Vern McClelland's (mccl) Blog

Housing Options for Mature Adults Baby boomers my age and older will almost double the number of retirees in Canada within 10 years.  Not me though, I have an addiction to land, cows, and horses to support, so I guess I will keep working! You know it must be near the forefront of a lot of people'...

Ask MG: My wife and I have saved up enough money for a down payment on our first home.  How can we avoid paying too much? Robyn: First of all, only look at houses you can afford. Your lender will work with you to see what you are approved to borrow, but also what you can comfortably afford as a m...

Changes to CMHC Mortgage Guidelines - Fixing or Tinkering? The federal government moved this week to tighten lending standards for high ratio residential mortgages, whereby the borrower seeks a loan of more than 80% of the value of the house they are purchasing.  There were three key changes to t...

Ask MG   We are looking at remodeling our home, and besides creating more usable space for our family, what do you see as some of the popular trends for 2011?  What will give us the most return for the buck? Robyn:  Today's buyer is very concerned about rising energy costs and this is true in eve...