ever its time to run towards the fire, not away. Thanks to the tremendous support from our community, clients, referral sources, friends and family that allow The Westlake Team and TWT Group of Companies to give more!

This month we have a terrific newsletter with the following topics: 1. Determining your monthly budget 2. Things to know before you renovate 3. What to know about mortgages if your new to canada... 4. About Dominion Lending Centre As always, if you or anyone is in the market, looking for mortgage advise, please connect with us to help. We have a terrific team and are fully functional during COVID. We help first time home buyers, clients new to Canada, refinances, negotiating renewals, land acquisition, construction financing, commercial lending. We have multiple homes under construction, financing industrial buildings, building lots for developers, recreational resorts, land financing, luxury real estate financing and the list goes on.

A couple ideas on how and where to access a combination of Mortgage Capital and other sources these days...

Due to COVID-19 we suspended this months delivery of Our House Magazine. However, that doesn't mean you still cannot get the content. This addition is a follow up to our popular edition entitled Mortgage Manual. This Magazine touches on everything a homebuyer needs to know, no matter what stage you are at, even during COVID-19 and resources that can help! This includes: -rent vs buy... -benefits of home ownership -being a first time home buyer -must have documents -step-by-step guide to buying your home and obtaining a mortgage -refinancing your mortgage -renewing your mortgage -moving up and what you can do with your mortgage -who can fund your mortgage -downsizing -genworth family plan -whats next, getting a mortgage after a separation -getting a mortgage when your new to Canada -WHY YOU SHOULD USE A MORTGAGE BROKER - LIKE US -time to budget See more

With a lot of Canadian looking for different ways to access capital, our partners at CHIP have some FAQ's we can share on how they may be the right solution for you

Some topics we cover: -Finacnial Effects -The New Stress Test and how it impacts Mortgage Approvals/underwriting -Impacts if you rent by province... -How lenders are helping existing mortgage holders including the big banks, credit unions and mono-line lenders -How Mortgage Insurers are helping existing and new mortgage customers -Lenders contact information -CRA information and support -Emergency Funds Available -What happens to your real estate closing -What can you do as a mortgage client -Emotional Support & Much More http://blog.thewestlaketeam.com//navigating-covid-19-your- See more

1. To defer or not to defer your mortgage payment 2. Lock-in or stay Variable with your mortgage 3. Tips for social distancing and staying safe from home 4. Information on our national brokerage Dominion Lending Centres 5. Information on our team, The Westlake Team and how we can help Canadians with their Mortgage Needs.