In this episode of At Home in Waterloo Region, Cher Goetz welcomes back sponsor and returning guest Amanda Walczyk, a licensed mortgage agent at Saltbox Mortgages. Together, Cher and Amanda share updates from the real estate and mortgage markets, break down current financial trends affecting homeowners, and reflect on takeaways from a recent women’s financial conference. This episode focuses on strategies for navigating mortgage renewals, consolidating debt, and taking control of your financial future with practical and approachable advice. Amanda brings her deep knowledge and warmth to conversations that are often stressful, and Cher compliments this with real talk from the housing market.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• [01:29] Amanda shares that interest rates are finally coming down, but most mortgage renewals are more complex now due to additional debts, car loans, and renovations added during COVID.
• [02:07] Many clients are seeing $400+ increases in monthly payments, Amanda explains why it’s crucial to plan renewals at least 90 days in advance.
• [06:30] Amanda introduces OwnWell, a personalized monthly report for clients that shows their equity, payoff progress, and opportunities to save on their current mortgage.
• [07:47] Cher and Amanda discuss the benefits of 30-year amortizations and the power of being in control of your cash flow rather than being overwhelmed by multiple high-interest payments.
• [17:55] Cher breaks down her current approach to setting realistic price expectations in today’s housing market and how she helped clients successfully sell their homes this year.
• [22:31] Cher highlights the importance of managing days-on-market for listings and shares how her pricing and marketing strategies outperformed local medians.
• [26:17] Real estate tip: buyers should explore listings slightly above their budget, sellers are increasingly open to negotiation and price drops.
• [27:57] Amanda and Cher recap key insights from a recent women's investment conference, including the importance of understanding different investment tiers and tools like TFSAs and RRSPs.
• [37:40] Amanda advises clients to move cryptocurrency investments out of crypto platforms 90+ days before using funds for a down payment.
• [40:55] Final takeaway: Financial literacy is power. Amanda and Cher urge listeners to learn one new thing, start a conversation, and reach out for help without shame.

This episode is full of empowering insights and practical tools for navigating your finances and real estate decisions with clarity and confidence. Tune in to hear Amanda and Cher’s expert perspectives and stories from the field!

Connect with Amanda:

Instagram: @saltboxmortgage_agent

Let's Connect:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/at.home.co
Website: www.athomecompany.ca
Email Community: https://athomeco.myflodesk.com/podcast
Contact: hello@athomecompany.ca

Thank you to our Sponsors:

• Amanda Walczyk, Mortgage Agent | Level 2 license at Dominion Lending Centres National Ltd, FSRA #12360
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltboxmortgage_agent
Contact: Amanda@saltboxmortgages.com
519.497.9256

• Den1880
Website: https://www.den1880.co
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/den1880.co