by Shawn Selanders | Jul 27, 2026 | Mortgage Tips
By Shawn Selanders - RECA-Licensed Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Architects - July 2026 I'm going to tell you something most mortgage brokers won't put on the internet. I've been divorced. I know what it feels like when the life you built becomes a spreadsheet of assets...
by Shawn Selanders | Jul 20, 2026 | Mortgage Tips
Should you feel bad about refinancing your home to pay off debt? No. Using the equity you spent years building to clear high-interest debt is one of the smartest financial moves an Alberta homeowner can make - and one of the most common. I have arranged mortgages...
by Shawn Selanders | Jul 15, 2026 | Rates & Renewals
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsJuly 2026This MonthThree Things Worth Knowing Before You Sign AnythingHi there,Three things this month: what today's Bank of Canada rate hold means for you, a way to buy your next place without a pile of cash saved up, and a scam...
by Shawn Selanders | Jul 11, 2026 | Mortgage Tools
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsFree ToolsMortgage Tools15 Free Mortgage Calculators for Alberta BuyersBefore you talk to anyone about a mortgage, it helps to run a few numbers yourself. So I put a full set of free calculators on my site - no sign-up, no catch, no...
by Shawn Selanders | Jun 29, 2026 | Acreage & Rural
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsAcreage & RuralAcreage & RuralWhy Acreage Mortgages Are Hard to Get in AlbertaA family falls in love with a place on a few acres outside town. Then their bank says something like "we'll only lend on the house and 10 acres" or "we...
by Shawn Selanders | Jun 22, 2026 | First-Time Buyers
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsFirst-Time BuyersFirst-Time BuyersFirst-Time Buyer GST Rebate: Up to $50,000This one is real, it's now law, and a lot of first-time buyers don't know it exists. The federal First-Time Home Buyers' GST Rebate can put up to $50,000 back...
by Shawn Selanders | Jun 15, 2026 | Mortgage News
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsJune 2026This MonthThe Bank Hit Pause Again. Your Renewal Shouldn't.Hi there,Three things worth knowing this month - a rate update with a real move attached, a $50,000 gift for first-time buyers that's now law, and a small favour at...
by Shawn Selanders | Jun 7, 2026 | Mortgage Tips
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsBe ReadyMortgage TipsSet Up Your CRA My Account Before Your MortgageHere's a five-minute job that saves days later: set up your CRA My Account now - even if you're not buying for a while.When you apply for a mortgage, your lender...
by Shawn Selanders | May 24, 2026 | Home Buying
SHAWN SELANDERSMortgage ArchitectsHome BuyingSpring MarketIs Spring a Good Time to Buy a Home in Alberta?Every spring the same question lands in my inbox: is now a good time to buy? Here's my honest answer for 2026 - for a lot of people in Calgary, Okotoks and High...
by Shawn Selanders | May 17, 2026 | Mortgage Tips
Why Banking With the Bank Your Grandfather Used Is Costing You Thousands It's the silent tax most Canadians don't even know they're paying — and it's not because they can't afford it. It's because nobody ever told them to shop. By Shawn Selanders · Mortgage...