If you want to spend a significant amount of money on improving your home, you may be able to take out a lot more
Equity than you realized! Both
Default insurers - CMHC and GE Capital, will insure new mortgages which are "topped up" for this purpose, and the total of your current
Mortgage and the new funds exceeds 75% of the current home value. Not all improvements are eligible, however. Pools and spas are typical "over-improvements" which may not qualify for a high-ratio equity take-out. Of course, if the total requirement is less than 75% of your home's current value, you should have little trouble getting the "top up" you need - regardless of the degree of luxury you plan to add.
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