The Regina MAACO centre has been named a MAACO Certified Centre by the franchise chain's home office. The certification means that this is one of the top auto body shops in the city and meets MAACO's highest standards for seamless collision repairs & expert spot painting. The centre's exemplary quality & service represent the "BEST OF THE BEST" in the MAACO chain. MAACO Regina is a Trusted Regina Autobody & Collision center expert.  In their latest Regina autobody tip, they explain why certifications matter.

Maaco Regina has gone to great lengths to ensure they are Certified in many ways.  In addition to having been given the thumbs up by Trusted Regina.  Here is a list of their certifications and some descriptions to explain why they are important and what they mean to you. 

	I-CAR Gold Class Certification is an independent third-party certification process that is quite literally the gold standard for collision repair. That means this Center is extensively trained in the latest tools and technologies of the trade.  I-CAR (The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing those in the collision repair industry with the knowledge and skills to achieve a complete and safe repair. Shops who achieve I-CAR’s highest level of training are designated as I-CAR Gold Class Professionals, considered the highest level of training in the industry.
	All ProFirst Certified shops are validated for their skill and expertise, commitment to a complete, proper and safe repair, to ongoing industry education, and to customer satisfaction. Each shop is validated annually by an independent third party to help ensure a high standard of repair quality. Honda is committed to providing safety for everyone, in the way Honda and Acura cars are built, and in the way, they are repaired after a collision.
	The Ford National Body Shop Network program was created to promote Certified dealership and independent collision repair providers to Ford vehicle owners and insurers.  The program will ensure that Ford vehicle owners can choose a Certified collision repair provider to return their vehicle to OEM specifications, and ensure the vehicle's fit, finish, durability, functionality, value, and safety are preserved.  This is particularly important based upon the increasingly complex vehicle design and repair requirements of Ford vehicles.
	This new program allows dealers and independent collision repair facilities to meet the qualifications necessary to be certified by FCA Canada as a collision repair facility of choice for its vehicle owners. According to Certified Collision Care, the program will ensure that FCA Canada vehicle owners can choose a certified collision repair provider, that has the proper tools, equipment, training and facility required to repair their vehicle to OEM specifications and ensure the vehicle's fit, finish, durability, functionality, value, and safety are preserved.
	Assured Performance has launched the Canadian Certified Collision Care Program. This program provides complete national coverage of Certified repair providers - best-in-class businesses that have met or exceeded the advanced technical requirements to become officially Certified. With Canadian management and an inspector team that is trained, tested and trusted covering Canada, Certified Collision Care is rapidly expanding, providing critical benefits to the Canadian market.
	Our Maaco Certified Centres are the "best of the best." These Centres are distinguished for their quality of work in both auto painting and body repairs. Certified Centres have to pass a rigorous certification process annually that is a comprehensive review of their business and repair services.
	All accredited repairers are required to meet or exceed the highest levels of equipment, certification and training and must warranty the repair for a minimum of 1 year. There are 4 levels of accreditation for SGI-approved repair shops: Elite*** - Top level of recognition, exceeding SGI’s requirements for certification. Can perform vehicle damage estimates on eligible claims.

Need to book your vehicle?  Contact MAACO Regina today!

As homeowners we all wonder what questions to ask a contractor to avoid a potentially horrible situation.  We have all heard  nightmare stories of home renovations gone wrong but how can anyone be sure this wont happen to them?   At Trusted Regina we believe we can help.  Trusted Regina was formed to help the public find local businesses you can TRUST.  In this article we share some of the ways we research businesses to ensure we have the best local contractors.  Giving you peace of mind knowing you have hired someone you can TRUST to do the job right.  

Requesting proof of insurance is one of the first steps in searching for a quality and Trusted Regina contractor.  

Are they Insured ? Any good contractor should carry liability and worker’s compensation Insurance this is something you should always require a contractor to have.

Contractor Liability Insurance

This will protect you if a contractor creates damage to your home, neighboring properties or injury to a third party that may occur during the renovation.  Ask to see a Certificate of Insurance; it should state the name and address of the contractor, the amount of general liability, including coverage for bodily injury and property damage, and the effective and expiry dates of the policy as well as the date of issue of the certificate.  Once you know the contractors liability coverage take it to your Insurance provider to ensure you are fully covered during the renovation as a renovation may require you to increase your coverage for a period of time.   

Workers Compensation

Except for single-person companies, Contractors are required by law to pay WCB premiums on behalf of their employees in the event of a workplace injury. Hiring a contractor that is not in compliance makes YOU the homeowner the project manager and liable for ANY injuries occurred during the renovation. Request a letter of good standing to ensure their premiums are paid up.  

Ask for references 

When anyone applies for a job they are required to provide references.  Why should a contractor be any different!  At Trusted we ask for so many references it's borderline obscene... it is A LOT and we call them all!. We don't anticipate you calling the number we do but we do think it is always a good idea to request references and that you call them.  Typed references or letters of recommendation are ok but a voice and a person are always best. 

There are two types of references you should request.

Client References:

Gaining a list of people who have used there service is extremely helpful and an indication of the amount of jobs they have done.  Asking if they did a good job is not always a good indication of the quality of their work and dedication to customer service.  Dig deeper. here are some suggested questions. - How did you find the contractor? how many jobs have they done for you?  Would you hire them again?  Would you recommend them to a family member? Did they finish the job on time?  Did they charge you the price quoted?  We have the 5 Trusted Guarantees and all of our contractors have to uphold them these are only some of the questions we ask. 

Supplier references

Though not always foolproof, supplier references are very important and help give some insight as to weather or not the contractor pays it's suppliers on time.  Which may in turn help you protect yourself from creditor liabilities.  Builders lien's are something you should know about and try to avoid!.  Here is a great article on how to avoid a builders lien.  

Check their online rating and memberships 

Another way to check and see if a contractor is worth hiring it to check sources like Trusted Regina to see if they have been put through a process of ensuring that they are who they claim to be. This is also are a very strong indicator of a company's commitment to professionalism. You should also search to see if any complaints have been made about them online and how they dealt with those complaints.  From time to time mistakes can happen.  But it is how a company deals with those mistakes that can show a great deal about how they would deal with you.  

Experience, education and certification 

Trade licencing requirements 

A contractor should easily be able to tell you how long they have been in business and have a valid business licence.  Beyond that there are other things you should ask.  Depending on the type of work you want done there are licencing requirements for different trades in Saskatchewan.  Ensuring that each trade has the proper licencing can prevent major issues down the line.  In Saskatchewan there are four compulsory apprenticeship trades. Electrician, Plumber, Refrigeration Mechanic and Sheet Metal Worker. To work in a compulsory apprenticeship trade you must have a journey person certificate or be registered as an apprentice with the SATCC. If one of the trades your contractor has working on your project claims to be a professional in this area ask for their certification. 

Ask for Examples of their work

Most contractors have tons of images of work they have done in the past.  See examples of their work can give you a good indication of the type of work they can do.  We do caution you however that sometimes that though they may be very lovely images you can't always be sure of the quality of the underlying work!

More info...

We hope this article helps you find the right contractor for your renovation project. We always hope you choose one of our Trusted Regina Contractors for any of your projects.   

If you are looking for more information about hiring a contractor we have several other articles that can help steer you in the right direction.

• The difference between a General Contractor vs Builder
• 5 Tips to Surviving a Renovation
• 10 Questions to Ask an Electrician Before Hiring
• Contractor and Renovators tip on hiring a Contractor - PART 1
• Contractor and Renovation expert shares a tip on hiring a Contractor - PART 2
• Renovation Expert shares a tip on Hiring a Professional
• 7 Smart Strategies for Bathroom Remodeling
• What is Trusted about and why do businesses want to be Trusted?

Bergens are a local family business and from the moment you walk in the door you will be treated like family!  They are proud to have over 80 Years Auto Body Experience, and they have been serving Regina Auto Body needs for over 30 Years....they have a loyal customer base that simply wouldn't think of going anywhere else. Bergen's are an SGI Accredited Regina Auto Body and Collision Repair shop  , they offer courtesy cars to their clients and they specialize in foreign vehicles. Bergen's AutoBody & Collision Centre are TRUSTED REGINA AUTO BODY EXPERTS

5 THINGS A CAR OWNER SHOULD DO - TO PREVENT AND HELP IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT

Owning a car is a big responsibility for both new and seasoned drivers. In order to reduce stress further down the line, there are a few key things every driver should know. Luckily, these necessary basics are pretty easy to find out!
 
Learn the basics of maintenance. That means checking things the oil brake fluid, antifreeze, and windshield wiper fluid. Even better, learn to jump your car in case the battery dies and replace a tire. Everything you learn becomes a tool in case of emergency. Why not invest a little bit of time for less of a headache later on?
 
Find your car’s manual and read it. Read it again! Put it in a place where you can easily locate it again. Why? There is a lot of information specifically for your make, model, and year. Your manual will tell you which maintenance tasks should be prioritized, as well as how often those things should be addressed. Some critical ones to keep in mind are oil changes, wiper blade replacement, filter changes, fluid flushes, and when to get new tires. In addition, it will tell you what each light on the dash indicates.
 
Know where your personal identification is, who your insurance provider is, and where the documentation for insurance and registration is stored at. It’s simple enough to keep it in your car, and that will certainly do the job. But in the case of an emergency, the last thing you want to do is have to go digging through the glove box, center console, and through all the other cubbies and pockets your car has just to find it. Do yourself a favor, and keep it in one spot so that you can find it and reach it easily.
 
Put an emergency kit in your trunk. Jumper cables, a flashlight, spare tire, and a first aid kit are incredibly important. Consider also including some weather specific gear like sunscreen, a towel, blankets, umbrellas, etc. Safety first!

Have a ' GO TO' Regina Auto Body and Collision Repair shop!
At Bergens we truly do treat our customers like family!  

Why should you choose us as your go to Regina Auto Body professionals?

We are:

• An SGI Accredited Auto Body Shop
• Trusted Regina Auto Body and Collison Repair shop. 
• We have been voted 3 Best Rated Auto Body shop in Regina and we are Number #1 best rated Auto Body in Regina!

Bergen's GUARANTEE that you will be treated to both friendly service and quality workmanship....and after speaking to their clients we can definitely say that they do all they claim and all in a style all of their own! 

Bergen's AutoBody & Collision Centre are TRUSTED REGINA AUTO BODY EXPERTS...and they are waiting to help you. Fan them on Facebook here and be assured that they will look after you ..you can TRUST them..we Guarantee it!

Trusted Regina's Skott Enns TMG The Mortgage Group can be found in the Mortgage category.  

We sat down and asked Skott Enns of TMG The Mortgage Group some questions we thought you'd like the answers to!

"As many of you have now heard, the Bank of Canada increased its lending rate to 0.75%. That is an increase of 0.25%, from their previous rate of 0.50%."

QUESTION #1: Who will be affected by this?

 "When the BoC increases their rate, this will typically translate into an increase in the Prime lending rate, which is how banks calculate their variable mortgage rate. Hence, if you have a variable rate mortgage (or  there is a line of credit component attached to your mortgage), you can  expect your mortgage rate (and likely your payment) to increase by 0.25%  in the very near future."

QUESTION #2: What does this actually mean?

"Of course no one likes to hear that their interest rate is increasing, but before panicking, it is important to look at what this actually means in dollars and cents. With this 0.25% increase, your mortgage payment will increase by $13/month for every $100,000 you owe."

"So if you have a $300,000 mortgage, this will increase your mortgage payment by $39-ish per month. Clearly you would rather keep that money in your own pocket, but this is not a scenario where the sky is falling."

QUESTION #3: What to do?

a) "We can lock in your mortgage rate by converting it to a fixed term. When you originally received your mortgage financing you (in most cases) were committing to that particular lender for a 5 year period. If you are now 2 years into that variable rate and wanted to lock into a fixed term, you would be locking into a term of at least 3 years. Make sense? Keep in mind, however, that in many cases, the fixed rate that you would be locking into is still going to be higher than your new increased variable rate."

b) "We can do nothing, and stay the course with a variable rate. Although one can never guarantee what will happen with mortgage rates, history shows that those borrowers with variable rates who stay the course as opposed to locking in mid term still save more money."

SKOTT'S TWO CENTS:

"As a blanket statement, I am encouraging the clients who are calling me to stick with their variable rates. As mentioned, in most cases your new variable rate will still be lower than the fixed rate you would be locking into. If you consider this, in addition to the ultra-low penalty that comes with breaking a variable rate mortgage (should it ever happen), I still believe a variable term is a right way to go."

"That being said, every situation is unique. If you have any questions at all about your mortgage please do not hesitate to contact me at 306.201.6500."

I am happy to answer any questions/concerns you may have.

Skott Enns's goal isn’t to simply help you get a mortgage with the best mortgage rates, it is to help you figure out a plan to pay off your mortgage as quickly as possible!  Has been voted Regina’s best mortgage broker by Prairie Dog Magazine for many years in a row and he has been named to the Summit 20 group, which means that he is in the Top 20% of all TMG Mortgage Brokers in Canada for the last two years.

If you are looking for honest, unbiased advice from a mortgage broker in Regina they would love to talk with you!

TMG The Mortgage Group Skott Enns is a Trusted Regina Mortgage Broker

Understanding Credit

How you manage your credit plays a big part in how a lender looks at your mortgage application. By understanding the makeup of a credit score and working towards establishing a solid credit profile, you can increase your chances of getting approved for a mortgage. This article is part three in a short series that aims to help you understand mortgage qualifications. 

There are four key areas that come under scrutiny when a lender looks at a mortgage application; income, credit, downpayment, and the property. You can find the previous articles in the series here:

Part 1. Understanding the Mind of a Lender
Part 2. Understanding Income

The following is an in-depth look at how your credit is viewed by a lender when assessing your mortgage application. 

Credit Agencies

In Canada, there are two credit reporting agencies, Equifax and Transunion. Typically Transunion is used by consumers as a monitoring service to protect against identity theft, while Equifax is relied on about 90% of the time by lenders looking to determine if you are creditworthy. Every time you borrow money, a history of that loan is sent by the lending institution to both Equifax and Transunion, this makes up what is called your credit report. The information on your credit report is then boiled down into a single three-digit number called your credit score (sometimes called a beacon score).

It’s not uncommon for your credit score to be different between Equifax and Transunion as not all lenders report all information to both agencies at the same time. Although your Equifax credit report will be used for mortgage qualification, lenders may also want to have a look at your Transunion report as well, especially if your Equifax report has some issues with collections or late payments.  

Understanding Credit – Credit Score

Your credit score is a three-digit number between 300 and 900. The higher the score the better. Depending on where you look online, you will find several variations of the ranges that indicate creditworthiness. Although somewhat general, the following is pretty accurate when talking about mortgage financing:

• If you find yourself between 300-600, you have bad credit and won’t have access to the best products and rates available. 
• If your credit score is between 600-680, there is a good chance you have had some issues in the past, you can qualify for mortgage insurance, but it’s gonna be touch and go.
• If your credit score is between 680-720, you have good credit, not incredible, but a check in the right box for sure. 
• If your credit score is over 720, you have excellent credit and lenders will view you as a “good risk”. 

Now, a credit score is both a snapshot in time and a moving target. Your credit score will change as new information is reported to the credit agencies as these new variables impact your score. When applying for a mortgage, we will “pull a credit report” which gives us a picture of where your credit score is at currently. This snapshot is what the lender uses to assess your credit when determining if they want to lend you money or not.

It’s good to note that although your credit score is a single indicator of credit, it certainly does not make up the entire picture. Lenders will also look at the particulars of your credit report and they will most certainly ask for more information if something seems out of place.

Understanding Credit – Calculating a Credit Score

Both Equifax and Transunion consider the following factors when building your credit score: payment history, amount of money owed, length of credit history, new credit, types of credit. Although there is an exact science to their algorithms, that information is not public knowledge. They have however given us the following categories with corresponding percentages of how much weight is being put on each. 

Payment History – 35%

When building your credit score, the most weight is given to how you have dealt with paying your previous debts. And this makes the most sense. If a lender is going to give you money to purchase a property, they might want to see how you repaid your car loan, or your student loans, or your $1,000 Mastercard. If you can’t pay your Rogers cell phone bill on time, what assurance are you giving them that you will pay your mortgage on time? 

Your payment history looks at all your consumer debts or trade lines. A trade line represents a single debt owed to an institution. Tradelines come in many forms, credit card, line of credit, car loan, student loan, and so on. Any time you borrow money, the history of that tradeline shows up on your credit report with the payment history from the last 6-7 years being visible. Obviously, your most recent payment history will have the most impact on your credit score, positive or negative. 

Payment history is all about how you have managed your trade lines. Have you made all your payments perfectly, or have you been 30 days late, 60 days late, 90 days late, or has the trade line been sent to collection or closed for non-payment? These factors contribute to your score but are also visible on your credit report for lenders to review when assessing your mortgage application. 

Amount Owed – 30%

How much you owe on a tradeline compared to the limit of that tradeline impacts your credit score greatly. For example, if you have a limit of $5,000 on your Visa, and you simply use that card to buy gas and groceries every month and pay it off without ever carrying a balance, that is excellent management and this action will increase your credit score. However, if you have a $10,000 Mastercard that you have maxed out and you are making minimum payments, your amount owed compared to the limit is really high, this sends up red flags and will negatively impact your credit score. Not to mention as a lender looks at your credit report, it is a strong indication that you might not be able to handle any more debt. 

Typically you want to use less than 75% of the credit available to you. Going over 75% will negatively impact your score. By staying under 25% of your available credit limit, you demonstrate strong credit management. And that is exactly what lenders want to see, strong credit management. 

Length of Credit History – 15%

How long you have had credit plays a role in determining your credit score. It also plays a role in how a lender looks at your credit. Unlike smaller loans, when applying for a mortgage, lenders want to see that you have had credit for a minimum of 2 years. Regardless of your credit score, if you haven’t had at least 2 trade lines reporting for 2 years, you are going to have a hard time getting a mortgage. 

The length of your credit history shows how responsible you have been long term with your credit. Time is needed to get the real picture of how responsible you are. Each trade line that is reporting on your credit report will show the date it was opened and a monthly history of your management. Although your history of management is only kept 6-7 years, the age of your trade line will always be visible.

It’s a great idea to always keep your oldest trade lines open and active. Even if you don’t need the credit available, keep the card open, and use it once every 3 months so that it stays live on your credit report. Your credit score will thank you! 

New Credit Inquiries – 10%

Frequently applying for new credit can be a sign that you are experiencing some financial difficulty, especially if the amount owed compared to the limit is over 75%. Applying for new credit can temporarily impact your credit score negatively, however if a new trade line is established, once it gets some positive payment history, your credit score will increase. 

As far as the mortgage process is concerned, instead of going to several lending institutions on your own, and having each one of them pull your credit, as a mortgage broker, I pull your credit report once and then use that same report with multiple lenders. This is a win for you. 

Pulling your credit report multiple times can impact your score negatively, but credit inquiries do only make up 10% of your score, so it’s not really anything to be worried about. Multiple credit inquiries won’t make good credit bad, but it can make bad credit worse. 

Types of Credit – 10%

This is the most insignificant factor in determining your credit, however the type of credit you have does impact your score. Trade lines like fixed installment loans show a scheduled repayment and are considered favourable. While deferred payment loans or payday cash loans from Money Mart can be a sign of money struggles.

Understanding Credit – Established Credit Profile

So when you take your credit score and you combine it with your credit report, as the lender sees it, this is called your credit profile. It’s not just about having a score above 720 (although that is really good), lenders will want to see that you have at least 2 active trade lines, reporting for a minimum of 2 years, with a minimum limit of $2,500. This is the bare minimum to make sure that your credit score has been established over enough time. 

So as you can see, the lender has a lot to think about when it comes to looking at your credit profile and deciding if they want to lend money to you for a mortgage. Next in the series, we will take a look at how your downpayment plays a part in the lender’s decision as well.

If you aren’t sure what your credit score looks like, or if you have established enough credit to be considered for a mortgage, please contact me anytime. I would love to talk through the specifics of your credit report with you and put a plan in place to get you to where you want to go. 

If you would like to know more about the mortgage and housing market, please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime!