A Beacon Score rates you from 300 (Poorest) to 900 (Best). The average person falls in the 600 to 700 range. Lenders use this information to determine your credit worthiness, how well you pay your bills, and what interest rate you will be able to negotiate.

Credit payment history, amount owing vs credit limit, types of credit, new credit, and length of time that credit has been active all effects your beacon score.

Your Beacon Score also tracks your name (and alias), current, previous addresses, your Social Insurance Number (SIN), birth date, current and previous employers.

Your BEACON SCORE will also show:

• Any inquiries that were made recently and by whom, judgments, collections or bankruptcies for the past seven (7) years,
• If your accounts are revolving credit (Like a credit card or line of credit) or Installments (Loans or Mortgages)
• It will show if you pay on time, or are late, or if the lender has written off the account.

35% Your payment history Pay your bills on time. Automating payments online can help.
30% How much you owe Keep balances on credit cards and other revolving accounts below 50% of your credit limit (lower is better).
15% Length of your credit history Rather than let old cards go dormant, charge a latte a month (then pay it off). No activity lowers your score.
10% Your new credit. Don't open unnecessary new accounts; if you're rate shopping for a mortgage or an auto loan, do it within two weeks; multiple requests will affect your score.
10% Your mix of loans – have a healthy mix of credit cards and loans- You can't do much to change this (except get a credit card if you don't have one or apply for an RRSP loan).

-When you arrange a mortgage with a financial institution, they must ask you if you want to insure your mortgage through them. However, mortgage insurance from your bank or mortgage lender may not be your best alternative.

Mortgage Insurance With Banks or Mortgage Lenders-Typically, your insurance covers only your mortgage balance. Even if your mortgage debt reduces over time, your premiums remain the same.

In the event of a death, only the outstanding balance on your mortgage is paid off and the mortgage lender is automatically the beneficiary.

If you were to move your mortgage to another company, you may lose your existing mortgage insurance and may be required to re-qualify for new mortgage insurance. You actually lose all your coverage when your mortgage is repaid, assumed, or is in default. You have no flexibility to change your coverage as your needs change. Life insurance You can choose from different types of insurance (i.e. term or permanent) with a death benefit to cover more than just your mortgage. Your coverage amount does not decrease over time unless you choose to change it. In the event of a death, the death benefit is paid to your beneficiary. You name the beneficiary. If you were to move your mortgage to another institution, you keep your existing insurance coverage, even if your mortgage is repaid, assumed or in default. You don't have to re-qualify. If you feel that you need coverage only until your mortgage is repaid; and later realize you require coverage for other needs, you can convert your insurance to a permanent plan.

Raising your credit score-To get the best mortgage rates on the market it is important to have a great credit score. The better the score the better your chances of obtaining the best rate on the market The basic credit score formula (beacon score) takes into account several factors from your credit profile. The impact of each element fluctuates based on your own credit pattern. Here is the formula on how your score is affected:

Repairing or Keeping your CREDIT in Good Standing Ensure that you keep your balances under 80% of your limit, make all your payments on time. Never default on any payments. Consolidate credit card debt into one loan. Reduce the number of credit cards that you have. Check your own credit regularly by going to:
www.equifax.ca or www.transunion.ca

When purchasing a home, there are many kinds of mortgages to choose from. The FIXED-RATE MORTGAGE offers an interest rate that does not change during the term of the mortgage. With fixed rate mortgages, the rates and payments remain constant, giving you security and piece of mind knowing exactly how much your payments will be for the entire term. There is typically a penalty for refinancing or paying off your mortgage early. The VARIABLE-RATE MORTGAGE has the rate set at the beginning of each month according to the prime-lending rate of major banks. Historically, variable rates are much lower than fixed rates. Your payments will usually stay the same. However, when interest rates drop, a larger portion of your payment will go towards the principal so your mortgage gets paid off sooner. However, if rates go up, more of the payment will go towards interest and less towards principal. When deciding on a mortgage, you need to consider pre-payment options. With an OPEN MORTGAGE you are able to repay any amount outstanding on your mortgage without a penalty. Typically, this type of mortgage comes with a higher interest rate. With a CLOSED MORTGAGE you are able to pay off your balance before the maturity date, but with a penalty. Usually lenders will allow you to make prepayment once a year. Each lending institution has there own policies. Typically this type of mortgage tends to have a lower interest. For more information on mortgages just e-mail us.

Should you go with a short or long-term mortgage?A long term mortgage is worth considering if you have a busy life and don't have time to watch mortgage rates. 4, 5 and 7-year mortgages let you take advantage of today's rates, while enjoying long-term security knowing the rate you sign up for is a sure thing.

If you want to keep your mortgage flexible right now, you can explore a shorter-term mortgage that usually allows you to take advantage of lower rates and save.