Craig Spicer Mortgages

Craig Spicer Mortgages Mortgage Broker Lic #3001025
Premiere Mortgage Centre Brokerage Lic #3000075
A referral from you is the greatest compliment you can give me.

📋 The Bank of Canada held at 2.25% yesterday, the eighth consecutive hold.That is the headline. Here is the full picture...
09/03/2026

📋 The Bank of Canada held at 2.25% yesterday, the eighth consecutive hold.

That is the headline. Here is the full picture.

National Bank and Scotiabank are now forecasting a hike to 2.50% in October and 2.75% by December. Why? CPI hit 3% in July. US tariffs are adding $15,000 to $25,000 per new home built in Ontario. And the 5-year Government of Canada bond is already trading between 3.18% and 3.25%.

Fixed rates do not wait for the BoC announcement. They move on bond yields. They are moving now.

If you have a renewal in the next six months, a purchase underway, or you are simply trying to understand what October means for your file, this is the conversation to have today, not after the announcement.

No pressure. Just good advice.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | www.craigspicer.com

📊 Fixed or variable? It depends on your file, not the headlines.Fixed = certainty. You know your payment for the full te...
08/28/2026

📊 Fixed or variable? It depends on your file, not the headlines.

Fixed = certainty. You know your payment for the full term. Great for first-time buyers who want predictability.

Variable = flexibility. You benefit when rates drop. And the penalty to break early is almost always lower.

No universally right answer. It depends on your timeline, your risk comfort, and what is happening in your financial life over the next 3 to 5 years.

Rate is one piece. Here is what else to look at.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

💬 The one question I think every mortgage client should ask, and almost nobody does:"What happens if my situation change...
08/19/2026

💬 The one question I think every mortgage client should ask, and almost nobody does:

"What happens if my situation changes?"

What if you get a new job and need to move? What if you want to refinance in two years? What if your partner's income changes? What if rates drop significantly and you want to switch?

The answers to these questions live in the fine print. Prepayment penalties. Portability. Blend-and-extend options. Conversion privileges.

Most people focus on the rate. The rate matters. But the flexibility of your mortgage matters just as much, especially when life does not go exactly as planned.

That is the full picture. And that is the conversation I have with every client before they sign.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

— Craig

💡 Three things most people get wrong about co-signers on a mortgage.First: a co-signer is not just lending you their cre...
08/17/2026

💡 Three things most people get wrong about co-signers on a mortgage.

First: a co-signer is not just lending you their credit score. They are taking on the full legal obligation. If you stop paying, they owe the entire balance. That is a serious commitment, and everyone involved should understand it clearly before signing.

Second: having a co-signer does not automatically get you approved. Lenders still look at the full picture: combined income, combined debt, combined credit history. If the co-signer carries their own debt, it may not help as much as you think.

Third: there are ways to remove a co-signer later, but it requires qualifying on your own. That is a conversation worth having upfront so everyone knows the plan.

Co-signing can be the right move. It just needs to be the informed move.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

🤝 To the realtors who send their clients to me: I do not take that lightly.When a realtor refers a client, they are putt...
08/14/2026

🤝 To the realtors who send their clients to me: I do not take that lightly.

When a realtor refers a client, they are putting their own relationship on the line. They are saying "this person will take care of you." That is trust, and I treat it that way.

Here is what I promise every referral: a clear timeline, honest answers (even when the answer is "not yet"), and communication that keeps everyone in the loop. No surprises at the conditions date. No scrambling at closing.

I have worked with some of the same realtors in Halifax and Dartmouth for years. The ones who keep sending clients do so because the process is smooth and the client feels looked after.

If you are a realtor looking for a broker who communicates and follows through, I would love to have that conversation.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

📋 The Full Picture: Your penalty clause matters more than your rate.Most people sign a mortgage focused entirely on the ...
07/30/2026

📋 The Full Picture: Your penalty clause matters more than your rate.

Most people sign a mortgage focused entirely on the interest rate. That makes sense. It's the number everyone talks about. But buried in the terms is a clause that can cost you thousands if your plans change before your term is up.

Breaking a mortgage early isn't rare. People sell, refinance, separate, relocate, or consolidate debt. Life doesn't wait for your term to end. And when it happens, the penalty calculation is where the real cost lives.

Some lenders calculate penalties using the Interest Rate Differential method, which can result in penalties of $10,000, $15,000, or more on a standard mortgage. Others use a simpler three-month interest calculation that's far more predictable.

The rate you were offered might look great. But if the penalty structure behind it is punishing, you're locked into terms that don't work for real life.

This is one of those things I always walk clients through before they sign. Because the rate is one number. The penalty clause is the one that matters when things change.

Questions? I'd love to have that conversation.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

📊 Halifax rents keep climbing. At some point, the math shifts.If you're paying $2,000 or more a month in rent in Halifax...
07/28/2026

📊 Halifax rents keep climbing. At some point, the math shifts.

If you're paying $2,000 or more a month in rent in Halifax or Dartmouth right now, you might already be carrying what a mortgage payment would look like on a modest property.

That doesn't mean buying is automatically better. It depends on how long you plan to stay, what you have saved, and what your full financial picture looks like. But it does mean the conversation is worth having.

A lot of people assume they're further away from ownership than they actually are. Sometimes a 20-minute call is all it takes to get clarity.

No pressure. Just numbers that make sense for your situation.

📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

💬 Questions I get that people apologize for asking:"Is this a dumb question?"No. There are no dumb mortgage questions. T...
07/25/2026

💬 Questions I get that people apologize for asking:

"Is this a dumb question?"
No. There are no dumb mortgage questions. There are questions nobody bothered to answer for you, and that's different.

"Can I even afford a house right now?"
Maybe. Maybe not yet. Either way, you deserve an honest answer, not a sales pitch.

"What if my credit isn't great?"
Then we look at where you are and figure out a path forward. That's literally the job.

"Should I wait?"
Depends on your situation. Not the market. Not the headlines. Yours.

The best conversations I have usually start with someone saying, "I'm not even sure I should be calling." You should.

No pressure. Just good advice.
📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

🔑 Pre-qualified and pre-approved are not the same thing. Here's why it matters.Pre-qualification is a quick estimate bas...
07/23/2026

🔑 Pre-qualified and pre-approved are not the same thing. Here's why it matters.

Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on what you tell a lender about your income and debts. It's useful for a ballpark, but it's not a commitment from anyone.

Pre-approval is deeper. Your income gets verified, your credit gets pulled, and a lender actually signs off on a specific amount. It carries weight when you make an offer. Sellers and realtors take it seriously.

The gap between the two is where surprises live. Buyers who skip straight to house hunting with only a pre-qualification sometimes find out at the worst possible moment that the numbers don't hold up.

Getting properly pre-approved before you start looking saves time, stress, and in a competitive market, it can be the difference between getting the house and losing it.

Want to know where you stand? Let's look at the full picture.
📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

🏠 You got approved. Now what?A lot of buyers think the hard part is over once approval comes through. But there's a stre...
07/19/2026

🏠 You got approved. Now what?

A lot of buyers think the hard part is over once approval comes through. But there's a stretch between approval and closing day that catches people off guard if they're not ready for it.

Your lender will re-verify your financials before funding. That means no big purchases, no new credit applications, and no major changes to your employment. Even something that seems harmless, like financing furniture, can delay your closing.

Your lawyer will need documents. Your insurance needs to be confirmed. Conditions need to be met on time. It's a coordination game, and the timeline matters.

This is where having a broker who stays involved after approval makes a real difference. I don't disappear after the approval letter. I'm in the file until your keys are in your hand.

Have questions about what's ahead? Let's talk.
📞 (902) 209-4518 | craigspicer.com

Address

610 Wright Avenue Unit 2
Dartmouth, NS
B3B0H8

Telephone

+19022094518

Website

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