Home Renovation Financing Options

There are many different reasons to renovate a home: to save energy (and save on utility bills), to make room for a growing family, to improve safety or increase the resale value of your home, or simply to bring a fresh new look to your home. There are also a number of different ways to finance your renovation. Read on to obtain information for a number of financing options, along with practical advice to consider before starting your renovation project.

Before You Begin

Whether you intend to finance your renovation yourself or borrow money, you should talk to a financial advisor and to your lender before you make firm plans. They can help you understand your options, and advise you on how much you can borrow and even pre-approve you for a loan. This information will help you plan realistically.

Explore Your Options

Your own resources: For smaller renovation projects, you may consider self-funding material costs, especially if you plan to do the work yourself.
Credit card: Likewise, you can use your credit card to pay for materials for smaller renovations. But be careful not to carry the balance for too long; credit card interest rates can exceed 18%.
Personal loan: With a personal loan, you pay regular payments of principal and interest for a set period, typically one to five years. You also have the option of a fixed or variable interest rate for the term of the loan. The interest rate on a personal loan is typically less than that of a credit card. Unlike a line of credit, once you pay off your loan you will have to reapply to borrow any new funds needed.
Personal line of credit: This is another popular choice for financing renovations. It is ideal for ongoing or long-term renovations since it lets you access your funds at any time and provides a monthly statement to help track expenses. A line of credit offers lower interest rates than credit cards, and charges interest only on funds used each month. And, as you pay off your balance, you can access remaining funds, up to the line of credit’s limit, without reapplying.
Secured lines of credit and home equity loans: These options offer all the advantages of regular lines of credit or loans, but are secured by your home’s equity. They can be very economical, since they offer preferred interest rates, however initial set-up costs including legal and appraisal fees usually apply. Lines of credit and home equity loans are usually limited to 80% of your home’s value.
Mortgage refinancing: When funding major renovations, refinancing your mortgage lets you spread repayment over a long period at mortgage interest rates, which are usually much lower than credit card or personal loan rates. This type of financing can allow you to borrow up to 80% of your home’s appraised value (less any outstanding mortgage balance). Initial set-up costs including legal and appraisal fees may apply.
Financing improvements upon-purchase: If you’re planning major improvements for a home you’re about to purchase, it may be advantageous to finance the renovations at the time of purchase by adding their estimated costs to your mortgage. CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance can help you obtain financing for both the purchase of your home and the renovations — up to 95% of the value after renovations — with a minimum down payment starting at 5%.

Other Considerations and Options

Planning for the Unforeseen

It’s a good idea to set aside a percentage of your renovation funds to cover items not included in your renovation contract, for things you discover you’d like to add once work is under way, like extra or upgraded features, furniture, appliances and window coverings or for contingency. A separate fund lets you make decisions easily, without having to renegotiate your financial arrangements or reapply for new funds.

Grants and Rebates for Energy-Saving Renovations

Across Canada, renovation grants and rebates are available from the federal and provincial governments and local utilities, especially for energy-saving renovations. If you qualify, they may help pay for some of your project’s costs.

• CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance for Energy-Efficient Homes: CMHC Green Home offers a premium refund of up to 25% to borrowers who either buy, build or renovate for energy efficiency using CMHC-insured financing.
• Provincial and Municipal Entities Offering Grants and Incentives
• Rebates and Incentives for Selected ENERGY STAR® Qualified Products in Canada

This content is provided for informative purposes only. It does not constitute or substitute financial or other advice. CMHC assumes no liability in connection with the information provided.

Mortgage Brokers have access to multiple lenders, allowing you to get the best options and prices for your mortgage. They work independently, on your behalf, to search out the best lenders who understand and specialize in mortgage financing.

With a Mortgage Broker, you can be confident we won’t leave you alone to find a mortgage that’s right for you. We’re on your side every step of the way.

Steven Porter. Steven is a licensed Mortgage Agent with Mortgage Architects, a Certified Reverse Mortgage Specialist (CRMS); Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR). He can be reached at 1-905-875-2582; steven.porter@mtgarc.ca or online at 1800Mortgages.ca

3 Easy Ways to Finance Your Home Renovation

Renovating your home is within financial reach; increase the value of your home with an updated bathroom or kitchen, new hardwood floors, or energy efficient solutions. Talk to Steven Porter today to see how you can finance your next renovation project! Steven Porter. Steven is a licensed Mortgage Agent with Mortgage Architects and retired, real estate broker with 30 years experience in residential real estate. Steven can be reached at 1-905-875-2582; steven.porter@mtgarc.ca or online at 1800Mortgages.ca

3 Easy ways to finance your home renovation

Renovating your home is within financial reach; increase the value of your home with an updated bathroom or kitchen, new hardwood floors, or energy efficient solutions. Talk to Steven Porter with Mortgage Architects today to see how you can finance your next renovation project!  Posted by Steven Porter. Steven is a licensed Mortgage Agent with Mortgage Architects and retired, licensed, real estate broker with 30 years experience in residential real estate. Certified Reverse Mortgage Specialist (CRMS); Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR). Steven can be reached at 1-905-875-2582; steven.porter@mtgarc.ca or online at 1800Mortgages.ca

Renovation spending expected to rise in 2016 as people just can’t afford to move

Housing gridlock — that’s what realtors call it. Affordability issues leave you stuck in your existing home, but looking for a better living space.

About the only move left for Canadians demanding a better home has been to renovate the one they have, which has led to record levels of spending on home improvement. A new survey from Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce out Wednesday suggests that Canadians are now turning their attention to landscaping — a renovation that doesn’t do much for the appreciation of home values.

The findings from the bank might be another clear sign that Canadians are settling into their current houses because of the state of the market, which is increasingly being choked by a lack of affordability.

“The shift in focus from indoors to outdoors is surprising,” said Barry Gollom, vice-president, mortgages and lending, with CIBC.

Between May 19 and 25, 2016, Angus Reid surveyed 2,129 people online about their renovation plans. The top project was basic maintenance, cited by 54 per cent of respondents, down slightly from 55 per cent in 2015. The big jump was in landscaping, with 42 per cent of respondents planning some type of project, up from 25 per cent a year ago.



Gollom said “landscaping, patio and deck,” is a growing phenomenon and might indicate that people have spent so much money inside their house, that they are now turning their attention to the outside.

Separately, Altus Group has noted that renovation spending in 2014 was $20 billion more than was spent on new homes that year. In 2015, Canadians spent $70.1 billion on renos and Altus forecasts that figure to climb to $71.4 billion this year.

The CIBC survey backs that up, with the average renovation project coming in at $13,017, up from the $12,293 average in 2015, although the bank says only 37 per cent of Canadian homeowners plan to renovate this year versus 40 per cent in 2015.

Bathroom renovations were cited by 33 per cent of respondents, down from 40 per cent in 2015. Only 26 per cent plan to update a kitchen in 2016 versus 31 per cent who said they would in 2015.

“I think the shift has gone from seeing renovation as an investment — the return you see from a bathroom or a kitchen tends to be much higher than on landscaping,” said Gollom. “I think there is focus on quality of life versus the return.”

Interestingly enough, renovation spending is highest in struggling Alberta, with the average homeowner planning a project worth an average $22,951, up from $13,520 a year earlier. In British Columbia the average project is expected to drop to $15,522 from $16,639, while in Ontario panelists said their spending would drop to $13,878 from $15,487 a year earlier.

Benjamin Tal, the deputy chief economist with CIBC, says renovation spending has “mostly stabilized” at this point but at a “very high level” he doesn’t expect to decline very soon.

“At first you had a lot of pent up demand from the recession in 2000 and that was behind much of the activity in the first half of the last decade, but in the second half after 2008-2009 you had the beginning of a new trajectory,’ said Tal, adding that the current renovation market is driven by housing prices. “Basically, people are unable to buy what they want.”

The lack of available product has been cited by real estate boards in both Toronto and Vancouver, which have been the driving forces of the housing boom in Canada. In May, detached home prices rose 36.9 per cent from a year earlier in Metro Vancouver to $1,513,800 and in the Greater Toronto Area detached home prices rose 18.9 per cent during the same period to $986,691.

Brad Henderson, chief executive of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, said he can’t say exactly how directly this housing gridlock is leading to renovation, but it’s part of what is driving home repairs.

“Whilst people are fascinated by the price of homes, more and more people are not selling because, by the time I sell, pay commissions, pay land transfer tax, and go through the hassle of moving I may not be any better off than I am. So, what I’ll do is renovate and just stay where I am,” he says. “As more and more people choose not to put homes on the market it just encourages upward pressure on prices.”
- Financial Post

Find out how to easily finance your home renovation project here

- Repost by Steven Porter, Mortgage Agent - Mortgage Architects
Steven can be reached through his website at www.1800Mortgages.ca