Principal and Interest Vol.5

Principal

More rate cuts! Another 50-bps dropped from the BoC, along with some other changes to lending. What does it mean? Exactly what you think; cheaper lending and easier to qualify depending on your purchase price. My message is still the same as it was in P+I vol.2, look carefully at your situation and decide based on that. If these cuts are enough that you feel confidently getting into the market, that is great news! If you still think you might be stretched too thin, it’s usually best to hold off. Being patient and careful with decisions of this size is the right way to go.

 I will say, this doesn’t mean you can’t go out and look at what’s available currently, as it can be a great help to get a feel for what is out there in and around your current price range. Realtors love going out to look at places with clients, so if you see something you’d like to check out a little further, go do it!

Interest

Christmas season is upon us in a big way, especially with Guelph getting hit with an early flurry of snow. No-it didn’t last longer than 5 days, but that run was glorious. I personally love winter and the holiday season, so we lean pretty hard into it. Yes, we’ve already watched Elf and driven through neighbourhoods decked out in lights, so what? The sense of community around the holiday season feels heightened to me, and wishing people a Merry Christmas or happy holidays is the best, a way better sign off than “see you later”.

Switching topics, I recently had the pleasure of going to a Raptors’ game, the first in a few years, and while my passion for the team and the NBA in general has shrunk, the games are still a great experience. Now that I know about a new place to park (if you see, me ask me about it), getting in and out of Scotiabank isn’t nearly as big of a hassle. The Raps lost to the Knicks, but it was a spirited game with a few lead changes and some exciting stretches. It is a weird feeling going to a game having never heard of some of the players, when I used to be pretty well-versed on the entire league. It didn’t detract from the experience though, maybe even enhanced it, watching Ja’Kobe Walter (?) go off for a few nice jumpers. Count me in as a new fan of his.

Recommendations:

We went and saw Gladiator 2 in theatres last week, and while I don’t think I can recommend the movie on the merits of plot/writing, I would recommend it as a movie to watch in the theatre. If you liked the first Gladiator and thought, “It would be pretty sweet if they ran that back with Denzel and boats and stuff”, or something along those lines, then this is the movie for you. A big blockbuster with a massive budget and some great action scenes.

This will be my last P+I before the holidays, so to everyone, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Spend some quality time with your family and friends, stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy!