Refinancing...is it for you?

Canadians today face many reasons to refinance their mortgage. For example, you may have been working at improving your credit score and now qualify for a new mortgage with a better discount, or you may want to stabilize your payments by changing from a variable rate mortgage to a fixed-rate. Refinancing is also a good option to pull out equity for consolidating debt, home improvements, investments, college expenses, and more.

Refinancing isn't necessarily a bad thing or term

There are many things that play a role in whether or not refinancing is a good move.  The first thing is to determine what your overall goal is by refinancing.  It can answer many questions for you including providing you with these benefits.  Why do you want to refinance?

• Getting a rate that reduces your monthly payment while being low enough to offset the costs of refinancing is one common reason to refinance
• Paying down higher interest debts like credit cards or loans or lines of credit .
• Having your monthly payment reduce to help you pay off your mortgage quicker as your not incurring more debt but able to now focus on just paying the mortgage off
• Buying a rental property or 2nd home(cottage).
• Increase your quality of life now, maybe buying a boat or trailer for those family outings.
• Doing some investments and get a higher rate of return on your investments and borrowing the money at a lower rate for the mortgage.
• consolidate their high-interest debt to reduce their overall interest rate and free up hundreds of dollars in cash flow every month.
• Doing some much-needed renovations to your home using the existing equity to increase the value of your home it's a win-win.

Here is something most people don't know when considering when doing a refinance all costs can be included in the mortgage including lawyer fees and penalties. 

When done correctly, a refinance can save families money on long-term interest.

If you are curious to know how much can save if you refinance your mortgage this calculator will help you find out!. 

Great Canadian Oil Change on Quance and North Albert Street in Regina provide oil changes in 10 minutes. No appointment needed! At Great Canadian Oil Change they will always do their best to keep you traveling safely, in a cleaner environment.

They are your Trusted Regina Oil Change experts in the Regina Automotive General category.

Have you checked your lights lately?  Great Canadian Oil Change shares a guideline for checking your vehicles lights.

WHY CHECK YOUR LIGHTS REGULARLY

For your safety and the safety of others, it is important that all lights on your vehicle are working properly.  Bright and functioning headlights and taillights are necessary to be visible to other drivers and pedestrians at night.  Well-maintained headlights also help you to see obstacles in the road in front of you.

PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND REDUCE ROAD RAGE

Working lights also help to prevent accidents and reduce road rage.  You know how annoying it can be when the car ahead of you slows down unexpectedly and turns without having a working brake light or signal light.  Or when the driver in front of you slows down without apparently any advance notice because their brake lights were not functioning properly and therefore you did not have time to adjust your speed.  How about waiting behind someone who apparently wants to make a left turn but did not have a working signal light that might have given you the opportunity to choose another lane earlier?  And we all can do without getting a ticket for having a burned out headlight or taillight.  All if these situations could lead to accidents or unnecessary stress.  Don’t be part of the problem!  Take the initiative and responsibility for checking that your own lights are working.

DO I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR ON TO CHECK THE LIGHTS?

It is easy to check SOME of your lights when the car is not running, however most vehicles these days require that the ignition be on (and some vehicles must actually be in gear) to do a thorough check of ALL of the lights.

HOW EASY IS IT TO CHECK THE LIGHTS MYSELF?

It is possible to check the lights by yourself, although not the quickest.  You will need to have a method to have something to hold the brake down (creative use of a long handled windshield scraper or even an anti-theft device might do), and you may have to get in and out of the car a few times.  If you can park the car beside something reflective (such as a window) or plain (a wall), you may be able to see some of the lights without getting our of your vehicle.  It is definitely possible to check the lights yourself, however the job will take less time if you have the assistance of another person.

HOW CAN I CHECK MY LIGHTS EASILY IN THE DAY TIME?

In the day time it is more difficult to see some of the lights on your car.  One option would be to use a dark piece of clothing, like a jacket, when going up close to each light to see how bight it shines on that surface to see if it is working.  Other options include parking beside a reflective surface like a window.  Or even shining your lights onto a building with a plain wall could work.  Waiting until it is close to evening or checking your lights indoors in dim lighting is suggested.

Follow this general plan to check the headlights, taillights, brake lights, running lights and signal lights on most cars.

Every vehicle is different.  Check the owner’s manual for vehicle-specific instructions.  For example, not all vehicles have running lights and some vehicles need to actually be in gear for some of the lights to be checked.

If you have two people and it is dark enough to see the lights easily, this can be a quick and easy job.

Turn on the engine.  Have a buddy on the outside of the car as you go through the list of lights to check.

FRONT – Have your buddy go to the front of the car.

Are the running lights working?  Are they even in brightness on both sides?

Turn on the headlights. Are they both lit up sufficiently?  Is one brighter or dimmer than the other?

Try the high beams. Are they both lit up sufficiently?  Is one brighter or dimmer than the other?

Try the right signal light.  Is it working? Is it easily visible?

Now the left signal light. Is it working? Is it easily visible?

 

REAR – Have your buddy go to the back of the car.

Are the running lights working?  Are they even in brightness on both sides?

Test the right signal light. Is it working? Is it easily visible?

Then the left signal. Is it working? Is it easily visible?

Press on the brakes to check the brake lights.  Are they working?  Are all lights easily visible?  Are they even on both sides? (Two or three bulbs on each side may come on)

 

That’s it!

If you find that some bulbs are dim or not working, make arrangements to have the bulbs replaced.  In some cases it may be the wiring or fuses that are the problem.

HOW CAN GREAT CANADIAN OIL CHANGE HELP?

At Great Canadian Oil Change we do a complimentary check of all of your lights when you come in for any service.  We also can replace the bulbs if you choose.

Great Canadian Oil Change  – helping you to drive safe and to maintain your vehicle in tip top 

Great Canadian Oil Change on Quance Street, and North Albert Street Regina deserve the Thumbs up from www.trustedregina.com in our Regina Automotive General Category and they are Regina's Trusted oil change experts! 

To read more Great Canadian Oil Change tips and articles click here! To check out the Great Canadian Oil Change Trusted Regina listing here.

Dusyk & Barlow is a 100% locally owned Regina Insurance Brokerage providing honest, reliable, and personalized service to all their clients. Their long standing reputation in the community remains strong through maintaining high standards of excellence and ensuring that their clients insurance needs are met.

They are you Trusted Regina insurance experts !

Dusyk & Barlow is reminding homeowners to protect their homes against damage caused by ice dams.

“Ice dams can cause considerable property damage. If an ice dam forms and water enters the attic, it can damage the roof, ceilings, walls and contents of your home,” said Andrew Cartmell, President and CEO of SGI CANADA. “That's why it's so important to take steps to prevent an ice dam from forming in the first place.”

Preventative measures to protect your home from damage caused by ice dams include:

• Keep the amount of snow on your roof to a minimum. Use a roof rake or hire a professional to clear the snow away - for safety reasons, don't go up on the roof yourself.
• Keep gutters and downspouts free of snow, ice buildup and icicles so there's a ready path for melting snow and ice to drain.
• Ensure your attic is properly insulated and ventilated to prevent heat from inside your home from leaking into the attic and causing snow on the roof to melt. A roofing contractor can provide assistance if needed.
• In the fall, clean leaves and debris from your home's gutters and downspouts to allow melting snow to flow as intended.

It’s an exciting time – the old house is sold, the new one is ready, and all that’s left is the move…..oh wait – not quite yet! There’s all that legal “stuff” to deal with now….signatures….titles to be given…and pages and pages of documents that need to be signed before the key is in your hand!!! And to top it all off – who really knows a good real estate lawyer?

MacKay & McLean provides the professional services of a large Regina law firm, with the intimate attention of a small firm. The legal process can be daunting and overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. MacKay & McLean is with you every step of the way.

MacKay &  McLean are TRUSTED REGINA LAWYERS

Title fraud is approximately a C$1.5 billion dollar a year industry and growing. This has given rise to new products being made available to you to help protect yourself. One such product is title insurance.

Initially, title insurance was used in Saskatchewan only when a surveyor's certificate was not available. This is because it insures against any defects that would have been revealed if a surveyor's certificate or real property report had been obtained. People opted for title insurance because it cost less than a new survey. However, title insurance protects you against much more and it is especially good for people buying used residential real estate, rental properties or commercial real estate.

Like other insurance products, you pay a premium to the insurer. Usually, this is a one time fee. Different insurers structure their pricing differently and there are policies for owners and policies for lenders, so rates vary. The premiums for condominiums are usually less. The fees for commercial transactions are typically greater.

For the one time premium you get protection for as long as you own the property and it protects your estate in the event of death. The amount of protection is up to twice the fair market value of your property, at the time the insurance was obtained.

Lawyers will usually charge an administration fee of $75 to $150 to provide the appropriate data and information to the insurer.Typically, title insurance is obtained through your lawyer's office when you buy a property.  "Existing Home Owner's" insurance is also available at any time.  Some insurers in Saskatchewan, like Co-Operator's, are now providing the product.

It is important to remember that lawyers do not receive any compensation from the title insurance companies for recommending or assisting you with obtaining title insurance, i.e. we are not sales people for the title insurers and we do not receive trailer fees or commissions from the insurers.

In fact, a lawyer's failure to discuss title insurance with you may constitute professional negligence and that lawyer may be liable to you if you suffer damages from something that title insurance would have protected you against. In other provinces, for example, Ontario, lawyers are obligated by their professional code of conduct to thoroughly discuss title insurance with you.

I recommend title insurance because I believe that most times it is in your best interests to have it. At the very least, you should have the opportunity to make an informed decision.

The four main title insurance companies in Canada are: (1) First Canadian Title Insurance, (2) Stewart Title Guarantee Company, (3) Title Plus, and (4) Chicago Title Insurance Company. For more information on title insurance, its cost and benefits, visit the following websites: First Canadian Title; Stewart Title Guarantee Company; Title Plus; and, Chicago Title.

Some things are better to have and not need, than need and not have. Title insurance is one those things.

*Always check with the insurer to see what they cover and what they do not. Make an informed decision.

For advice, Robert MacKay's team provides professional, personalized service and with their assistance, you can rest assured that your real estate transactions will be handled with the utmost consideration and care.

They  provide a full range of legal services including:

• Real Estate & Mortgages
• Wills & Estates
• Family Law & Divorce
• Commercial & Corporate Law
• Litigation & Personal Injury

The Trusted Regina Directory team and all of the the Trusted Regina businesses we partner with are based in Regina and we all care about the Regina community! 

The Trusted team wanted to join in the amazing spirit of giving that we saw happening this year in the Queen City. Individuals we were inspired by were those like Niall O'Hanlon from the Fat Badger that motivated hundreds to give to the soon to be arriving Syrian refugees, showing the true heart of the majority!    THIS MAKE OUR HEARTS SING and gave us the motivation to do something !! 

SO....On December 14th  we posted on the Trusted Regina Facebook page, asking for the Regina public to nominate their personal favorite Regina based non profit organization. We also wanted to know WHY they were nominated. We committed to choose 1 of the nominated organizations to receive a $500 cheque on December 23rd from the Trusted Regina team.   

Regina, you have done yourself proud!! We are absolutely over joyed that so many of you shared your favorite charity, group and places that are out there in our community making a difference every day of the year! 

Some of these are well established Regina organizations that have been around for many years, some are true grass roots initiatives of everyday people coming together to affect positive change in our community and we salute them ALL!  

Many of them we have donated items and money to in the last 4 years we have been in business, those include:

• Souls  Harbour
• Hopes Home
• Habitat For Humanity Regina
• Regina Humane Society
• Regina Open Door Society
• Kids sport

An organization who's mission it is 'To build a community where respect, equality and freedom create an environment where violence against women and children does not exist. '  .

BUT WAIT ...there's more...

We may not be able to stroke a $500 cheque for all the organizations and groups that were nominated on the Facebook post we did...but we can do something for each of them!   

Keep checking in to our Facebook page between now and Christmas Eve, so you will be able to keep up with the activities of the Trusted Regina Elves - See the 3 of them in this delightful video INSPIRED  BY and it is  A  PERSONAL SALUTE TO REGINA CAT RESCUE - who was the most nominated of all the Regina organizations this year! 

We look forward to making your kittys purrrrrr with our gift!