Think that a 5 percent down payment is enough to secure a great mortgage rate? Think again. Pulling together the minimum 5 percent down payment, while a good start, is just that – a start. If you’re a first time home buyer looking to move up the property ladder, don’t skimp on your down payment. If you’re having trouble pulling together the 5 percent minimum, you’re setting yourself up for a hard, long haul. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Mortgage
Half of Canadians Prefer Fixed Rate Mortgage Products
Fixed or variable? If you’re thinking about buying a home, it’s one of the most important decisions you’ll make. According to a recent poll conducted by CIBC, 50 percent of Canadian’s prefer to go with a fixed rate mortgage product – an increase of 39 percent over last year’s numbers. And while this isn’t surprising, given the convergence of fixed and variable rates over the past six months, it’s a telling sign of the times. More and more Canadians are locking in low, long term mortgage rates in anticipation of rate hikes from the Bank of Canada. Continue reading
CMHC Responsibility Changes Hands
Concern over a red-hot housing marketing and increasing consumer debt has prompted Finance Minister Jim Flaherty to make some drastic changes this week. On Thursday, Minister Flaherty announced that responsibility for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will be handed over to the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, the nation’s banking regulator.
It’s unclear how the change will impact the market. While some believe that new oversight will help halt skyrocketing real estate prices in Toronto, some experts anticipate very little change. Flaherty made it overtly clear that his main reason for tabling the bill was concern over the Toronto condo market. Designed to discourage high-risk borrowing, the new regulations would put the OSFI in charge of reviewing and monitoring CMHC’s commercial activities. The agency was previously monitored by Human Resources Minister Diane Finley. Continue reading
Bank of Canada Maintains Overnight Rate
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
Make the Most of Low Mortgage Rates in 2012
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