Make Money Count

Toronto's best mortgage brokers, Cannect Home Financing, return for episode 47 of Make Money Count. In this episode we discuss the latest employment numbers in the U.S. and Canada. These strong numbers might be bad for the respective economies. If this sounds like it's backwards to you, don't worry you are not alone. Have a listen to the episode to get the breakdown from the experts.

We examine the historical rises of real residential property prices over time. The typical cause for the periods of strength has been cheap money. While we are definitely not seeing that right now. There are still many other solid macroeconomic trends that could keep the housing market afloat during these high interest rate times. Immigration, lack of supply, and yes, strong employment numbers could try to keep the market from falling further.

Questions from this episode involve seeking capital from alternative lenders and borrowing money to invest in real estate. Pricing from alternative lenders is starting to go up. Lenders are seeing what is going on in the economy right now and they are nervous, even with well-qualified borrowers. These are situations where borrowers should be calling Cannect to make sure, as Justin says, they don't put themselves in the box the banks create for them. When it comes to accessing equity to buy real estate, make sure you think about the type of real estate you are buying and your time horizon. With interest rates this high and still on the rise, this is more important now than ever.

If you're looking for a stable investment to get you through these economic hardships, take a look at the Cannect Mortgage Fund.

0:00 - Introduction

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Toronto's best mortgage brokers, Cannect Home Financing, return with Make Money Count. We explain what an Inverted Bond Yield Curve is, and why the US Dollar is rising as we head into a recession.

Marcus Tzaferis and Justin Turner take the listeners through a few positive economic indicators. According to an article on Barron's, we may be seeing a peak in bond yields and the US dollar index. If this is the case, it could be a precursor to a rally for US markets. Why is this?

This cautious optimism entirely depends on inflation and the direction central bankers take. To show how quickly times have changed, the United Nations advised central banks around the world to pause rate hikes. This isn't unprecedented, but it is very rare. People are already feeling the impact of these rate hikes and for some countries this means hardship. As a result, for developing nations, it means people can't put food on the table.

Your favourite brokers also answer some questions regarding home equity loans during these times of high interest rates. If you are looking to access equity, you need to carefully weigh the market uncertainty. First, weigh the premiums that come with it against the possibility of equity erosion if you wait too long.  Second, borrowing to invest also needs to be done carefully right now. Given how high rates are right now, you need to be very confident.

The value and growth potential of the investment needs to justify the cost of borrowing. Similarly, some equities are at huge discounts right now. However, these opportunities still need to be evaluated carefully.

If you're looking for a stable investment to get you through these economic hardships, take a look at the Cannect Mortgage Fund.

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Toronto's best mortgage brokers, Cannect Home Financing, return with Make Money Count. We explain what an Inverted Bond Yield is, and why the US Dollar is rising as we head into a recession. Yet, we're happy to say it looks like we are seeing some optimism in the U.S. Markets!

Marcus Tzaferis and Justin Turner take the listeners through a few positive economic indicators. According to an article on Barron's, we may be seeing a peak in bond yields and the US dollar index. If this is the case, it could be a precursor to a rally for US markets. Why is this?

This cautious optimism entirely depends on inflation and the direction central bankers take. To show how quickly times have changed, the United Nations advised central banks around the world to pause rate hikes. This isn't unprecedented, but it is very rare. People are already feeling the impact of these rate hikes and for some countries this means hardship. As a result, for developing nations, it means people can't put food on the table.

Your favourite brokers also answer some questions regarding home equity loans during these times of high interest rates. If you are looking to access equity, you need to carefully weigh the market uncertainty. First, weigh the premiums that come with it against the possibility of equity erosion if you wait too long.  Second, borrowing to invest also needs to be done carefully right now. Given how high rates are right now, you need to be very confident.

The value and growth potential of the investment needs to justify the cost of borrowing. Similarly, some equities are at huge discounts right now. However, these opportunities still need to be evaluated carefully.

If you're looking for a stable investment to get you through these economic hardships, take a look at the Cannect Mortgage Fund.

0:00 - Introduction

#MakeMoneyCount #Cannect #CannectHomeFinancing

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Toronto's best mortgage brokers, Cannect Home Financing, returns with episode 45 of Make Money Count. In this episode, we break down a viewer question, and then explain how to get a mortgage as a self employed home buyer.

Every person has their own unique situation. It's important to find a mortgage broker that can look at exactly how you earn your money, and get you qualified for a mortgage. They will see how you can verify your income. The broker will see how much equity you have in your home. And they find the situation-specific factors which get the best borrowing options for you. In the end, it always comes down to reducing your weighted-average cost of capital (WACC), and lowering the cost of your debts.

Marcus and Justin also answer a listener's question about what the main reasons for Canada's inflation are. Are they carbon tax implementations or record-high imigration? Unlikely. The carbon tax and cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline were not enough to bring on global inflation on their own. Immigration will contribute in a positive way in Canada because it brings more workers into our economy and that will fight the recession. The reasons for inflation are much more global than they are domestic. Inflation is a global issue, not specific to Canada.

If you have gone to different mortgage lenders in the past and they have all said no, you need to speak with a mortgage professional. Someone who has your best interests in mind and knows how to navigate this new high interest rate environment. They will answer questions like: Is the best course of action a refinance? What's the difference between A HELOC from a B-lender, and private 2nd mortgage? And how do I include more income on my application?

We dive into this and more. Have a listen to the episode to find out how to navigate the self-employed mortgage market.

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Toronto's best mortgage broker, Cannect Home Financing, returns with Canada's best Mortgage Podcast, Make Money Count. In this episode Marcus and Justin discuss the contrast of inflation vs. deflation. Is this a cycle going on for the last 100 years? How will this effect Canada's housing market?

Marcus and Justin also discuss the type of Government and Central Bank responses are used for different phases of the economic cycle. They examine the idea of the economy just needing a "catalyst" over the last few years, like a pandemic or a war, to bring the economy into troubling times. Have a listen to get the big picture.

First, we were told that with all the money the federal government was handing out, inflation wasn't going to be a problem. Later that changed to it only being a slight problem. A transitory result of global supply chain issues. Then the central bankers said inflation is a real concern, but it can be addressed and corrected without putting the economy into a recession. Today they don't even believe that to be the case, and investors are responding.

Big business leaders like Elon Musk and Cathie Wood have stated that rates should be reduced again in order to prevent the economy going into a recession. It is clear that the longer these rate hikes continue, the worse our recession will be, and deflationary times.

The health and security of a Mortgage Investment Corporation (MIC) completely depends on the quality of deals it contains. A lot of other MICs are currently in a tough position to lend more now. Cannect did an effective job at lending with caution and on a reduced scale. We were in a good position to lend now with reduced home values and increased interest rates.

Unfortunately, Home values will likely continue to drop and interest rates continue to rise. However, we feel more confident in the deals we fund today knowing that those home values have taken a beating. A lot of other lenders will be unable to lend with cash tied up. This will bring high-quality deals to Cannect's door step.

Click here to connect the the best mortgage brokers in Canada, Cannect Home Financing.

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Toronto's best mortgage broker, Cannect Home Financing, returns with another episode of Make Money Count.

Marcus Tzaferis joins Justin Turner from Greece for one last episode before the big announcement. Taking place Sept 7th, the expectation is that the Bank of Canada will increase the overnight rate. An expectation of 75 basis points, and likely another 50 basis points before the end of 2022. What does this mean, and how do Canadians prepare for this?

Episode Takeaways:

Jerome Powell, the Chair of the US Federal Reserve, spoke at the Jackson Hole meeting and his words didn't spark too much optimism of how soon the rate hikes will stop.

On September 2nd, the US August jobs report came out and a lot more was riding on it than people may think. As backwards as this sounds, a bad jobs report likely would have meant a bit of a jump in stock prices because the public perception would be that with this extra sign of economic weakening, the US Federal Reserve would have to slow down the rate hikes.

Right now, inflation, and therefore interest rates, are the overwhelming driving forces of the markets.

Marcus also uses the SPY ETF to discuss his current market sentiment and how investors can use options to enter the broad equities market and invest in the direction they think it is headed. (This does not constitute financial advice).

Click here to connect the the best mortgage brokers in Canada, Cannect Home Financing.

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We have a special guest on this episode of Make Money Count! Gene McBurney, co-founder of GMP Capital Inc, has been good friends with Marcus for 15 years now. In this special episode, Marcus and Gene discuss important topics such as Russia's invasion of the Ukraine, energy policy around the world, and how those macroeconomic topics impact the entire financial services industry.

This is an intimate and casual conversation where the two men share their love for wine, good conversation, and each other's company.

0:00 - Marcus introduces Gene McBurney

2:54 - Running GMP: the rise and the demise

7:15 - In the finance industry, you need relationships with people who will pay you fees.

12:55 - Discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the support NATO has provided.

18:53 - Will spending excess money to end this war be the right answer? Putin has already proven he can pivot effectively.

25:31 - How geopolitical tensions are impacting energy policy in the US and worldwide.

36:11 - Can altering energy policy help us avoid a recession?

41:36 - Gene’s preference for business will always be financial services, but admits that it’s tough to compete with the banks.

Over the last few weeks, we learned that inflation numbers in the US dropped a bit. The market had its rally and bond prices dipped, but are we out of the woods yet? Banks’ fixed rates are still high and we have inverted yield curves. Have a listen to this episode to learn what this means for the short and long-term future of the economy.

3 key takeaways from this episode are:

1.     Through good times or bad, banks keep their shareholders in mind.

This is their obligation, so don’t take it personally. Even though bond yields have declined, banks still have high fixed rates. They can justify it by saying the added amount is to ensure protection against market instability, but it’s still extra profit when those earnings reports come out. People who work at banks also don’t have to have mortgage training. That’s another cost the banks will save because they can. What should consumers do with this information? Don’t do all your business with one bank and use a mortgage broker to get you the best rate. By going to other institutions, you are showing your bank that you are knowledgeable about the other options out there. They want to optimize earnings, but they don’t want to lose you. And by going to a mortgage broker, you are getting a trained professional IN THAT FIELD who will work to get you the best product for you.

2.     The best way to make money in the market is to deploy capital when prices are low and others are fearful.

Investors make money when they buy at good prices. There is no way of knowing when assets are at good buying points, but the economy tends to swing on a pendulum that favours the positive side. If you have a long-term time horizon, you should consider buying assets anytime the economy swings down because in the long run, you’ll make money when the pendulum swings again. This may not apply to all assets and all economic situations, but it is worth considering if you ever had your eye on an asset and you see it discounted due to tough conditions.

3.     The markets may have rallied, but there might be a lower bottom in this cycle.

The news of inflation leveling off in the US is good, but there are way more variables at play for the long-term health of our economy. We currently have inverted yield curves, which means the return on a bond declines as the term gets longer. The implication of this is that once a bond of shorter duration matures, investors are pricing in the idea that proceeds will be reinvested in a time of reduced rates and tougher circumstances, hereby leading to a bond of longer duration from the beginning having a reduced rate today. The last time we saw inverted yield curves was 2008 and they have historically told us that a recession is incoming. Even if inflation does level off, the overnight rate stabilizes or drops, and asset prices start to climb, there is still the fear that if the Bank of Canada drops the rate too quickly that inflation could head back up again. This is something they’d really want to avoid.

Marcus Tzaferis and the Cannect Team

Click here to connect the the best mortgage brokers in Canada, Cannect Home Financing.

0:00 - Intro

Inflation is hitting us hard, and interest rates are on a non stop ascent. But what other numbers can we use to examine the current economic landscape? How will these metrics impact the Canadian consumer in the short-term?

This week's episode takes a thorough look at important metrics like bond yields and the sales to listings ratio. Marcus and Justin discuss what these metrics can tell us about the future of our economy.

The first part of the episode outlines how bond prices move. As the Bank of Canada overnight rate continues to see hikes, yields of newly issued bonds go up as well. What does that mean for bonds that have already been issued at a fixed rate and currently trade on the open market? They drop in price because that's the only way investors will buy them instead of the newly issued ones at higher rates. When the stock market faces uncertainty, the bond market is where investors flock, but it is tough to time these purchases in a market where rates are still on the rise.

The episode also compares the average home price in Ontario with the sales to listings ratio. Over the last 4 months, we are seeing fewer homes being sold relative to how many homes are listed for sale. As the inventory available on the market goes up, it puts additional downward pressure on home prices as sellers meet the prices buyers are willing to pay. And this is exactly what we have seen starting in March and April with an increased inventory leading to declines in the average home price. If you are watching the video version of this episode, you can see these exact numbers.

Marcus Tzaferis and Cannect Team

0:00 - Intro

  #Cannect #MakeMoneyCount #InterestRates #Inflation #Finance #Investing #WealthManagement #MortgageBroker #podcast #Recession

It’s the 40th episode of a little mortgage podcast called Make Money Count. Boy is it a big one!

Inflation has been ridiculously high. It was reported yesterday that the US annual inflation rate hit 9.1%. It isn’t too far behind that in Canada. This rate hike is an extreme measure. It’s the Bank of Canada’s way of showing that fighting inflation is the #1 priority. Have a listen to this informative episode to learn about how we got here and what this means for Canadians going forward!