Francine Casault - Premiere Mortgage Centre

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Francine Casault - Premiere Mortgage Centre

Mortgage Agent Level 2 at Premiere Mortgage Centre. Brokerage Lic #10317
Toronto & Ottawa

06/10/2026

🏠 The Bank of Canada held the overnight rate at 2.25% today.

For a lot of people in Ottawa who have been quietly building toward homeownership, I know a hold can feel like the ground did not move. You were hoping for more room. A little more breathing space. Another step in the right direction.

Here is what I want you to know.

The hold does not change what you have built. The savings you have set aside, the credit you have worked on, the conversations you have started. that is real progress. Rates are one part of your picture. They are not the whole picture.

Whether you are a first-time buyer still in the planning stage, a federal employee working through the income qualification questions, a newcomer figuring out the documentation side of things, or someone who has been told by a bank that your situation is "too complicated". today's decision does not close a door for you. It just means we work with the numbers that exist right now.

Ottawa's market keeps moving. And the right mortgage for your life is worth finding, whatever the rate environment looks like.

613.859.5953 | francinecasaultmortgages.ca

05/29/2026

🏠 I believe this fully: everyone deserves a clear path to homeownership.

Not everyone has a straightforward file. Not everyone earns income that fits neatly on a T4. Not every family looks the same. Not every background is the same. Not every journey to buying a home follows the same route.

That does not mean the path does not exist.

I have spent decades in this work because I believe the mortgage process should be accessible and clear for everyone regardless of where you are starting from. The jargon should not be a barrier. The assumptions about who qualifies should not be a barrier. The feeling that you have to have a perfect file should not be a barrier.

If you have been putting off the conversation because you were not sure it was for you — I want you to know that it is.

Let us find your path.

613.859.5953 | francinecasaultmortgages.ca

05/28/2026

📋 Getting approved for a mortgage is exciting. It is also the beginning of a conversation — not the end of one.

Here is what a mortgage approval actually means:

✅ A lender has reviewed your income, credit, assets, and the property and they are willing to lend you a specific amount at a specific rate, subject to conditions.

Here is what it does not always mean:

The conditions still matter. Most approvals come with conditions — final employment confirmation, proof of down payment, property appraisal. These need to be satisfied before the deal closes.

The amount approved is not necessarily the amount you should borrow. Approval for the maximum does not mean the maximum is the right choice. What you can carry comfortably over five years is a different question.

Your rate is typically held but verify. Most approvals include a rate hold for 90–120 days. Confirm the expiry and what triggers any changes.

Understanding exactly what you have and what you still need to do makes the rest of the process much smoother. That is always a conversation I am happy to have.

613.859.5953 | francinecasaultmortgages.ca

05/19/2026

📋 Not everyone earns income the same way. Mortgage qualification needs to reflect that.

If you are self-employed, a contractor, or earning income from multiple sources — the mortgage qualification process can feel like it was not built for you. In many ways, the traditional system was not. But there are real paths forward.

Here is what matters when your income does not arrive in a standard T4:

✅ Two years of T1 General returns and Notices of Assessment — lenders want to see declared income averaged over two years

✅ Self-employment history — most lenders want at least two years of operating history

✅ If incorporated: whether you pay yourself salary or dividends changes how your income is calculated (both work — just documented differently)

✅ Bank statements — showing consistent cash flow fills in the picture your tax returns do not always paint

✅ Alternative lender programs — for those whose declared income is lower than their actual earnings, stated income programs exist with adjusted down payment requirements

The goal is always the same: find a path that works for where you actually are.

I believe everyone deserves a clear path to homeownership. And that includes people whose income looks different on paper.

613.859.5953 | francinecasaultmortgages.ca

05/17/2026

Happy Victoria Day from Ottawa!

This long weekend marks the unofficial start of summer around here. Canal walks, patios, the farmers' market, and that particular feeling of a sunny Ottawa weekend when the whole city seems to breathe a little easier.

However you're spending it, I hope it's good. Happy long weekend, everyone.

— Francine

05/10/2026

🌸 Happy Mother's Day to every mother — every kind, every shape, every family that love has made.

The moms by birth, by choice, by the fierce act of just showing up for someone who needed them. Today is for all of you.

— Francine

05/04/2026

🏡 Your first home isn't as far away as you think.

If you've been quietly wondering whether homeownership is in the cards for you — whether you're ready, whether you qualify, whether now is even the right time — I want you to know something: you don't need to have it all figured out before we talk. That's exactly what the first conversation is for.

So many people put off reaching out because they assume they're not quite there yet. But the gap between "someday" and actually holding a set of keys is often much smaller than it appears. There are programs designed to help first-time buyers that most people don't even know exist — the First Home Savings Account (FHSA), the Home Buyers' Plan (HBP), land transfer tax rebates — and part of my job is making sure you know what you're entitled to.

Spring is a beautiful time to start. The market is moving, and so can you — one conversation at a time.

Reach out whenever you're ready. There's no pressure, no commitment, and no such thing as too many questions.

📞 613.859.5953 | www.francinecasaultmortgages.ca

04/29/2026

Today's announcement — BoC held at 2.25%, third consecutive hold of 2026 — is actually a good moment to stop reacting and start planning.

Variable rate mortgages and HELOCs: no change. That is not news. That is stability.

Fixed rates are driven by bond yields, not the BoC. Those yields have moved on their own timeline in 2026, and they will continue to. Today's hold is not a signal in either direction for fixed rates.

For Ottawa and Toronto clients, here is where I would focus in the next 30 days:

If you are renewing in 2026, use this quiet moment to compare properly — before your lender's offer arrives and creates artificial urgency.

If you are a first-time buyer, stable conditions are the right environment to start the pre-approval conversation rather than waiting for a rate cut that may or may not come.

If you are not sure you qualify — every path is worth exploring. Especially right now.

I believe everyone deserves a clear answer. Let us find yours.

613.859.5953 | francinecasaultmortgages.ca

04/09/2026

📋 April 30th is closer than you think — and if you're planning to buy, refinance, or renew this year, tax season is actually the perfect time to get your mortgage ducks in a row.

Here's what to have ready:

✅ Your 2025 Notice of Assessment (NOA)
✅ T4s or proof of income
✅ Two years of tax returns (especially important if you're self-employed)
✅ Any recent changes to your income or employment

Lenders rely heavily on your tax documents to confirm income and qualify you for the right mortgage. Getting organized now puts you in a much stronger position heading into spring.

Have questions about what you'll need? I'm happy to walk you through it. 📞 613.859.5953

• •

Address

Ottawa, ON
K2E7T7

Telephone

+16138595953

Website

https://francinecasaultmortgages.ca/

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