Unimor Capital Corporation
1487 Ouellette Avenue N8X 1K1 Windsor, ON, Canada

Tips for Reducing the Overall Cost of Your Mortgage When you get your first mortgage, it’s hard for many people to focus on the end game, especially given that so many people put so much effort into saving up the minimum down payment, or even making use of grants or various cash-back programs that some lenders offer. It’s important that you keep all your options on the table so that when you’re ready to focus on your long-term strategy, your mortgage allows you to take action...Continue reading

Pumpkin Bread By Natasha's Kitchen 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cups granulated sugar... 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon pinch salt 3 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup vegetable oil 15 oz pumpkin puree Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and lightly dust with flour, two 8x4" loaf pans. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a second medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: eggs, oil, and pumpkin puree. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients then whisk together until smooth. Divide evenly between 2 prepared loaf pans and bake for 45-55 minutes*, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool. *Bake times can vary based on your oven and the color of your baking pan. A darker colored pan will bake faster, and a lighter colored pan will take longer to bake.

Inside the Mortgage Approval Process So, you’ve found the perfect home, you put in an offer and it’s accepted--with the condition of financing, of course. Now it’s time to seal the deal and this boils down to money. So you call your lender to finalize the mortgage. That’s when you’re going to get hit with a list of paperwork that’s required for your application. Below is a list of paperwork that you may need to complete your mortgage application: Personal information: Age, ...Continue reading

8 Fun Fall Family Activities Just because the days are shorter, and the temperature is dropping doesn't mean it's time to retreat inside. There are leaves for jumping in, apples for picking and pumpkins for carving. Fall is definitely not the time to hibernate. Below are eight inexpensive fall activities for families to enjoy. 1. Jumping in Piles of Leaves... As an adult, raking leaves can seem daunting, however, making leaf piles for your kids to jump in can make the job a little more fun. 2. Apple Picking There's nothing better than a freshly picked apple. Enjoy it straight off the tree or make a variety of desserts like apple pie, apple crisp, or applesauce. 3. Find the Perfect Pumpkin Head to your local farm to search for the perfect pumpkin. Once you get home, decorate it however you'd like. 4. Collect Leaves Make a leaf identification album with your collection to help your kids learn more about nature. 5. Have a Backyard Campfire If you have a fire pit or access to one, let the kids roast marshmallows. Who doesn’t love a gooey smore! 6. Play Football Get the whole family together for a game of football before everyone goes comatose in front of the TV watching the game on Sunday afternoon. 7. Make a Big Pot of Chili After a full day of being active in the crisp air, your belly will want something warm. Chili is the way to go for warmth from the inside out. 8. Pick Acorns Decorate your collection with paint or make an acorn family that resembles your own.

Have a Game Night: Top 10 Family Games 1. ANOMIA: Anomia plays off the fact that our minds are positively brimming with all sorts of random information; things to eat, pop songs, websites, etc. Sure, under normal circumstances, it's easy enough to give an example of a frozen food, or a dog breed, but you will find that your brain works a little differently under pressure! 2. CATAN: Guide your settlers to victory by clever trading and cunning development. Use resource combinat...ions grain, wool, ore, brick, and lumberto build roads, settlements, and cities. Acquire your resources through trades, cards, or lucky dice. 3. DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS: A fun, fast-moving card, and dice game for the whole family! Its compact, so perfect for traveling, camping, or going to the cottage. 4. TABOO: Taboo is the laugh out loud, out-of-your-seat game of forbidden words. In this game, you need to get your team to guess the secret word, but the obvious clues are strictly off-limits. 5. RACKO: Players randomly slot 10 cards on their rack. The race then begins to draw and discard until one player positions 10 cards in numerical sequence from low to high. Sound simple? It is but you will need skillful play, concentration and just a little luck to win. 6. RUMMIKUB: It's no surprise that Rummikub is so popular--it has all the elements that make a great game: it's easy to learn and fast moving, it's different every time it's played, it combines luck and strategy, and it changes quickly so every player has a chance to win until the very end. 7. SEQUENCE: It's fun, it's challenging, it's exciting! Play a card from your hand, place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board when you have five in a row, it's a Sequence. Learn to block your opponents by removing their chips. 8. THE GAME OF THINGS: In this hilarious game, you read a topic card and write down your response. It can be anything that comes to mind, there's no right or wrong answer. Then all the responses are read aloud, and you have to figure out who said what. You won't believe the THINGS that people will come up with. 9. TICKET TO RIDE: Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure game where players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway. 10. WITS & WAGERS: To play, everyone writes down a guess to a fun question like How many people have walked on the moon? Then players try to score points by choosing which guess is closest to the right answer. With simple rules and family-friendly questions, kids and parents will actually enjoy playing together!

Game Night Snack: S'mores Muddy Buddies 5 cups golden graham cereal, divided 3 cups Chex cereal 1 cup powdered sugar... cup peanut butter 1 cup chocolate chips, divided 1 cup mini marshmallows, divided Combine 4 cups golden graham cereal and 3 cups Chex cereal in a large bowl and set aside. Put 1 cup powdered sugar in a large Ziploc bag and set aside. Combine the peanut butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then stir, then another 30 seconds, then stir, until creamy. Add 1 cup mini marshmallows to your chocolate peanut butter and stir together so the marshmallows melt a little. Pour your chocolate peanut butter mixture over the cereal and stir together till cereal is completely coated. Carefully scoop chocolate coated cereal into Ziploc with powdered sugar. Shake the bag until the cereal is completely coated with powdered sugar. Pour cereal into another large bowl and mix in remaining cup chocolate chips, cup mini marshmallows, and 1 cup golden graham cereal and serve.

Is Your Credit Score Good Enough to Buy a Home? Three little digits can make a big difference when you're trying to get a mortgage you can afford. Whether you can land a mortgage with a low interest rate or even get any home loan at all often comes down to three little digits: your credit score. Does your credit score need some help? And could it keep you from buying a home? Let's find out. How do credit scores work?...Continue reading

COVID-19: Should You Buy a Home Now, or Wait? Housing markets across the country are changing swiftlybut with interest rates at historic lows, this might be a good time to buy. Here are all the factors to consider. It almost goes without saying that COVID-19 has had a far-reaching impact on the Canadian economy and healthcare system in the first half of 2020. As expected, the spring housing market was much cooler than 2019, with the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) co...Continue reading

Canadas Climbing Debt-to-Income Ratio: What You Need to Know Here we break down what the debt-to-income ratio meansfor the nations financial health, and for yours. The latest headlines tell a now-familiar story: Canadian households debt loads have increased once again, with the debt-to-income ratio hitting 176.9% in June 2020. But what is this ratio, why is it rising, andmost importantlydo you need to worry about it? What is the debt-to-income ratio?...Continue reading

Blueberry Muffins with Lemon Glaze By Natasha's Kitchen 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar... 1 cup sour cream cup extra light olive oil 1 tsp vanilla extract tsp sea salt 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp lemon zest 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 cups fresh blueberries Lemon Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice tsp lemon zest Line a 12-cup muffin tray with cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 400F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs and sugar with electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes. Add sour cream, oil, vanilla, and salt, mixing on low until combined. In a small bowl, add flour and baking powder and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in thirds, but DO NOT OVER MIX or muffins can become dense. Add lemon zest & juice and whisk in just until combined. Use a spatula to fold in 1 cups blueberries, folding just until combined. Fill cupcake liners almost to the top or until all the batter is used. Bake at 400F for 20-22 minutes or until tops are golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove muffins from tray and cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Lemon Glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice, adding lemon juice until desired consistency is reached. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins.

Baking Substitutions Youre probably spending more time in your kitchen than ever before, mostly due to the pandemic. Whether this means baking banana bread or recreating your own versions of popular restaurant meals at home, the fridge and pantry have become havens. But with more hours spent in the kitchen, its no surprise you start to find yourself low on goods. So put your car keys down -- just because there's only one egg left in the carton doesn't mean you need to dash to the store in a last-minute baking emergency. The perfect substitution may be right under your nose (or more specifically, in your kitchen cupboard or fridge). Check this handy chart before you dash out the door:

Start an Emergency Fund We never know what the future holds for us, so it's always best to be prepared. Having an emergency fund is extremely important so you're always prepared to deal with what life bringsgood or bad. It's a good idea to make an emergency fund one of your highest savings priorities. Put $20 a week in an emergency fund and your account will grow to over $1,000 in just one year. That's often enough to cover a repair bill or emergency travel. An emergenc...Continue reading

Chicken Souvlaki Chicken Skewers: 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (1 pieces) 2 tbsp lemon juice... 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp kosher salt tsp black pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced Yogurt Sauce: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt cup sour cream salt & pepper, to taste cup cucumber, minced cup fresh parsley, minced (or dill) Tomato Cucumber Relish: cup cucumber, finely diced cup seeded tomato, finely diced 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced salt & pepper, to taste For the chicken skewers: Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic, along with 1 tablespoon of water, in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Heat up grill or preheat pan to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread the chicken pieces onto 4 skewers. If grilling, place the chicken on the grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through. For broiling, broil for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. For the yogurt sauce: Mix together the Greek yogurt, sour cream, cucumber, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready for use. For the relish: Combine the tomato, cucumber, and parsley in a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready for use. Serve the chicken skewers with the yogurt sauce and cucumber relish, as well as flatbread, hummus, and olives if desired.

BLT Pasta Salad Salad Ingredients: 8 oz bowtie pasta 3 cups chicken broth... 1 large tomato, diced 1 head romaine lettuce 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated 1 avocado, sliced Dressing: cup mayonnaise cup sour cream 1-2 tbsp ranch dressing 1 tbsp pickle juice tsp pepper Directions: Place pasta and chicken broth in Instant Pot. Set to Pressure Cook on High for 3 minutes and allow a 3-minute natural release. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water. Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes. Wash lettuce and cherry tomatoes. Slice cherry tomatoes in half. Tear or slice romaine lettuce. Add bacon, lettuce and tomato to a large bowl. Add cooled pasta. Stir in ranch dressing over pasta and salad. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve cold.

Before Spending Your Emergency Fund, Ask Yourself These Questions We get so used to thinking of our emergency fund as cash we shouldnt touch. It can feel wrong to actually spend that money. But the financial situation thats cropped up as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic makes now a perfectly legit time to tap into your reserves. Honestly. Your individual circumstance, however, may leave you questioning whether its really okay to be spending your emergency fund. Maybe ...you have a spouse who is still working or enough money in the bank to stretch a few weeks longer. Here are four questions to ask before spending your emergency cash. 1. Is this expense a need? This is a pretty obvious question but one thats vital to consider. When you use your emergency fund to replace lost income, you cant spend like you used to. Ask yourself: Is this expense necessary for my survival? If not, its not worth draining your rainy-day fund for. That may mean pausing your cable service or taking a break from tithing so you can eat, stay healthy and keep a roof over your head. 2. Are there resources to help with this expense? In response to this financial crisis, various organizations and companies are providing assistance to those in need. Banks are waiving overdraft fees and adjusting payment plans on loans. Many credit card and mortgage companies are letting customers defer payments. Food banks are trying to distribute more food. Utility companies are vowing not to shut off service for those who cant pay. Any assistance youre able to get will help stretch the money in your emergency fund. 3. Do I have cash outside of my emergency fund? Before you start spending your emergency fund, look at other money you can use first. If you have money saved up for a summer vacation or holiday gifts, use that cash. If you have more money than usual left in your checking account because social distancing eliminated your entertainment spending, spend that. Hold off on using your emergency fund until youve exhausted other viable options. Avoid pulling money from your retirement accounts. 4. Can I get what I need for less money? Your emergency fund will only stretch so far. Be smart about what you spend by looking for cheaper alternatives. Buy store-brand products instead of name-brand to save money on groceries or shop at a store that offers lower prices. Even if those arent your normal habits, think of them as a temporary belt-tightening. Reduce your utility usage to help lower your bills.

Stuck at Home? Take Advantage of the Extra Time You Have The COVID-19 pandemic has spread to more than 200 countries with over 1.5 million people infected. In these times of unprecedented crisis, our government is handling it remarkably well by strongly suggesting that everyone stay home and stay safe. It is important to understand that everybody reacts differently to these adverse times. Being isolated in our homes for a long time can impact our mental health and cause f...Continue reading

Reduce Your Household Waste Reducing household waste has been on the top of our agenda this year because we noticed that we have far too much garbage leaving our house each week. If you just stop for a moment and think about ALL of the containers in your kitchen that should make you want to consider reducing household waste. I know thats sort of how it went down for us when we began cleaning out our kitchen using the Konmari method of organization last week. Every cupboard...Continue reading

We understand you may be facing financial hardship right now... Unimor Capital Corporation is here to help. Give us a call and let us see what we can do for you. (519) 255-9505

Chicken Chimichangas 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded can refried beans cup salsa... 1 tsp cumin tsp dried oregano 1 tsp chili powder 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 2 green onions, chopped 3 tbsp canola oil 6 large flour tortillas In a large bowl, add cooked chicken, refried beans, cheese, salsa, spices, and green onions and mix to combine. Place about cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling and roll up like a burrito. For baked chimichangas, preheat oven to 400F. Brush chimichangas lightly with oil and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden and crispy. For pan fried chimichangas, heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil to skillet and place chimichangas seam side down. Turn lightly every 2-30 seconds until lightly golden on all sides. Serve warm, topped with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and a side of Mexican rice.

Ways to Pay off Credit Card Debt We know how incredibly easy it is to rack up credit card debt. But heres the tricky thing about credit cards: They only benefit you when youre building credit and receiving perks but not when youre paying interest. If youre paying a lot of interest on your balances, credit card companies are making money off you. Your cards are using you, not the other way around. With average interest rates on new credit cards north of 17%, paying t...Continue reading

Homeowner Loans made easy with UCC: Loans from $5,000 to $40,000 Fixed interest rate 8.99% Simple one-page application... 48-hour approvals No appraisal required No income verification Loan-to-value ratio up to 85% Open loan with no pre-payment penalty No legal fees See more

New Year, New Financial Goals The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on what you want to improve in your life and to create plans to make it happen. There is a good chance that youre already thinking about resolutions like going to the gym more, eating healthier and volunteering with local organizations. But what about financial resolutions? The beginning of the year offers the opportunity to focus on whats going on with your money. With the right plan in...Continue reading

Happy Holidays from the staff at Unimor Capital Corporation!

15 Fun Things to Do With Kids in Winter Got cabin fever? You're not alone. Being stuck indoors all winter will make anyone antsy. Instead of going stir crazy, try a couple of these fun things to do with your kids this winter. 1. Make homemade hot cocoa with marshmallows.... 2. Go sledding together. Don't forget to bundle up and bring the bike helmets for added safety! 3. Make paper snowflakes and hang them up around your home. 4. Go bowling. If your kids are young, try the duckpins for little ones. 5. Use your phone's camera to make a slow-motion video of the snow accumulating outside your window. Then send it to family members via email to show them how deep the snow really is! 6. Make a graph showing each day's high and low temperatures for the week. Then make predictions about next week and see who's closest to each day's actual temperature. 7. Make ice cream using snow. 8. Have a snowball fight. If your kids are different ages, set a few 'ground rules' up front. 9. Play board games together and be sure to introduce the kids to some of your favorites! 10. Make a pine cone bird feeder using peanut butter and birdseed. Then hang it outside a window where you'll get to see the birds enjoy the treat each day. 11. Make greeting cards for residents of a local nursing home. Then take a field trip to deliver them together. 12. Visit your local library and check out books on winter themes. Then come home and take turns reading to one another. Bonus: use your phone to record one another reading and then save the recordings for bedtime stories on a night when you're extra exhausted. 13. If it's too cold outside, build your own super fort indoors out of blankets, pillows, and large boxes. 14. Take a knitting class at your local craft store and make hats & scarves for each other. 15. Collect old winter coats from family members and friends. Then donate them to a local charity. See more

Why These Homeowners Needed a Private Mortgage Most of us dont give much thought to private mortgages. We are vaguely aware they exist, but perhaps have the impression they are mortgage solutions for financial derelicts, but that is not true. Often, they are needed when bad things happen to good people. Private mortgages and B-lender mortgages are the fastest-growing segment of the Canadian mortgage industry....Continue reading

8 Ways to Reduce Your Heating Bill Every winter brings with it the disappointing prospect of the heating bill. With Canadian winters always being so cold, its important to consider the impact on your heating bill. But that doesnt mean that you cant do what you can to reduce your overall costs. Even as you plan for higher costs each year, you can work to keep things as cost-efficient as possible, so you arent paying more than you must. Here are 8 ways that you can reduc...e your heating bill: 1. By setting your thermostat to 20*C/68*F, you can reduce your heating bill by 5% to 10%. It might seem a little bit chilly, but you might be surprised at how you get used to it. 2. Reducing your heat by 4 to 5 degrees at night or when you are out of the house can save 15% on heating costs. Theres no sense in heating an empty house. And, at night, you can benefit from the lower temperature setting. Studies indicate that you will sleep better when you are in a cooler room. 3. With all this lowering of temperatures you might be concerned about still being comfortable. Before heading to the thermostat, try putting on socks, a sweater, or a blanket. Adding layers is fairly easy, and you might be more comfortable anyway. 4. If you have an older, inefficient water heater, you can insulate it with a water heater jacket. These arent that expensive, and the cost can be quickly recouped from your monthly savings. 5. Reduce hot water use by using a low flow shower head and setting your washing machine to use cold water. These are tactics that can help you avoid using your heat to boost water temperature. The less hot water you use, the lower your heating bill will be. 6. Keep windows and doors closed so that heat does not escape the house. For the same reason, only run bathroom and kitchen fans when needed since they will blow the warm air out of your house. Youd be surprised at how often the warm leaks outside because you leave the door open while you just run next door for a couple minutes or because you have your window cracked. 7. Let the sun in during the daytime, especially in south facing windows, to heat up the home. Close blinds and curtains at night as it adds an extra layer of insulation to the window. 8. Do you feel a draft in your house? You can check for leaks around windows and doors by holding a candle flame along the frames. If the flame flickers or smoke blows sideways, youll know there is a leak that might be able to be fixed with caulking or weather stripping. Dont forget about your outlets, either. These are often sources of air leaks. These are simple steps that you can take to reduce your heating bill. However, just because they are simple, doesnt mean they are ineffective. You might be surprised at how much money you can save each month with a little effort.

All Bills & No Fun Makes a Very Dull Budget Heres How to Do Better The term fun money means different things to different people. You might think of it as money for entertainment or eating out. It could be your growing vacation fund or the cash you spend on a painting class. Essentially, fun money is what you spend to enjoy yourself. Working just to pay bills, and budgeting only to stay on top of financial obligations, gets old fast. Instead of depriving yourself, in...cluding some fun money in your budget will give you a more balanced financial life. The Importance of Adding Fun Money to Your Budget Restrictive budgets can work for a very short term but arent sustainable in the long run. When there is a desire to spend, the flood gates can burst, and rebound spending often happens. To avoid binge shopping, allocate some of your monthly earnings to spending that brings you joy. Having fun money to spend however you like will motivate you to stick to your financial plan. Who wants to stay involved with a plan that is all work and no play? How to Budget for Fun While you want to make sure to pay all your monthly obligations, like rent, utilities and your car loan, you dont have to treat your fun money as an afterthought. Set up automatic deposits to save up for fun expenses. How much you put aside will depend on your individual financial situation. If you follow the 50/30/20 budgeting method, youd earmark 30% of your income for discretionary spending, which includes what you spend for your enjoyment. Separating your fun money from your main checking account and other savings allows you to spend from that stash guilt free. Another smart budgeting approach is to think of your fun money in terms of what you value most and want to prioritize. Knowing what you value and prioritize over other things will allow you to shift your mindset from what you cant do to what you can do. Sometimes this will include making trade-offs or sacrifices. Sticking to a low grocery budget frees up funds to go out with friends on the weekends if thats a priority. You have to consider the trade-off of now versus later. Fun Money Doesnt Have to Break the Bank When youre spending money for enjoyment, identifying the reason why youre making that particular choice could lead you to discover that you can spend less to fulfill the same need. Going out with friends may be linked to a need for connecting with others, belonging or adventure. But you dont have to run up an expensive bar tab. Maybe you and your friends take turns hosting a weekly potluck dinner. Or perhaps you join a book club or running group. After identifying what you value, investigate cheaper ways to pursue it. If you enjoy switching up your wardrobe, participate in a clothing swap or visit thrift stores. If you love traveling, consider a road trip instead of flying, or implement some budget travel tips to save money.

The 10 Best Ways to Save Money on Holiday Shopping Christmas is right around the corner, and you had better be prepared. Making sure that you have what you need for everyone on your list can be a challenge and it can also be expensive. If you want to avoid breaking the bank this holiday season, here are 10 tips to help you save money on Christmas shopping: 1. Stick to a Budget...Continue reading

The TFSA Limit is Being Raised Its official, the TFSA dollar limit will be increasing to $6,000 in 2019. TFSAs have been extremely popular among millions of Canadians, many of whom will welcome the upcoming ability to sock away extra funds in their TFSAs come 2019. The TFSA was first introduced in the 2008 federal budget and became available to Canadians for the 2009 calendar year. The initial TFSA dollar limit of $5,000 had risen to $5,500 for the past few years. Under th...Continue reading

Crunchy Scalloped Cauliflower 2 heads cauliflower, cored 1 tbsp canola oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced... 3 cloves garlic, minced tsp dried thyme tsp salt tsp ground pepper 1 can Campbells Condensed Cream of Celery Soup 1 cups 1% milk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded cup whole wheat crackers, crushed Preheat oven to 400F. Place cauliflower heads, core-side down, on cutting board. Slice downward into thick slices. Cook cauliflower in a large pot of boiling salted water for 8 minutes until fork tender. Drain well and arrange in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat in large non-stick skillet. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, all but tsp of the thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add soup, milk and Dijon mustard to pan. Bring to simmer, stirring often. Pour soup mixture over cauliflower. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle evenly with cheese and cracker crumbs. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining thyme.

Smart Tips to Get Your Home Ready for Fall Cooler temperatures and soon falling leaves serve as a reminder that the fall season is fast approaching. As the seasons change, so do our activities and home needs. Now is a good time to do some seasonal maintenance to keep your home running smoothly. The weather can change quickly, especially if you live in a colder climate and you dont want to be caught unprepared. A bit of attention now will save costly repairs and aggravation l...Continue reading

The Benefits of Working with Our Mortgage Agents Since 1974, we have been providing mortgages and loans to the residents of Southwestern Ontario, focusing in Windsor & Essex County. Our well-established reputation and professional broker expertise enables us to present an extensive network of institutional and private lenders that can provide extremely competitive rates on a variety of mortgage products. Whether its purchasing a new home or consolidating debt, there is much ...to consider, and our agents are here to guide you through the whole process! EXPERTISE With over 40 years of experience, our mortgage agents will help guide you through a variety of options to find a product that will suit your specific financial needs. DIVERSITY We have access to a variety of local and online institutional lenders, as well as Windsors largest source of private mortgaging. We will find the best rates available! CONVENIENCE Our agents will work around your schedule to make the transaction as easy and convenient as possible. PERSONAL ATTENTION Not only do you need a customized mortgage, but you also need someone who will keep in touch with you throughout the years to make sure you are meeting your financial goals.

Bank of Canada Lowers Mortgage Rate For First Time in 3 Years It just got a little easier for some Canadians to pass the stress test. Bank of Canada lowered the qualifying mortgage rate on Friday, from 5.34% to 5.19%. This is the first time in three years that the rate has dropped. The last time the rate dropped was in September 2016, back then the rate decreased by 0.10% to 4.64, the Canadian Press reports. Mortgage applicants are tested against this five-year benchmark rat...e or their qualifying rate plus two per cent, depending on which is greater. That means this slight decrease could make a difference for some Canadians applying for a mortgage. According to RateSpy.coms calculations, someone with $50,000 in yearly earnings making a 20% down payment can now afford a home thats roughly $4,000 more expensive thanks to the new rate. This is assuming they have no debts and that theyll have a 30-year amortization period, the Financial Post reports. Experts agree that the rate drop wont have a huge impact on the housing market, but it will give some Canadians hope. Home sales across Canada slowed considerably last year as a result of increased mortgage rates and the introduction of the stress test. Specifically, in February 2018, sales dipped to their lowest levels since 2012. Ever since the stress test was introduced, several organizations have also been vocal about the need for the federal government to relax the rules. Coincidentally, the announcement about lowered rates came one day after the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) called for changes to the stress test. In a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance, OREA CEO Tim Hudak called the test disastrously flawed and highly recommended the rules be softened. The restrictions are unfairly disadvantaging home buyers, especially millennials looking to enter the market for the first time or young families looking to move up, Hudak wrote. Although the new five-year benchmark rate is certainly good news from some prospective buyers, it hasnt really changed the system that much, Samantha Brookes, CEO of broker Mortgages of Canada, told CBC. Consumers are in this wait-and-see pattern its still difficult to get into the market because that stress test is there.