A regular consideration when choosing between a fixed or variable rate is the difference between them. As of late that “fixed-variable spread,” as we jargony industry people call it, has been slowly narrowing. So far, it has mostly been a result of diminishing variable-rate discounts. Just this morning, for example, TD hiked its advertised variable rate a head-turning 20 bps....

Five-year Canadian yields are down 60 basis points in two months. Average 5-year fixed mortgage rates are down a measly 4 basis points.* Meanwhile south of the border, where they have this thing called mortgage competition, 5-year yields are down 54 bps and average 5-year fixed rates have fallen 16 bps so far. Average rates on the most popular U.S....

Recessionary warnings from Apple and China, weak U.S. manufacturing data and a plunging stock market accelerated the market rate collapse today. Canada’s 5-year bond yield almost touched 1.75%, where it hasn’t been since 2017. The last time yields fell this fast was March 2015, while the Bank of Canada was in the midst of cutting rates. This is not your...

Few lenders in Canada are adapting better to online mortgage lending than HSBC. Thanks to league-leading rates and strong online marketing, the bank’s mortgage growth continues to outpace big banks. Since we last checked in with HSBC it’s been up to something interesting—something that foreshadows the future of how lenders sell mortgages in this country. The “Mortgage Centre” Mortgage shoppers...

When you go online, you leave a trail of digital bread crumbs. And if new research catches on, mortgage lenders could someday use those crumbs against you (or for you). The U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has published a study showing that creditworthiness is linked to a borrower’s “digital footprint.” NBER studied nine digital footprint variables: the borrower’s...

Mortgage activity fell more than many people thought last year. New data from CMHC shows a 9% drop in the number of consumers getting new mortgages in 2017, among the metro areas it surveyed. Stricter mortgage rules, higher mortgage rates and higher home prices were some of the likely causes. Of particular interest was the drop in refinances. The number of...

Despite higher rates, a healthy slice of our population is staying open minded to variable mortgage rates. A CIBC poll today finds that: 72% of Canadians expect rising interest rates over the next 12 months (26% think they’ll stay the same) An overwhelming 83% of Canadians favour “predictability and stability over risk” when it comes to their finances (unsurprisingly) 77%...

It turns out, we weren’t sniffing glue by arguing that 47% of mortgages are not up for renewal this year. “Some pundits have been circulating inaccurate information recently,” National Bank Financial (NBF) said in a report Thursday. “One is the affirmation that almost half of Canadian mortgages have been or will be up for renewal this year, suggesting an imminent...

Canadians are more gung-ho than ever to buy a house. RBC’s latest Home Ownership Poll found that nearly a third of Canadians (32%) still expect to buy a home within the next two years. That’s the highest level of homebuying intention Canada has seen since 2010, and up 7% from last year. This is despite a string of new 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...