Tapping into Home Equity: Why Choose a Reverse Mortgage Over a HELOC?

Jamie Ushko • August 30, 2023

In an era where the cost of living is on the rise, securing a comfortable retirement and maintaining your desired lifestyle can pose significant challenges. Fortunately, for many retired Canadians, a valuable asset lies at their disposal: home ownership. Leveraging the equity you've built in your home can be the key to obtaining the additional funds you need to make the most of your retirement years.

Tapping into Your Home Equity

If you're committed to staying in your current home, there are two popular methods to access your home equity: the Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) and the reverse mortgage.

HELOC: HELOC lenders typically permit homeowners to access up to 65% of their home's value. With a HELOC, you can borrow funds as needed, based on an agreed-upon amount, and you'll only need to make minimum monthly interest payments. Unlike a traditional mortgage, there are no fixed scheduled payments towards the loan's principal, providing you with the flexibility to repay the loan at your convenience.

Reverse Mortgage: Another prevalent way homeowners tap into their home equity is through a reverse mortgage. Specifically, the CHIP Reverse Mortgage by HomeEquity Bank is tailored for Canadian homeowners aged 55 and above. It allows you to access up to 55% of your home's value, receiving the funds as tax-free cash, all without the need to move or sell your property. What's more, you won't have to worry about required monthly mortgage payments while you continue to reside in your home. The full loan amount only becomes due when you decide to move, sell the house, or through the estate after the homeowner's passing.



The Advantages of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage

The CHIP Reverse Mortgage offers numerous benefits, with one of the most significant being the absence of monthly mortgage payments. This feature is especially valuable for Canadians aged 55+ when managing cashflow can be a concern. Here are some additional benefits of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage:

  • Simplified Underwriting: The CHIP Reverse Mortgage caters to Canadians aged 55+ who rely on a fixed income and might face challenges qualifying for a HELOC.
  • No Need to Requalify: Unlike a HELOC that requires continuous credit score checks, the CHIP Reverse Mortgage eliminates the need for requalification, ensuring access to funds without credit score barriers.
  • Surviving Spouse Protection: With a HELOC, the passing of a spouse may prompt the bank to conduct a credit score review of the surviving spouse. With the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, the loan doesn't become due until after both homeowners no longer live in the home.
  • Fixed-Term Rate Options: The CHIP Reverse Mortgage provides fixed rate choices, allowing borrowers to lock in rates for up to five years. In contrast, a HELOC's interest rate fluctuates with the Bank of Canada's prime rate, potentially leading to increased borrowing costs in times of rising interest rates.


Ready to Unlock Your Home Equity? Contact Us Today!

Are you ready to explore how the CHIP Reverse Mortgage can help you tap into your home equity and secure your financial future? Don't hesitate to get in touch with us today. We're here to provide expert guidance and answer any questions you may have.

In a world where financial peace of mind is priceless, the CHIP Reverse Mortgage offers a reliable path to unlock your home's hidden potential and ensure a comfortable retirement. Contact us to take the first step toward securing your financial freedom!


Jamie Ushko

Mortgage Broker

Getting A Second Mortgage

By Jamie Ushko • April 30, 2025
If you're not all that familiar with the ins and outs of mortgage financing, the term "second mortgage" might cause a bit of confusion. Many people incorrectly assume that a second mortgage is arranged when your first term is up for renewal or when you sell your first home. They think that the next mortgage you get is your "second mortgage." This is not the case. A second mortgage is an additional mortgage on a single property, not the second mortgage you get in your lifetime. When you borrow money to buy a house, your lawyer or notary will register your mortgage on the property title in what is called first position. This means that your mortgage lender has the first claim against the sale proceeds if you sell your property. If you happen to default on your mortgage, this is the security the lender has in repossessing your property. A second mortgage falls in behind the first mortgage on your property title. When you sell your property, the lawyers will use the sale proceeds to pay off your mortgages in sequence, the first position mortgage is paid out first, and the second mortgage is paid out second. After both mortgages are paid off completely, you get the remaining equity. When you secure a second mortgage, you continue making payments on your first mortgage as per your mortgage agreement. You must also then fulfill the terms of the second mortgage. So why would you want a second mortgage? Well, a second mortgage comes in handy when you're looking to access some of your home equity, but you either have excellent terms on your first mortgage that you don't want to break, or you’d incur a huge penalty to break your first mortgage. Instead of refinancing the first mortgage, a second mortgage can be a better option. A second mortgage is often used as a short-term debt consolidation tool to help provide you with better cash flow. If you’ve accumulated a considerable amount of high-interest unsecured debt, and you have equity in your home, you can secure a second mortgage to lower your overall cost of borrowing. If you'd like to know more about how a second mortgage works, or if you'd like to discuss anything related to mortgage financing, please connect anytime!

Navigating The Housing Market

By Jamie Ushko • April 23, 2025
If you’ve been thinking about buying a property, whether that be your first home, next home, forever home, or a home to retire into, the current state of the Canadian economy might have you wondering: Is this really the right time to make a move? There is certainly no shortage of doom and gloom in the news out there. The truth is, that’s a tough question to answer in the best of times. It’s nearly impossible to know for sure what’s going to happen next with the housing market in Canada. It could heat up or it could cool down. So here’s some advice. Instead of basing your buying decision entirely on external market factors, like the economy or housing market, consider looking for the answers internally. When you stop looking at the market to determine your timing to buy a home, and instead examine the personal reasons you have for wanting to buy a home, the picture can become much clearer. Here are some questions to consider. Although they are subjective, they will help bring you clarity. Ask yourself: Does buying a property now put me in a better financial position? Do I make enough money now to afford a new home and maintain my lifestyle? Do I feel confident with my current employment status? Have I saved enough money for a down payment? How long do I plan on living in this new home? Is there any scenario where I might have to sell quickly and potentially lose money? Does buying a property now move me closer to my life goals? Do I really want to buy now or am I just feeling a lot of pressure to just buy something? Am I holding back because I'm scared property prices might drop soon? There’s no doubt that buying a home can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Having a plan in place is the best course of action to help you make good decisions and alleviate that stress. If you’d like to have a conversation to discuss your plans, ask some questions, and map out what buying a home looks like for you, we can address many of the unknowns together. The best place to start is to work through a mortgage pre-approval. There is no cost for this service, you’ll learn exactly what you can qualify for, and it will provide a lot of clarity about your situation. You might decide that it’s best to wait before buying, and that’s just fine. You might find that now’s a perfect time for you to buy! If you'd like to talk, please connect anytime. You’re not in this alone. We can work through everything together.