The Financial Post recently reported that Canadian real estate investment trusts (REITs) have rallied to the highest levels in five years, and that’s despite Finance Minster Jim Flaherty’s constant threat of increased interest rates.
So, just what is a real estate investment trust and how can it impact your best mortgage rate search? Let’s take a look. Continue reading
The Bank of Canada left its main interest rate untouched yesterday, maintaining a 1 percent overnight rate for the 13th consecutive review. While Governor Mark Carney painted a bright economic picture, rumblings of increased interest rates are becoming more and more prevalent.
Overall, the economic momentum in Canada is slightly firmer than the Bank expected back at the beginning of the year. The Bank has projected the Canadian economy to grow by 2.4 percent in both 2012 and 2013 before moderating to 2.2 percent in 2014. As such, the Bank anticipates that the economy will return to full capacity in the first half of 2013. Continue reading
A hot housing market is pushing borrowers farther and farther away from mainstream financing and it’s causing quite the stir in the Canadian subprime mortgage industry. The source of the excitement? A growing pile of mortgage debt that’s coming from outside of Canada’s big six banks. Continue reading
Are you in the market for a mortgage renewal this year? Then pull up your socks, grab a mortgage calculator, and get ready to start saving some serious cash! If you’re one of the many Canadians who settled for a fixed-rate five-year mortgage back in 2007, chances are you’ve been kicking yourself ever since. At the time, locking in a 5 percent or higher interest rate seemed like a bargain – the market was hot, housing prices were high, and interest rates were on a continued climb.
And then the bubble burst, the U.S. economy toppled, and interest rates dropped to historic lows. Five-year fixed mortgage holders were left with massive payments while the rest of the country took advantage of some of the best mortgage rates ever.
But the tides are about to turn. Continue reading
According to a recent study by the Bank of Montreal, four in ten Canadians would feel the pinch if best rate mortgages saw a two percent interest rate increase. The study, which was compiled by Leger Marketing, found that 43 percent of Canadian homeowners believe an interest rate increase would either hamper their ability to pay their mortgage or leave them on rocky financial footing.
The study also found that one out of every five Canadians surveyed felt that a two percent increase would hurt their ability to make their mortgage, while 23 percent were unsure how a hike would affect them. Just over half, 57 percent of respondents felt that they could still afford their home if interest rates were to increase (the survey was completed online with a national sample of 150 Canadians over the age of 18). Continue reading