Buying a house is probably one of the biggest decisions you will make, so it’s important to understand what you’re getting into. Suppose you live in British Columbia and have spoken to a custom home builder in Vancouver and you have determined the cost of your dream home. Some builders work with specific banks to help arrange your mortgage while others leave finding the mortgage up to you.
Although it may seem easier to go with the mortgage provided by the builder, you have to look carefully at the terms of the proposed mortgage. This is probably the largest purchase of your life so don’t be afraid to ask your builder and/or mortgage broker questions before you sign on the dotted line. Often the builder will “get a cut” which may increase the cost of your mortgage by 1% or more, which could add up to thousands of dollars over the life of the mortgage, so it pays to compare. A few minutes of diligence could result in the highest paid moments of your life! If you know what you’re looking at and have a good understanding of your mortgage contract, you will avoid making a costly mistake.
