What Will You Accomplish in 2016?

Katherine Martin • January 4, 2016

Goodbye 2015. Hello 2016! The start of a new calendar year is an excellent time to reflect on the year that was, and to set goals for the year ahead. Have you spent any time sorting what you would like to accomplish in 2016?

On most “New Year Resolutions Lists” you will find the usual suspects: to eat better, exercise more, take up a hobby, spend more time with family, or be more financially responsible. And although all of these resolutions are a good idea, the problem is they lack real substance, they aren’t concrete, they are more like a general direction without a final destination. In order to make a real change, you are going to want to figure out exactly what you want and figure out how you are going to get there.

In a couple of year end articles published on Spring the blog (a Canadian personal finance blog)  “What I want for you in 2015” and “What I want for you in 2016”  author and financial planner Sandi Martin outlines “Clarity” and “Ownership” as what will affect real change. Finding clarity, or the understanding of where you are now (and where you have come from) is the first step in making plans that will get you to where you want to go. While ownership is the engagement, the effort, the commitment to getting you there.

So what are your financial goals in 2016 as they relate to where you live? Maybe you are looking to buy your first home, maybe your family is growing and you need more living space, maybe it’s time to get serious about paying off your mortgage, or maybe you have an empty nest and it’s time to downsize. Regardless of where you find yourself along this timeline, the best thing to do right now is to find clarity. And I can help you with that.

As an independent mortgage professional, I work with multiple lending institutions and offer a wide range of mortgage products. I can help you look at all the options you have available to you, options you might not even know are available to you. If the goal is to find clarity in order to be able to take ownership, you don’t have to go it alone.

If you are in a place where you want 2016 to be better than 2015, if you are serious about taking ownership of your finances in 2016, consider this my invitation to reach out and contact me about working together to build a plan that will help you accomplish your mortgage and housing goals!

Here’s to a prosperous 2016! All the best in the year ahead!

Katherine Martin


Origin Mortgages

Phone: 1-604-454-0843
Email: kmartin@planmymortgage.ca
Fax: 1-604-454-0842


RECENT POSTS

Mortgages Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All

By Katherine Martin • December 17, 2025
Why the Cheapest Mortgage Isn’t Always the Smartest Move Some things are fine to buy on the cheap. Generic cereal? Sure. Basic airline seat? No problem. A car with roll-down windows? If it gets you where you're going, great. But when it comes to choosing a mortgage? That’s not the time to cut corners. A “no-frills” mortgage might sound appealing with its rock-bottom interest rate, but what’s stripped away to get you that rate can end up costing you far more in the long run. These mortgages often come with severe limitations—restrictions that could hit your wallet hard if life throws you a curveball. Let’s break it down. A typical no-frills mortgage might offer a slightly lower interest rate—maybe 0.10% to 0.20% less. That could save you a few hundred dollars over a few years. But that small upfront saving comes at the cost of flexibility: Breaking your mortgage early? Expect a massive penalty. Want to make extra payments? Often not allowed—or severely restricted. Need to move and take your mortgage with you? Not likely. Thinking about refinancing? Good luck doing that without a financial hit. Most people don’t plan on breaking their mortgage early—but roughly two-thirds of Canadians do, often due to job changes, separations, relocations, or expanding families. That’s why flexibility matters. So why do lenders even offer no-frills mortgages? Because they know the stats. And they know many borrowers chase the lowest rate without asking what’s behind it. Some banks count on that. Their job is to maximize profits. Ours? To help you make an informed, strategic choice. As independent mortgage professionals, we work for you—not a single lender. That means we can compare multiple products from various financial institutions to find the one that actually suits your goals and protects your long-term financial health. Bottom line: Don’t let a shiny low rate distract you from what really matters. A mortgage should fit your life—not the other way around. Have questions? Want to look at your options? I’d be happy to help. Let’s chat.

Bank of Canada Rate Announcement Dec 10th, 2025

By Katherine Martin • December 10, 2025
Bank of Canada maintains policy rate at 2.1/4%. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Relations Ottawa, Ontario December 10, 2025 The Bank of Canada today held its target for the overnight rate at 2.25%, with the Bank Rate at 2.5% and the deposit rate at 2.20%. Major economies around the world continue to show resilience to US trade protectionism, but uncertainty is still high. In the United States, economic growth is being supported by strong consumption and a surge in AI investment. The US government shutdown caused volatility in quarterly growth and delayed the release of some key economic data. Tariffs are causing some upward pressure on US inflation. In the euro area, economic growth has been stronger than expected, with the services sector showing particular resilience. In China, soft domestic demand, including more weakness in the housing market, is weighing on growth. Global financial conditions, oil prices, and the Canadian dollar are all roughly unchanged since the Bank’s October Monetary Policy Report (MPR). Canada’s economy grew by a surprisingly strong 2.6% in the third quarter, even as final domestic demand was flat. The increase in GDP largely reflected volatility in trade. The Bank expects final domestic demand will grow in the fourth quarter, but with an anticipated decline in net exports, GDP will likely be weak. Growth is forecast to pick up in 2026, although uncertainty remains high and large swings in trade may continue to cause quarterly volatility. Canada’s labour market is showing some signs of improvement. Employment has shown solid gains in the past three months and the unemployment rate declined to 6.5% in November. Nevertheless, job markets in trade-sensitive sectors remain weak and economy-wide hiring intentions continue to be subdued. CPI inflation slowed to 2.2% in October, as gasoline prices fell and food prices rose more slowly. CPI inflation has been close to the 2% target for more than a year, while measures of core inflation remain in the range of 2½% to 3%. The Bank assesses that underlying inflation is still around 2½%. In the near term, CPI inflation is likely to be higher due to the effects of last year’s GST/HST holiday on the prices of some goods and services. Looking through this choppiness, the Bank expects ongoing economic slack to roughly offset cost pressures associated with the reconfiguration of trade, keeping CPI inflation close to the 2% target. If inflation and economic activity evolve broadly in line with the October projection, Governing Council sees the current policy rate at about the right level to keep inflation close to 2% while helping the economy through this period of structural adjustment. Uncertainty remains elevated. If the outlook changes, we are prepared to respond. The Bank is focused on ensuring that Canadians continue to have confidence in price stability through this period of global upheaval. Information note The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is January 28, 2026. The Bank’s next MPR will be released at the same time.
© 2025 

Katherine Martin. All Rights Reserved.