Understand it before you sign it
Every guide here answers the question in the first paragraph, then explains the trade-offs. No jargon, no pressure, and no pretending that every option is a good one.
Refinancing guides
How Much Equity Can I Take Out of My Home in Canada?
How Canadian lenders calculate accessible home equity, the 80% loan-to-value limit, and what reduces the amount you can actually receive.
Read the guide →Refinancing vs. a HELOC: Which One Fits?
The practical differences between refinancing and a home equity line of credit in Canada, with a decision framework based on how you'll actually use the money.
Read the guide →Mortgage Prepayment Penalties, Explained
How Canadian mortgage prepayment penalties are calculated, why fixed-rate IRD penalties can be so large, and how to estimate yours before you refinance.
Read the guide →What Does It Cost to Refinance in Canada?
A full breakdown of what refinancing a mortgage costs in Canada — prepayment penalty, legal fees, appraisal, discharge fees — and how to work out your break-even.
Read the guide →Debt guides
Should I Refinance My Mortgage to Pay Off Debt?
A straight answer on whether refinancing to pay off credit cards and loans makes sense in Canada, including the maths, the trade-offs and when to wait.
Read the guide →Is Debt Consolidation a Good Idea?
The real pros and cons of debt consolidation for Canadian homeowners — when it changes your life, when it just moves the problem, and how to tell the difference.
Read the guide →Drowning in Credit Card Debt? Here's the Order of Operations
A practical order of operations for Canadian homeowners carrying heavy credit card debt, from triage to consolidation to rebuilding.
Read the guide →Cash Flow guides
How to Lower Your Monthly Mortgage Payment
Six legitimate ways Canadian homeowners can lower their monthly mortgage payment, what each one costs in the long run, and which to try first.
Read the guide →Seven Signs Your Mortgage Needs a Review
Clear signals that it's time to review your mortgage structure, from creeping credit card balances to an upcoming renewal or a change in income.
Read the guide →General Mortgage guides
What Happens When Your Mortgage Renews
A walkthrough of the Canadian mortgage renewal process, your four options, the 120-day window, and how to handle a renewal payment increase.
Read the guide →Fixed vs. Variable: Choosing a Rate Type in Canada
How to choose between a fixed and variable mortgage rate in Canada, including penalty differences, payment stability and what actually matters for your situation.
Read the guide →The Mortgage Stress Test, Explained
What the Canadian mortgage stress test is, how the qualifying rate is calculated, who it applies to, and how it affects refinancing and buying.
Read the guide →Getting a Mortgage When You're Self-Employed
What self-employed Canadians need to qualify for a mortgage or refinance, how lenders calculate income, and what to do when tax returns understate what you earn.
Read the guide →How Much Mortgage Can I Actually Afford?
How Canadian lenders calculate what you can borrow using GDS and TDS ratios, and why the maximum approval is usually more than you should spend.
Read the guide →Not sure which option fits your situation?
Bring your numbers — mortgage balance, balances you're carrying, and what's stressing you out. I'll walk you through what's realistic, including when doing nothing is the better call.