SPRING LAWN CARE

When you invest in a brand new home, you want to have a fresh and well-manicured lawn. The appearance of your yard can dramatically impact the curb appeal of your home. After winter, performing lawn care maintenance has never been more important. After a long rest throughout late fall and winter, your lawn will wake up hungry and ready to grow. If you take the time to learn how to feed your lawn, strengthen it, and get it off to the right start in the spring, your yard will be the envy of the block.  

 

                           Doing the Right Things At the Right Time 

 

You don't have to hire a professional lawn care company to rejuvenate your lawn and then maintain it, but it’s definitely an option. If you're willing to take time to learn what steps you'll need to take and to put in the time, you can feed your lawn and prevent weeds from growing at the same time. Doing lawn care on your own can give you a feeling of pride in the way your home looks from the outdoors.  

 

                           Steps You'll Need to Take in Early Spring 

 

When it's about time for the groundhog to see his shadow, it's time to start preparing your lawn for the spring. After a very tough winter, your lawn is going to wake up from a slumber like a hungry bear in search of food.  Too bad your grass can't simply get up and hunt!

If you want to ensure that you're nurturing a well-fed lawn early spring, once the grass starts to green up, is the perfect time to start feeding it.  This will ensure that your lawn grows in lush and healthy as the flowers start to bloom. Here are some valuable steps you'll need to rejuvenate your lawn at the beginning of the best season for plant life:

Aeration 

Soil compaction can lead to a loss of oxygen and a lack of nutrients.  Aeration should happen in early spring, or late fall, but never in the summer as hot weather easily stresses your lawn out.  By renting an aerator in early spring or having someone come in and aerate for you before you overseed, you can prevent compaction and allow more oxygen to reach the roots of your lawn.  

Overseeding

Next, you should overseed, which is the process of adding lawn soil and grass seed over top of your existing lawn. If you want a thick lawn that looks better than all of the rest, this step is essential.  Spread about ¼ inch of lawn soil evenly and rake out .Next spread the grass seed and starter fertilizer over the soil and water daily until the seed grows well.  Overseeding will fill in patches, make the lawn denser and help prevent weed growth.

Feeding the Lawn 

After you seed, you can feed the lawn with an all-purpose lawn fertilizer. A fertilizer with higher nitrogen content will rapidly green up your lawn.  Choose a 20 -10 -10 for spring. This will be the first feeding of the year and should be repeated late in spring as well, about 8 weeks later.  The best-looking lawns are lawns that are fed four times a year. 

                         Step You'll Need to Take Once Seeds Take Root 

Now that early spring is over and the overseeding is flourishing and thriving, you'll need to focus on keeping your lawn manicured and well-fed so that it'll be able to stand up to all of the stress of the high temperatures that the summer brings. You know, that heat we all love, but can seriously damage your lawn? All of that early energy your fertilizing has provided is now being used and your grass (and the unwanted weeds) is flourishing. Here are several steps you'll need to take to combat those pesky weeds without killing the grass you've worked so hard to nurture and feed. 

Apply a Weed Prevent Product 

Weed prevention products are designed to target dandelions and crabgrass. These products will prevent germination and aren't designed to specifically kill the weeds that have already started to grow. If weeds are already polluting your grass, you'll need to take another step. 

Apply Weed-B-Gone 

There are several broadleaf weeds that may have already started to grow. To control these, you can simply spray them with a Weed-B-Gone product that cuts off oxygen to the root. Make sure to check with city by-laws on what you can and can’t use before making a purchase.

Second Fertilizer Feeding 

Now that eight weeks have passed, it's time to feed your lawn again with an enriched turf builder fertilizer. By feeding your lawn with fertilizer again, you can make your lawn dramatically stronger and healthier before summer. Choose a 10-10-10 fertilizer now increases root mass and makes the blades of your grass lush and green. 

Take time to apply the right products to your lawn at the right time of year and to understand what to do at specific times during the year. Spring is one of the most important seasons for your lawn. During this time, it's imperative that you feed your lawn, nurture it, and supply your hungry lawn with everything that it needs to wake up from its winter nap and thrive during the ultimate growing season. 

photo credit: Gregs Landscaping via photopin cc

Lawn Care Maintenance for Spring

Posted by Trudy Rost on Thu, Apr 25, 2013 

 Tags: home maintenance, spring, landscaping

Front Yard Curb Appeal for Selling your House

Summer will come soon, I am willing it to be so... no more snow (knock on wood!) ... however when summer does start rolling in, those of you that want to sell your home, here are some front yard tips and suggestions. The flower pots are a great, cheap, simple idea that will brighten up your place - and I do this every year. Actually this year I will be adding more, to let the roses grow and let the flower get out of control in the buckets :)  Have fun... 

A good first impression can make a world of difference when you're selling your home. By upgrading your curb appeal, you have a chance to influence how potential buyers feel about your home before they even step inside.

While it's important to balance the money you spend on improvements with a realistic idea of what you can recoup, many improvements to your landscaping can cost little, compared to the benefits of increased home value and a faster sale.

Front yard landscaping should be colorful and attractive. But a garden that reads "high-maintenance" can scare people away, so it's important to keep landscaping neat and uncluttered. Below is a list of some simple ways to improve your curb appeal when selling your home. Also, here is a list of 7 unique approaches to front yard landscaping.

Get a fresh perspective: Before you can choose which projects to start with, it helps to see your landscape with fresh eyes and a broad, overall view. We get so used to our landscaping that it can be hard to pinpoint what others might see. There are two simple tricks to seeing your landscape with a new viewpoint. With both of these techniques, the goal is to forget what you think you know about your landscape and to instead see what is actually there.
The first is an old artist's trick. Stand back from your landscape, far enough away that you can see all of it at once. Then squint your eyes until they blur, and try to clear your mind.
There may be areas that, when viewed with blurred eyes, appear dark and overgrown. Some areas might feel messy because there are too many small plantings, statues, or pots. Or, you may have an area that is bright and clean, but a little too bare. All of these insights can give you a general idea of which projects to tackle first.
The second technique you can use to see your landscape with fresh eyes is to take some black and white photographs of your landscaping. Taking color away can make a familiar space seem new, so you can see it with objective eyes. Nowadays, most digital cameras have a black and white setting, so this is easy to do even if you're not a techno-whiz.

Define the borders and add mulch: Clean edges fool the eye into seeing the entire landscape as neat and well-maintained. If lawn has crept into your garden beds and created an uneven line, then defining the border can improve the look of the whole landscape.
Start by laying out a garden hose, or using spray chalk to outline the new border. Don't make the beginner's mistake of creating a wavy, "drunken snake" of a line; instead go for broad, sweeping curves that are in scale with the size of your home. Then, use a mattock or pulaski to chip away at the grass until you have a clean, attractive line.
Once you've established a neat border, a layer of wood chip mulch adds a refined look. Not only does it help keep weeds down during the selling process, but the bright color is attractive, smooths out an uneven soil surface, and generally gives the landscaping a professional finish.

Prune overwhelming shrubs: While pruning can be tough to tackle if you don't know what you're doing, there are a few simple pruning techniques that can make a fast difference.
Just remember that you don't want to prune anything severely if you can help it, or attack anything with the hedging shears unless the plant is quite clearly meant to be a hedge. That kind of pruning makes it obvious that the maintenance got out of control, which is not the signal you want to send to potential buyers!
Instead, focus on subtler ways of pruning. One technique that makes shrubs look neat with little effort is to "skirt" them. Skirting is when you prune around the base of a shrub, removing any branches that are within 6 inches of the ground. This gives a more open appearance, and works wonders on Rhododendrons and other shrubs that can look moundy and overwhelming when sprawling on the ground
Another good pruning task is to gently prune any plant that is touching the house. Plants that lean on the house can cause chipped paint as well as mold and ant infestations. If your buyer has a home inspection done, it's a problem that will be noted in the report. Pruning plants 8 inches to 1 foot away from the house will give the landscaping a more open appearance, as well as give you room to power wash the house or touch up paint as needed.
The only shrubs that should be pruned heavily are those that are flopping over a walkway, blocking the view from the street to the front door, or keeping light from streaming into a window. Even then, it's better to thin plants gracefully or consider even removing them, rather than going in for The Big Chop.

Add color with paint and pots: If a focal area isn't drawing the eye as it should (think front door, patio and seating areas), a bold shot of color can be just what's needed. While the obvious solution is to use container plantings, there are a few important points to remember.

First, less is more. Choose just one or two larger pots that have a distinctive color or shape, rather
than lots of small pots that can feel cluttered.
Next, go for a simple one- or two-color planting scheme that highlights what is special about your home, like the color of the stone, trim, or surrounding shrubs. This keeps the focus on your home, rather than on the individual plantings.
Lastly, don't be afraid of paint. If your patio furniture looks tired and worn, it will be hard for potential buyers to envision themselves sitting there. Freshly stained or painted patio furniture can draw the eye and help buyers imagine the great times they'll have in their new landscape. Choose a color that picks up on some element in the landscaping, and add a few cushions to set the scene.

Ask for help: Most landscape designers offer a one-time consultation service. If you're having trouble deciding what to focus on, even a short meeting with a professional can help you pinpoint the tasks that will bring the greatest return.
As you can see from these projects, even a small investment in the landscape goes a long way towards increasing your curb appeal and making it more likely that buyers will fall in love with your home.

From : Landscaping Network.com

Spring Fever

Spring Fever Definition: the feeling of restlessness, excitement or laziness brought on by the coming of Spring.

For us in the Mortgage World, it usually means great rates and lots of movement in the Market. And currently according to various posts, the inventory levels for housing is lower than usual. What does that mean for you? If you are sitting on the fence in regards to selling/buying, now is definitely the time to seriously consider hopping off.

What are you going to do this Spring? 

Call me for a Spring Mortgage Checkup or Make Over! 

And then relax in your own backyard!

2.79% 5 Year Fixed

3.69% 10 Year Fixed

2.5% for Variable 5Year

7 Worst Dog Food Brands

Reading this article from http://holisticandorganixpetshoppe.com/top-7-worst-dog-food-brands.html gave me an interesting perspective on dog food, with lots of info that I use with my own two four legged fur-friends. And I notice big difference in my pets (from when I originally changed the grocery-store brands)...

 The best way to avoid the worst dog food brands is to Read your dog food labels – There are literally hundreds of brands and varieties of dog food Bad dog food ingredients = shortened life span for your companion Below is a listing of some of the inexpensive dog food brands, with the harmful, unnecessary and outright dangerous , highlighted in yellow.

This is not a complete listing of all the worst dog food brands with harmful ingredients, just the more popular names. Unfortunately there are still too many out there. Use this list as a guide on what bad dog food ingredients to avoid when buying commercial dog food.

If a specific brand of food is not listed here it does not mean it is bad or good brand. You can find the complete ingredient listing and nutritional analysis on any of the dog food manufacturers websites. An ingredient list like the dog food on this page should always be avoided.

Did you know that your can reduce or eliminate the signs of allergies in dogs just by feeding an improved, corn free dog food?

I am just using these foods as examples of what I consider unhealthy and dangerous dog food brands. Any dog who is fed a consistent and regular diet of corn will be more prone to illnesses, allergies and a shorter life.

DOGS ARE CARNIVORES, following the long ancestral history as canids – All these examples have corn as the main ingredient. Use these foods as a comparative guide to see what you should not be feeding your dog. 

BENEFUL BY PURINA

INGREDIENTS:

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat
preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef,soy flour, sugar, propylene glycol, meat and bone meal, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, water, animal digest, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, *menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.


ALPO BY PURINA

INGREDIENTS:

Ground yellow corn, corn germ meal, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, beef tallow preserved with mixed tocopherols (form of vitamin E), animal digest (source of chicken flavor), salt, potassium chloride, beef & liver meal, dried cheese powder, dl-methionine, added color, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, calcium pantothenate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin d-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, *menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity),  folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

OL ROY From WALMART:

INGREDIENTS:

Ground yellow corn, soybean meal, ground whole wheat, corn syrup, poultry fat, Meat and bone meal, Animal Fat Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid, Chicken by-product meal , Rice, Animal Digest, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin D and E Supplement, Niacin, Copper Sulafate, Manganous Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate,*menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity),  Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid

KIBBLES N BITS:

INGREDIENTS:

Corn, soybean meal, beef and bone meal, ground wheat flour, animal fat – bha used as preservative, corn syrup, wheat middlings, water sufficient for processing, animal digest (source of chicken flavor), propylene glycol, salt, hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, caramel color, sorbic acid (used as a preservative), sodium carbonate, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), calcium sulfate, titanium dioxide, yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), dl methionine

PURINA DOG CHOW:

INGREDIENTS :

Whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn gluten meal, meat and bone meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, barley, whole grain wheat, animal digest, calcium carbonate, salt, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2, Yellow 6), DL-Methionine, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, *menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity),  folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite.

PEDIGREE:

(Puppy Food)

INGREDIENTS:

Ground Whole Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Rice, Corn Gluten Meal (Source of Lutein*), Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Source of Vitamin E), Natural Poultry Flavor, Wheat, Potassium Chloride, Wheat Flour, DiCalcium Phosphate, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Carmel Color, Vegetable Oil (Source of Linoleic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C*], Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Marigold Meal, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Added FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5).

HILL’S SCIENCE DIET ORIGINAL

INGREDIENTS:

Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Oil, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Iodized Salt, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Dried Chicken Cartilage, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.



http://recipes4gourmetdogs.com/2010/01/bad-dog-food-ingredients/

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Are You Paired With the RIGHT Mortgage Product & Rate? Did you even think to ask?

That seems to be a question that not a lot of people ask. "Am I in the right mortgage product & rate?" Everyone is so caught up in getting the lowest rate possible, that it is a race to the bottom instead of stopping and looking at the full picture.


According to a survey done by CIBC and posted with The Toronto Star, Canadians do not think they will mortgage free till 57! Now is this due to people getting mortgages later in life; due to purchase price and down payments?? ... yes I believe partially this is the case. However I think the bigger problem is no long term thinking is being done. With the boom in 2007, it was the big push to "refinance your life" into your mortgage; so cars, boats, quads, credit cards, etc all build into your mortgage to give you a lower over all payment.... but does this help reduce mortgage debt? There were also those 40 year amortizations and mortgaging over 100% of your homes value. None of these things help anyone to pay off mortgage debt quicker. To add to it, for most people it has now freed up their available credit so they go out and purchase more "stuff". Or for a small example; if we continued on the 40 year amortization options, and you purchased your first home at 20 years old, max you would have it paid off is by 60 years old. But according to Global Toronto the average age is 27 years to purchase your first home. Current amortizations have dropped with the new rules, so with the 25 year amortization, that puts your age to 52 years old to be mortgage free.... but is anyone telling you, the client, there are ways to reduce this even further? Does your current mortgage product even allow you to do any of the potential options... or was the rate so low for your term that you can not do anything but paid as agreed? With the average house price in Alberta I believe to be around $400,000 and having to come up with the min 5% down, $20,000.... these are things that need to be asked and understood. You may not be able to do them right away, but who knows what the future holds... and options are always key with one of the largest purchases you will ever make!

Currently in our market... it is this huge push for lower and lower rates, kick started with the BMO 2.99% rate special. Do not get me wrong, lower interest rates are awesome! I get them for my clients all the time! However the other part I do is also find out what low rate is going to be the best option for my clients. Keeping in mind the current situation they are in and also keep in mind future situations that are not written yet. This is one reason I highly believe in Broker vs Banker, as I educate my clients on their mortgage options, all the time.


For example, is the Mortgage No Frills. Do you even know what No Frills means in your mortgage?

What it means is this "it offers lower rates, with little to no options and or flexibility". With something as large and long term as a mortgage, is this really your best option? Are you doing this just to purchase the largest priced house you can afford? what happens then when your term is up? or when the term is over and rates are higher? or you sit and do the math and figure you wont own the house till you are 60 or older! No Frills Mortgages do usually offer the best rate, in the race to the bottom... but think.. is that really what you want? is your banker or agent explaining this when you sign your papers to "take" the mortgage offered? Trust me when I tell you there are bells and whistles that you want.... that a few of my trust companies do offer to clients, along with lower mortgage rates! What you want really is the best of both worlds but also keep in mind that with the No Frills options, if it is 0.01% better than a Full Serviced mortgage... is the rate really worth it? I believe my clients should "get their cake and eat it too"... so you need to ask questions and be given options.

What do I mean by full serviced mortgages? Mortgages that offer pre payment plans/options & portability are two of the largest options. Pre payment options can be: lump sum payments to your mortgage between 10-20% of the original mortgage amount annually, once per term. As well as raising payments and/or doubling up payments...And portability... do you know if you will be in that house/condo for the full length of your term? Most Canadians do move at least once in their lifetime, usually more.........These are all things you want to think about when looking at mortgage products and options. You can lower your amortization substantially just with raising payments and doubling up when you can... and with raising payments, say on weekly payment options you will hardly notice the difference in your overall "monies" but annually you will see larger difference in your mortgage summaries. And speaking of payment options, do you have the option to do weekly payments or biweekly payments vs monthly? It makes a difference of your mortgage pay off timeline as well. Now for the lump sum payments, most Canadians will not use this feature, at least not to the max or every year of their mortgage... however with the option to do this, if you do chuck a few extra bucks to it annually, along with the raising payments; you will definitely cut the life of your mortgage by more than you realize. 



What I am trying to get across here, is make sure you have options. You may not think you need them, but who knows what the future holds. Ask questions. Lots of questions. You want to make sure you have someone in your corner, explaining all your options to you and getting you the best rate possible!  Paring you with the Right Mortgage Rate & Product! It is the only way to make the best decision for yourself and/or your family.





Working with a Licensed Mortgage Agent is a step in the right direction and in the end you will be paired with the Best Mortgage Rate and Product for YOU! Call/email me, I can help explain your options.

Ariana Leroux

Licensed Agent with The Mortgage Group AB

780.952.4087 mobile

www.arianaleroux.com

mortgages@arianaleroux.com  

A Disappointing Survey from RBC, in More Ways than One

March 27, 2013

The number of people planning to buy a home has plunged.
Only 15% of those polled by RBC said they are likely to buy a home in the next two years. That’s down from 27% in 2012.
It’s the largest drop in prospective home buyers ever in the 20-year history of RBC’s home ownership survey.
Some may find this gloomy news, but housing is cyclical and corrections must be expected. We were actually more disappointed by another issue in RBC’s survey (more on that below).

First off, there is the obvious question, which has some obvious answers:

Why are more people backing out of the real estate market?

The reasons include:

1. Stricter Mortgage Rules
   Ottawa imposed a slew of mortgage rules last year, and the amortization reduction (from 30 to 25 years on high-ratio mortgages) had the biggest impact. Almost 4 in 10 prospective Canadian home buyers said that the amortization change limits or delays their ability to purchase a home, according to RBC.
2. High Prices
   Overall, payment affordability is reasonable on a national basis (and far below its peak of unaffordability in the 1990s). But the average home price of $368,895 is still well above many people’s means. For some, even the modest 5% minimum down payment doesn’t make home ownership any easier. RBC says that 38% cited the minimum down payment requirement as limiting or delaying their ability to purchase a home. Among first-time buyers, 46% cited unaffordability as a top reason for not buying.
3. Fear of Overpaying
   Some people will naturally refuse to buy when they’re concerned that home prices may tumble. When media outlets like Macleans proclaim, “The housing bubble has burst, and few will emerge unscathed,” it absolutely affects market psychology.
4. Job Insecurity
   In the survey, 28% said concerns about job security were one of the reasons they haven’t bought yet. That’s up from 20% in last year’s poll.

Real estate analysts and policy-makers in Ottawa are anxiously watching to see if spring demand will turn housing around. If inventories keep building, and low rates don’t keep sales on pace, it could make for a bearish summer market, nationally speaking.

******

Now let’s shift gears a bit. Here’s something that seems to speak to the motives behind this survey.
In one of the poll questions, RBC asks people who they turn to for mortgage advice. Here are the top sources of mortgage advice, as reported by RBC:

1. A banker: 76%
2. Family: 27%
3. Real estate agent: 23%
4. Friends: 20%
5. Real estate websites: 11%
6. Mobile applications: 11%
7. Private sale websites: 8%
8. Social media sites: 7%

Notice any glaring omissions?
That’s right. RBC and Ipsos Reid left mortgage brokers completely out of the survey.
That’s despite the fact that 61% of Canadians polled by CAAMP consulted mortgage brokers when getting a new mortgage.
It may not surprise people that a bank doesn’t want to promote brokers—it’s competition. But from a research credibility standpoint, we were surprised.
RBC bills itself as “the country's number one source of financial advice on homeownership.” Shouldn’t that title require some degree of research professionalism and objectivity?
Why would a company with RBC’s good reputation omit (intentionally or not) data that provides a fair representation of the marketplace? This makes us wonder what else they left out.
If an organization is going to purport to make newsworthy contributions to the national housing dialogue, it better realize that people are watching its every word. One-sided survey results are nothing more than marketing masquerading as news. This example taints RBC’s mortgage-related surveys going forward, for no good reason.

---

taken from: Rob McLister, CMT
www.canadianmortgagetrends.com

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