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  • Financing strategy when you switch
  • What type of mortgage should you choose?
  • How to pay off your mortgage faster
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  • Qualifying for a mortgage
  • BC Property Transfer Tax
  • Is it a good investment?
  • Selecting a home type
  • The key planners in your purchase
  • Purchase price checklist
  • Using your RRSP
  • Buying with as little as 5% down
  • Getting a pre-approved mortgage
  • What type of mortgage should you choose?
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  • Mortgage Glossary
  • Closing Costs
  • Credit Score
  • The Mortgage Process
  • Mortgage Types
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Here are some lenders
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About Gibbard Hoffart

Gabe Hoffart AMP, Principal

Education: Gabe Hoffart has a diploma in Real Estate Appraisal from Langara and in 1994 successfully completed all educational requirements for his AACI designation. Gabe has also fulfilled his educational requirements to obtain his Real Estate Sales licensing in both Alberta and British Columbia, as well as his Mortgage Brokers licensing in both Alberta and British Columbia.

Expertise / Business Background: Prior to becoming an independent Mortgage Broker, Gabe has held a number of key positions in both the Finance and Real Estate Industries. These include positions with the BC Assessment Authority appraising residential homes, Selling real estate in both Alberta and British Columbia, Running a mortgage sales force with both Scotiabank and ResMor Trust, and being an independent mortgage broker in Alberta. Gabe started his career in the real estate industry in 1992 with the BC Assessment Authority in Vancouver.

Activities: When not focusing on the needs and demands of his career, Gabe enjoys his young family of three boys; Logan, Nicholas and Tristan, and of course his ever patient wife Fiona. Gabe is a big supporter of “Canuck Place Children’s Hospice”, where he organizes a charity industry hockey tournament, as well as competes in charity adventure races throughout the year. In his increasingly sporadic spare time, Gabe enjoys playing hockey, mountain biking, and hiking.

Karen Gibbard AMP, Principal

Education: Karen Gibbard has a Bachelor of General Studies from SFU and in 1992 successfully completed the, Mortgages: A Real Estate Financing Course, through UBC to gain her Mortgage Broker’s license.

Expertise/Business Background: Before becoming an independent Mortgage Broker in 2000, Karen held a number of key positions in the financial industry. These included working as a Mortgage Development Manager, focusing solely on obtaining client’s mortgages; as an Internal Loan & Mortgage Auditor, ensuring lending staff underwrote loans (including mortgages) to internal and external standards; and numerous loan / mortgage officer & supervisory positions at VanCity Credit Union. Karen started her career working in the financial industry in 1988 at the Bank of Montreal in Vancouver.

Activities: When not focusing on her career, Karen enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Karen has a young son named Luka, a yorkie named Elmo, and loving husband, Dan. Traveling and seeing the World is one of Karen’s biggest passions and recently celebrated her 40th Birthday in Egypt; a life-long dream of hers to see. Closer to home, Karen enjoys hiking on the North Shore and in Whistler.

Staff Bios

Charlotte Poon - Client Care Coordinator

Charlotte Poon is the newest addition to the Gibbard Hoffart Financial Group and handles the Marketing, Office Management and Administrative duties. Her initiative, attention to detail and requirement for client satisfaction is an important facet in the overall integrated workflow of our office.

Professional Background: Charlotte began her career at a Chartered bank in North Vancouver, eventually attaining management status until leaving to pursue management opportunities in the retail sector. Charlotte has spent time at both Law firms as well as another mortgage brokerage firm until Gibbard Hoffart Financial was fortunate enough to hire her!

Amy Drezdoff - Internal Mortgage Consultant

Amy Drezdoff has been part of the Gibbard Hoffart Financial Group for over six years. Amy provides a broad base knowledge of the mortgage brokerage market to her client’s without bias. Amy has a central role in the Gibbard Hoffart Financial Group, as her underwriting abilities and knowledge of lenders policies are constantly relied upon. Amy has been a mortgage broker for over 8 years.

Education: With an office administration program from Selkirk College before joining Gibbard Hoffart Financial Group, Amy has successfully accomplished the Sub Mortgage Broker course offered at the University of British Columbia. Amy is proactive in upgrading her knowledge with seminars offered by Genworth, CMHC, and assorted lenders.

Commitment: She offers to the team her wealth of facts and attention to details, commitment to closing the deal, and is driven by the ability to get things done for clients. Her motto is to provide individual clients with the products they need in order to finance their home-owning dreams.

XiXi Lao - Internal Mortgage Consultant

XiXi Lao has been on the repeatedly award winning Gibbard Group team for three years. She provides a strong foundation for the internal organization with her creative and lateral thinking skills and her solution-oriented approach. Among her contributions to the team, she is knowledgeable in mortgage practices, credit qualifications, and customer service relationships.

Education: She followed up her B.A. degree at Simon Fraser University with her Sub Mortgage Broker License at the University of British Columbia, and has been continually increasing her knowledge through courses provided by Kendrick, Genworth, CMHC and Equifax.

Background: Fluent in Cantonese, she has a working knowledge of French, a love of new technology, and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing market place, her attention to detail making her an integral part of the team. She has been in the finance industry for five years honing her skills in customer relations, banking and marketing, and applying them in her field today.