The end of a very tiring week. Kind of a whining session really. Bring yr own cheese

[paul151 0]

Well I think my wife and I are officially exhausted. Its been a rollercoaster of a last couple of weeks. All these ups and downs sure get to a person after a while.

My wife is studying for finals in a biochemistry degree, whilst putting together a package for nursing school in the summer. I'm at home looking after the kiddo (of 18 months), also trying to do what I always do this time of year- beg,steal or borrow my way back into work for the summer. Also in the meantime checking out the potential job market in Oklahoma. Man, Oklahoma looks bleak for work at the moment. I forsee myself having to commute back and forth to Calgary at least up until next spring! It may sound dramatic but not really. I work in the oil patch , 27 days at work on the road and 7-10 days off. I'm on spring breakup right now.

Our housebuying quest has been stopped dead in it's tracks, no SSN= 0% chance at a mortgage. We thought we had a chance of signing a conditional contact on the house of our dreams. All we required for the owners was a letter from the bank stating that we would be eligable for financing on that house once I have a SSN (60-90 days). But after a week of submitting financial paperwork, credit information etc , the lady at the bank said that she could use my Canadian credit, but couldn't run me through her system because that required a SSN. So in other words she couldn't produce this letter for me (last week she said it shouldn't be a problem). There was another option with RBC, who figured they could mortgage me but required a 20% deposit to avoid PMI (once again PMI wouldn't be given to someone without a SSN). After I checked my wallet and finding no sign of that loose 50 grand I thought I may have lying around, I had to gracefully decline Toggle Side Panel . I have to get back to the homeowners this weekend and explain that we'll have to back out of the offer- so sad, we loved that house. Maybe it will still be around in the summer (fingers crossed).. In the meantime back to looking for somewhere to rent for next month.

Besides this I finally wrangled together all the pieces to finalize my DS230. That has been sent now although police certificates are still in the mail from there repective origins, UK and Canada. Fortunately my lawyer told me that all that will happen is RVC will send them an email saying that the police records are missing, and by that time they should already be enroute. Well we hope. I cant get rid of that gut feeling that something is going to be up with the police reports- like they'll be the wrong kind or something. I don't know, I just can't afford any more delays with this whole process now. We started filing in November 2007, never anticipating this length of time for processing.

I'm so glad I found this site though. Whomever created this site deserves a medal. We were really starting to feel alone here. A million questions and concerns with no-one to listen (lawyers are all well and good but far from being counsellors or friends).

So , hope everyone out there is well. Dont mind my whining . I'm sure it'll all work out in the end.

[coldwatersurf 5]

welcome

I know VJ has helped me a lot. Sometimes some ppl will provide you with old information but many other people here will also be able to provide you with updated information. So make sure you also do some extra research. Read up on the guides and any other tools VJ provided.

[JillA 2]

Welcome to VJ!! It really is a helpful and informative site. Sometimes we just vent to eachother and we're always here to lend an ear. Anyway I hope it all works out for you and good luck on your visa journey!!

Edited May 9, 2009 by JillA

[Ontarkie 14,507]

Welcome and good luck

[trailmix 77]

welcome

I know VJ has helped me a lot. Sometimes some ppl will provide you with old information but many other people here will also be able to provide you with updated information. So make sure you also do some extra research. Read up on the guides and any other tools VJ provided.

That's interesting Border - did you find you got a lot of outdated info when you asked questions?

Well Paul, sounds like you and your wife have been very busy! The whole commute to Calgary thing doesn't sound very appealing - but I hear you on the employment front.

As for the housing/credit/RBC - one thing you may want to do right away is start establishing some credit in the U.S. (you may have already done this, but I mention it in case you haven't). Next time you are in the States you may want to get a store card, like JCPenney or Target, you should be able to apply for this using your SIN.

Also, if you don't already have a Canadian American Express Card, you may want to get one. They have a program called global transfer. When you go to move to the U.S. you call them and they will set you up with an American Am Express Card.

If you decide not to buy a house right away, most banks are looking for a minimum of 2 credit cards and a great credit score. The great credit score will come with paying your credit cards off on time every time, over 8-10 months or less. The other criteria they look at is length of credit, most places want to see 2 years worth now.

[paul151 0]

welcome

I know VJ has helped me a lot. Sometimes some ppl will provide you with old information but many other people here will also be able to provide you with updated information. So make sure you also do some extra research. Read up on the guides and any other tools VJ provided.

That's interesting Border - did you find you got a lot of outdated info when you asked questions?

Well Paul, sounds like you and your wife have been very busy! The whole commute to Calgary thing doesn't sound very appealing - but I hear you on the employment front.

As for the housing/credit/RBC - one thing you may want to do right away is start establishing some credit in the U.S. (you may have already done this, but I mention it in case you haven't). Next time you are in the States you may want to get a store card, like JCPenney or Target, you should be able to apply for this using your SIN.

Also, if you don't already have a Canadian American Express Card, you may want to get one. They have a program called global transfer. When you go to move to the U.S. you call them and they will set you up with an American Am Express Card.

If you decide not to buy a house right away, most banks are looking for a minimum of 2 credit cards and a great credit score. The great credit score will come with paying your credit cards off on time every time, over 8-10 months or less. The other criteria they look at is length of credit, most places want to see 2 years worth now.

Thanks for the tips trailmix, I'm in Oklahoma right now so I will definately go checkout Target and JC Penny .

I have been asking around with regards to building US credit. The credit situation is a fine balance I guess, trying not to negate your score by having half a dozen companies doing a credit check on you in the space of a few months. Funny I never even worried about my credit whilst in Canada. I was blissfully ignorant- now its at the forefront of my mind in every financial decision I make

I dont know, my credit score was 'fair' just 5 points under being 'good' in Canada. I was surprised, having never had a late payment or anything bad like that. In talking to a credit company , I hear I lost points for paying off my car loan early and for having an Ikea credit card with zero balance which they closed on me last month after 3 years of inactivity I'm kind of curious to see how all this will equate in the US .

[Carlawarla 1]

Just wanted to welcome you Paul to VJ and the Canada Forum! All the best!

[thetreble 19]

Yeah unfortunately ou aren't going to be able to qualify for a mortgage without having any credit.

I had a credit card of my own here for about a year and then went on all my husband's cards. After a few months of that, then I was able to be considered on the mortgage. But believe me, as many here know, getting a mortgage was NOT easy between me being recent to the US and the terrible banking situation in the US right now.

Hold and sit tight though..eventually you will get the house you want.

[Tankgurl38 0]

Does your wife qualify for a mortgage on her own?

This is the problem we will be facing, but my fiance can qualify for the mortgage on his own, my name will just be added to the house deed once we purchase.

[rexalite 0]

Yeah unfortunately ou aren't going to be able to qualify for a mortgage without having any credit.

I had a credit card of my own here for about a year and then went on all my husband's cards. After a few months of that, then I was able to be considered on the mortgage. But believe me, as many here know, getting a mortgage was NOT easy between me being recent to the US and the terrible banking situation in the US right now.

Hold and sit tight though..eventually you will get the house you want.

One thing that can make a huge difference on qualifying on a mortgage is to go with a local rather than a national bank. National banks have very strict lending rules that the banking officers can't deviate from. Small local banks don't have those restrictions, and some of them will actually use their knowledge of the local real estate market to secure the value of the house, and they will use a more personal mode of evaluating you than a FICO score. Our banker actually talked to some references, and to my husband's business partner and some of his customers. It's almost more like a job interview. We qualified for a jumbo loan with the local bank, whereas with Bank of America we qualified for $0. HTH.