RBC waited exactly three hours and 11 minutes to take advantage of the Bank of Canada’s 1/4 point rate hike today. RBC, which is typically Canada’s mortgage rate leader, boostedits prime rate by the same amount, to 3.45%. The other Big 5 banks matched its move within a few hours. Prime Time The new 3.45% prime rate takes effect tomorrow...
We’re one week into 2018, OSFI’s new mortgage stress test is live and the earth is still spinning on its axis. But that axis is now tilted…in credit unions’ favour. If you’re a mortgage shopper who’s been turned down by a bank—courtesy of the aforementioned new mortgage rules—then credit unions want to talk to you. Credit unions aren’t bound by...
If you look back over the last 40-odd years, there’s never been a time where a 10-year fixed rate has saved you more than a 5-year fixed. A 10-year term’s rate premium over a 5-year fixed, let alone over a variable, is simply too steep…most of the time. But this time might be different. According to our records, BMO’s 3.49%...
Big-city home values were out of control. The real estate market needed de-risking. But the solution policy-makers gave us (the B-20 mortgage guideline) was imperfect, very imperfect. What’s About to Happen Effective January 1, 2018, the banking regulator (OSFI) will force the vast majority of low-ratio mortgage applicants to prove they can afford a payment based on a rate that’s...
Not much to see at today’s Bank of Canada meeting. It was another yawner as prime rate held at 3.20%. Among the few takeaways: The Bank stated: “While higher interest rates will likely be required over time, Governing Council will continue to be cautious…” Interpreted this means: Higher rates are on their way, between now and when we die. If...
Would you rather have the lowest mortgage rate or the lowest borrowing cost? If you picked the latter, good for you. You’re mortgage savvy, and you’re in the minority. Check out this chart from a recent Manulife survey.Its findings show that the “interest rate” dominates all other factors when consumers pick a mortgage. That’s great news for a rate comparison...
We don’t buy the numbers in this story. Its premise is that some people are better off paying for mortgage default insurance—even if they don’t technically need it—just to get a better rate. The reason: insured rates are lower than uninsured rates (45 bps lower, claims the broker in the story). Really? Let’s test this theory and see if mortgage...
It’s not a question of whether mortgages will someday be arranged completely online. The question is, how long will it take? When we do finally get there, you’ll still be able to speak with a human advisor for mortgage help, but not in person. Not if you want the lowest rate. “We envision potentially having a better rate for online...
Renewing a mortgage could soon get a lot more costly for 700,000+ Canadian families. And they’ll have OSFI to thank. The banking regulator’s new stress test will drive up debt ratio calculations for most conventional borrowers by 6 to 7 percentage points. That’s enough to push a minority of renewers right out of the qualification zone. Why this matters:Lenders use...
Canada’s new “B-20” mortgage stress test will be a tectonic shift for the roughly 1 in 6 borrowers it affects, starting January 1. It’s going to force higher-indebted creditworthy borrowers to either: reduce their loan amount, seek help qualifying (e.g., find a bigger down payment or co-signor), defer their homebuying plans, or seek out a non-bank lender, like a credit...
log in
