Michelle Coates - Verico Compass Mortgage Group

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Michelle Coates - Verico Compass Mortgage Group 🏡 Mortgage Broker helping clients navigate home financing with clarity and confidence. With access to top lenders, there are options. Let’s connect!🗝️

Are you buying, refinancing, or just exploring options? I’m here to guide you every step of the way.

Your mortgage renewal letter lands in your inbox. Signing it is easy. But you don’t have to. The offer from your current...
10/16/2026

Your mortgage renewal letter lands in your inbox. Signing it is easy. But you don’t have to.

The offer from your current lender is just that: an offer. Renewal is actually a good opportunity to look at your mortgage again and decide whether it still works for you.

Before you sign, take a look at the rate being offered, the term, prepayment privileges, penalties, and any other features that matter to you. Then compare those with what else may be available.

You may decide to negotiate with your existing lender. You may find another lender that’s a better fit. Or you may look around and realize your current offer actually is the right choice.

The point isn’t that you should always switch. It’s that you should know your options before committing to another term.

Renewal coming up? Send me a message before you sign and let’s see what else is on the table.

A good income doesn’t automatically mean a mortgage approval. Your income is important, but it’s only one piece of what ...
10/15/2026

A good income doesn’t automatically mean a mortgage approval.

Your income is important, but it’s only one piece of what lenders look at when deciding how much you can borrow.

They’re also looking at things like:

📌 Your credit history and how you manage debt
📌 Your current monthly debt obligations
📌 Your down payment and where the funds came from
📌 Your employment history and income stability
📌 The property you’re purchasing
📌 Your overall debt ratios

It’s why two people earning the exact same salary can qualify for very different mortgage amounts.

Mortgage approval is really about the whole financial picture, not one number on your paycheque.

If you’re thinking about buying, looking at all of these pieces early can help you understand where you stand and what you might want to work on before applying.

Send me a message and let’s take a look at your numbers.

Your mortgage rate and your stress test rate are two different numbers 👀When you apply for a mortgage, you may be offere...
10/15/2026

Your mortgage rate and your stress test rate are two different numbers 👀

When you apply for a mortgage, you may be offered one interest rate, but you generally have to prove you could afford the mortgage at a higher qualifying rate.

In Canada, the stress test is generally based on whichever is higher:

📌 Your mortgage contract rate + 2%
📌 The minimum qualifying rate set by the regulator

So if your contract rate were 4.5%, for example, you’d generally need to qualify using 6.5% because that’s 2% higher.

That doesn’t mean you’ll actually pay 6.5%. It’s simply the rate used when calculating whether your income and debts can comfortably support the mortgage.

And because that higher rate affects the numbers, the stress test can have a noticeable impact on your maximum buying power.

Not sure what you’d qualify for under the stress test? Send me a message and let’s run the numbers.

If your credit score isn’t where you want it to be, the best time to work on it is before you’re ready to apply for a mo...
10/14/2026

If your credit score isn’t where you want it to be, the best time to work on it is before you’re ready to apply for a mortgage.

And no, you probably don’t need some complicated “credit hack.”

Start with the basics:

📌 Pay every bill on time
📌 Work on bringing down credit card and line of credit balances
📌 Avoid taking on unnecessary new credit
📌 Check your credit report for mistakes
📌 Give those changes time to show up

How quickly your score improves depends on what’s bringing it down in the first place. Some changes may show up relatively quickly, while rebuilding after missed payments or other credit issues can take longer.

That’s why looking at your credit several months before you want to buy is so helpful. You have time to figure out what actually needs attention instead of trying to fix everything at the last minute.

Planning to apply for a mortgage in the next year? Send me a message and let’s figure out where you stand now.

October nights are getting colder 🍂And this is the time of year when home starts to feel a little different.Maybe it’s t...
10/13/2026

October nights are getting colder 🍂

And this is the time of year when home starts to feel a little different.

Maybe it’s turning the fireplace on for the first time, pulling out the extra blankets, making something warm for dinner, lighting a favourite candle, or having everyone home on a chilly evening.

Sometimes it’s the smallest things that make a space really feel like home.

So, what’s yours? What’s the one thing that makes your home feel extra cozy this time of year?

October is here, which means Thanksgiving is here 🍂This time of year has a way of making home feel a little extra specia...
10/12/2026

October is here, which means Thanksgiving is here 🍂

This time of year has a way of making home feel a little extra special. Cooler evenings, dinners around the table, weekends spent with family and friends, and all the little routines that make a space feel like yours.

So before the month gets busy, here’s an early Thanksgiving question:

What are you feeling especially grateful for this year?

Maybe it’s your home, the people in it, a big milestone you’ve reached, or something completely unrelated to either.

Share yours below. It’s always nice to fill the comments with a little gratitude.

Your credit score can feel like this mysterious number that goes up and down for no apparent reason… but there’s actuall...
10/10/2026

Your credit score can feel like this mysterious number that goes up and down for no apparent reason… but there’s actually a lot happening behind it 👀

Things like paying your bills on time, how much of your available credit you’re using, how long you’ve had credit, and recent credit applications can all play a role.

But here’s something people often get wrong: your income isn’t part of your credit score.

You could earn a great salary and still have poor credit, or have a more modest income and an excellent score. They’re two separate pieces of your financial picture.

And when it comes to getting a mortgage, lenders look at more than that three-digit number. Your income, debts, down payment, and overall ability to manage the mortgage matter too.

If buying is on your radar and you’re not sure where your credit stands, send me a message. It’s much better to find out early when there’s still time to make changes.

What’s the biggest homebuying misconception you had before working with a mortgage broker?Maybe you thought you needed a...
10/09/2026

What’s the biggest homebuying misconception you had before working with a mortgage broker?

Maybe you thought you needed a 20% down payment. Or that the bank was automatically your best option. Or that pre-approval meant your financing was guaranteed.

There’s a lot of mortgage advice floating around, and not all of it applies to every buyer.

Drop yours in the comments. I’m curious what surprised you most once you actually started the process.

When was the last time you actually looked at your full financial picture? 👀Fall is a great time for a check-in. There’s...
10/07/2026

When was the last time you actually looked at your full financial picture? 👀

Fall is a great time for a check-in. There’s still plenty of the year left to make changes, but you’re also close enough to year-end to start thinking about what you want the next 12 months to look like.

Take a look at your savings, debt, credit, monthly spending, and any big financial goals you’ve been working toward.

And if buying a home, renewing, refinancing, or making a move is somewhere on your radar, now is a good time to see how those numbers line up with that goal.

You might realize you’re closer than you thought. Or you might find one or two things you can work on over the next few months.

Either way, knowing where you stand gives you something much more useful than guessing: a place to start.

If a mortgage goal is part of your plan, send me a message and we can look at what your next steps could be.

There's something about fall that makes everyone want to make home feel a little cozier.Maybe it's adding a few warm tou...
10/02/2026

There's something about fall that makes everyone want to make home feel a little cozier.

Maybe it's adding a few warm touches, finally organizing that entryway, or creating a quiet corner to relax once the weather cools down.

If you could choose just one fall home upgrade, what would it be?

✨ New throw blankets and candles
✨ A functional mudroom or entryway
✨ A cozy reading nook

Sometimes it's the little changes that make home feel even more like home.

Which one are you picking?

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Spruce Grove, AB
T7X2Z6

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