New mortgage rules are in effect as of December 1, 2016 and you will need a mortgage broker to navigate through the maze of mortgages
3 Tips When Renewing Your Mortgage
I have to share this personal experience since it resembles what I deal with on a daily basis with my mortgage clients.
My home and auto insurance policies have been with a company for years now until I got my renewal letter a few weeks ago. The jump in insurance premium caught my attention especially since my wife and I are responsible drivers: we have 2 young children, and our records have been impeccable; no tickets, no violations, no accidents.....Usually I get my renewal, go through it to ensure there aren't major changes, the price is reasonable based on the previous premium and then renew.
Sounds familiar? You get your mortgage renewal, too busy with kids, work and life, numbers look ok and you renew? I wasn't happy with the increase in premium and decided to look around.
I tried a price comparison site which provided a low price but after connecting with the insurance company it turned out the information transferred to them from the rate site was inaccurate and the quoted price was invalid; it was higher.
Sounds familiar? You check out a mortgage rate site to find out the rates being quoted are for 30 day closings, have restrictive conditions, not valid for rental properties, you can't refinance the mortgage in the future.....and the list goes on.
By investing some time I saved 25% off what was offered by the existing insurance company.
3 Mortgage Renewal Tips
- Don't sign the renewal letter sent by your incumbent lender
- Rate sites provide a number but don't tell the full story
- Take the time to consult with a professional, it could save you thousands of dollars
In my business, new and repeat clients are provided with superior service and their business is never taken for granted. I don't understand why some businesses take their existing clients for granted.
If your mortgage is up for renewal, you don't want to be taken for granted and looking for professional unbiased advice, please contact me.
How To Beat 2.99% 5 Year Mortgage Rate
Bank of Montreal's 2 week promotion of 2.99% 5 year fixed rate has initiated a flood of emails from lenders lowering their interest rates on various mortgage terms. Yes, the gloves are off since we are back from the holidays and the real estate market is active again. Can this rate be beat? The answer is yes if one looks at a longer term. Here is a scenario I ran for clients today based on a $250,000 mortgage:
Option 1: 10 year fixed 3.89% amortized over 30 years.
Option 2: 2.99% 5 year fixed amortized over 25 years, renew at normal interest environment of 5.75% for 5 years (click here for historical chart).
For both options, the monthly payments are set exactly the same over the 10 year period. Here is a screen print of the comparison chart:
Summary:
- Option 1 home equity after 10 years: $75,706 (10 year fixed results in additional equity)
- Option 2 home equity after 10 years: $69,576
- Payment shock with option 2: $310 per month when renewing from 2.99% to 5.75%
- With inflation hedge mortgage strategy, additional equity would be obtained with option 1
In conclusion, mortgage rate is important, however looking at the long term picture and minimizing the cost of homeownership is key.
To discuss how you can be mortgage free sooner, please contact me.
2 Factors That Can Affect Your Home Value
For example cities such as Windsor and Oshawa are reliant on the automotive industry. Since the automotive industry downturn, many jobs that support the auto industry have been lost as well (tool & die, transportation, manufacturing companies, sub suppliers...). As unemployment numbers rise, the supply demand pendulum swings towards more people selling their homes and/or less having the appetite to buy homes since there is a lack of job security which lowers real estate values. This has been evident in Windsor over the last few years which continues to struggle in creating jobs.Keep in mind the next time you are looking for a home or an investment property in a city, to take a look at job creation activities such as companies relocating or expanding, infrastructure investment or a city that is diversified in multiple industies. Afterall, having all the city's eggs in one basket is risky!
To discuss your personal mortgage needs, please contact me.
What's Happening To Variable Mortgages?
What Was That Lender's Name Again?
Mortgage brokers promote dealing with 20 or more lenders. However, many homeowners only recognize the big 6 banks they have seen on street corners. So who are these other lenders that brokers promote? In Canada, approximately 25% of homeowners use the services of a mortgage broker. These lenders are Canadian owned and operated, but choose to fund their mortgages through the broker channel to cut overhead costs on "brick and mortar". Afterall, having full-time salaried employees with benefits cost money, not to mention the costs of operating a bank branch. Due to the reduction of expenses for the "non-bank" lenders, they tend to pass on the savings to borrowers through lower rates.
What are The Risks of Dealing With Non-Bank Lenders?
There is a mis-conception, especially after the financial credit crunch in late 2008, that borrowers will lose their homes if the mortgage is funded by a non-bank lender. This is absolutely not true. The risk is assumed by the lender since they are the ones giving out their money with the understanding the borrower will repay the mortgage on time. Also, keep in mind these lenders function under the Canadian Government rules and laws.
Why Should I Choose a Non-Bank Lender Over A Bank?
You don't have to. A non-bank lender is an option that is presented by your mortgage professional to consider. Other important factors to consider when choosing a lender are:
- How is the mortgage penalty calculated?
- If I decide to lock in, do I get the posted or discounted rate (typically 1.5% difference)?
- What features are built into the mortgage (pre-payment, increased payment, portable, assumable...)?
- What are the fine print terms that I should be aware of?
- Who & how will my mortgage be managed? Afterall, getting a mortgage is one thing but working with someone who will oversee the mortgage and optimize it to reduce overall interest is another skill (click here for inflation hedge mortgage strategy)
Bottom line, if you pay your mortgage on time no on will take your home away! This is Canada afterall.
To discuss your personal mortgage financing situation, please contact me.
How You Can Buy A Home With $24.95?
A client approached me a few weeks back with interest of getting pre-qualified for a mortgage to buy their first home. During our initial meeting, we discussed their goals, where they see themselves in 5 years and cash flow projections based on mortgage interest rates over the next 5 years. One of the questions I ask, is how the person's credit score is. The client stated they had no outstanding debt with very little credit card balance that is paid off every month. Once all the necessary information was gathered, a credit check was completed and I was shocked to what I saw in their report. There was an outstanding student loan which showed delinquency for over 21 months which literally had destroyed the client's credit score and history. I contacted the client to notify them of the issue and they were surprised to hear there was a balance since they stopped receiving a bill after they moved to their new address. They had thought the loan was paid off. Unfortunately, the outstanding balance was minimal but had accumulated lots of interest over the 21 months.
In this case, the client will have to re-establish their credit and show 2 years of good credit history to qualify for a mortgage at a decent mortgage interest rate. There are other alternatives, but are more costly.
By checking your own credit score annually from Equifax (http://goo.gl/5xqCP) these type of issues would be resolved. Similar to a medical annual check up, an annual credit check is important to verify there aren't any errors or items that need to be addressed immediately. The cost of checking your credit score is $24.95.
To discuss your personal mortgage financing needs, please contact me.
Why Ultra Low Mortgage Rates Are Not Good?
We have experienced low mortgage rates since the financial credit crisis in late 2008. The purpose of the low rates is to stimulate consumer spending which will result in economic growth and recovery out of the recession. In the last few weeks, there have been talks regarding the European debt crisis and how similar it looks like the 2008 credit crisis. It started with Ireland and Greece, which are considered small economies in Europe. The credit crisis talks have shifted to Spain and Italy which are large economies. As Germany and France continue to bailout their Euro zone counterparts, they accumulate more debt. There were talks last week that France is in financial trouble which resulted in a stock market sell off among other bad economic news. The bottom line there is a storm brewing in Europe which will come to fruition sooner or later. This uncertainity has resulted in bond yields dropping to historic lows which will result in lower fixed mortgage rates.
There are now possibilities the Bank of Canada might hold or even consider cutting its benchmark rate (which sets prime rate) to stimulate the Canadian economy just in case Canada gets dragged into a slowdown due to what's happening in US & Europe. This means continued low rates for the foreseeable future.
So What You Might Ask?
The concern with even lower interest rates, is creating more demand in the Canadian real estate market. This is good news for first time home buyers since the affordability requirements will drop, however, more bidding wars might result (I can only comment on Toronto's real estate market since this is where I conduct my business) and some would lose out. Canadian household debt is already at an all time high and taking on further debt could result in an unpleasant consequences for all (http://goo.gl/zzcDH). The lower rates will pull the future demand into the present and leave a void in the future. The other concern is Canadians getting used to these low mortgage rates and not plan for higher interest rate environment when mortgages renew in a few years from now.
Finally, taking on debt with a responsible plan to pay if off can be a good thing. However, taking on debt and not planning for higher interest environment will have dire consequences.
To discuss your personal mortgage financing situation, please contact me.
Are Mortgage Interest Rates Dropping?
The Roller Coaster Market And Your Mortgage
It has been a roller coaster for the last few days in the market! There has been a lot happening over the last month or so in the global economy which has resulted in some serious volatility in the market (stocks & bonds).
The majority of homeowners, unfortunately, get a mortgage from their local branch, set the payment and forget about it till renewal. I call it "set it & forget it" approach. Since 2008, there has been a lot volalitility which is anticipated to continue as the western economies deal with unprecedented levels of debt. Here is a number to put things into perspective: Between today and September 1, 2011, European countries have to pay 57 billion euros of interest! These numbers will have a huge impact on the recovery of Europe, not to mention the US which is dealing with its own fiscal challenges.
Why Should You Care?
A mortgage, whether it is for a home, cottage or rental property is an investment vehicle. Similar to one's RRSPs, which I am sure lots of Canadians are now reviewing on a daily basis, a mortgage needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to optimize it for what's happening in the economy. This means someone overseeing the mortgage, notifying the borrower when to adjust the mortgage payment to reduce the mortgage amortization and save thousands of interest dollars as well as adjusting the mortgage for renewal at a higher interest environment. These low rates will not be around forever. The beauty of all this after mortgage funding service, is it comes at no cost to the borrower from a mortgage professional, believe it or not. Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners don't utilize this free service.
This is a great opportunity for Canadian homeowners to take advantage of this low interest rate environment and set up a plan to achieve mortgage freedom and save thousands of unnecessary interest dollars. Afterall, it is your hard earned dollars!
To discuss your personal mortgage finance situation, please feel free to contact me.
My Commentary On What The Bank Of Canada Said Today
What's Your Best Interest Rate?
Typically, one asks for the best mortgage rate when looking for a mortgage. In this video, other questions to be considered are discussed to help one decide since a mortgage is an investment vehicle not a commodity.
Where Is Prime Rate Going?
Why Fixed Rates Move So Much?
Are You Ready For 6%?
Today's mortgage rates remain to be extremely low due to the uncertainity in the global market (risk of Greece defaulting), anemic job creation in the US and massive government debts and deficits. In Canada, we have been lucky not to experience the pain of our neighbours to the south or across the pond in Europe. Fixed mortgage interest rates are hovering in the mid to high 3% which are historically low. Over the last 25 years, fixed rates average around 6% (see chart below which shows posted rates. Typically, there is 1.5% difference between posted and discounted)
It is important to budget ahead for the time when mortgages are up for renewal at the 6% level. Inflation hedge strategy, is a pro-active plan where the mortgage is reviewed annually and adjusted according to the projected renewal rate. This strategy saves the borrower thousands of interest dollars and accelerates paying down the mortgage principal. At renewal, the borrower's mortgage balance is reduced and adjusted for higher interest rate environment eliminating any payment shock.
For variable mortgage holders, the savings are even greater, since the mortgage is paid at the fixed interest rate level which contributes more monies towards paying down the mortgage principal.
For your personal mortgage review and inflation hedge analysis, please contact me.
Is That The Best Rate You Have?
In today's competitive mortgage market, there is lots of "lowest interest rate" and "best mortgage rates" advertising in the media. I even saw a jeweler offering mortgages!! Is the best rate really what's best for one's situation?
Asking for and making a decision strictly on lowest rate is similar to someone walking into a financial planner's office and asking for the lowest MER mutual fund. Mortgages are investments and need to be chosen based on where the economy is currently, what's expected to happen with interest rates over the next few years (inflation, job creation and global factors), personal and financial situation and borrower's risk tolerance. The fine print of the mortgage such as compounding, prepayment priviliges, increased payments, portability, assumability and how the penalty is calculated are important features to be understood upfront prior to commiting to a mortgage product. It's unfortunate that homeonwers have been programmed to get the lowest rate, set the payment and not look at the mortgage till renewal time. There are significant opportunities in optimizing the mortgage to reduce the amortization and build significant equity in a shorter period of time if the mortgage is managed properly by a professional.
The next time you are in the market for a mortgage whether you are buying a home or an investment property, renewing, or refinancing, please email me to send you a checklist of factors to consider in choosing what's right for you and your family.
Please contact me should you have any questions regarding your mortgage.
What Drives Variable Rate Mortgages?
My previous blog post discussed factors driving fixed rate mortgages. What about variable rate mortgages? Variable mortgages are driven by prime rate (which is based on Bank of Canada's benchmark rate) and the discount a lender would provide. For example, 5 year variable mortgage at prime less 0.75%.
The benchmark rate, is set by the Bank of Canada on eight set dates annually. Bank of Canada targets inflation around the 2% level, if inflation is higher then the benchmark rate is increased to control inflation and in cases where there is low inflation (or deflation), the benchmark rate is lowered to stimulate consumer spending and business investments due to the low cost of borrowing.
What does the dollar have to do with prime rate?
Canada's benchmark rate cannot be at a much higher level than the US benchmark rate since a substantial difference between the two would drive foreign investors to buy the Canadian dollar and appreciate its value. A stronger Canadian dollar would reduce Canada's competitiveness by making Canadian products more expensive therefore reducing exports and slowing economic growth. The US economy has and will continue to experience tough and slow economic recovery. The US Federal Reserve will keep its benchmark rate low to stimulate the economy, create jobs, promote consumer spending and increase housing demand through low interest rate environment. With the upcoming US elections in 2012, the US will keep rates low to aid re-electing the current president (historic data shows in re-election years US interest rates are kept low). This low US interest rate environment will exert more pressure on the Bank of Canada not to increase the Canadian benchmark rate aggressively till the end of 2012 which makes variable interest rates favourable. Having said that, the Bank of Canada will have to increase the benchmark rate to control inflation and high consumer debt levels, however it will be gradual. My prediction is 0.5% increase for this year.
For your personal mortgage review, please contact me.
What Drives Fixed Rate Mortgages?
Since January of this year, fixed rate mortgages have been volatile (see chart below) with many increases followed by decreases whereas prime rate (which affects variable mortgages) has been stable over the same period of time. What drives fixed interest rates to be this volatile?
Fixed rates are driven by the bond market. Bond yields decrease with bad news such as the recent Japanese natural disaster and the Libyan crisis. These events which occured in mid March resulted in lower fixed rates for a short period of time. On the other hand, news such as higher inflation and positive job creation drive up bond yields since investors move their money into the stock market and for bonds to be attractive for investors, they would have to provide a higher yield (ie. fixed rates would increase).
Good economic news with respect to job creation, lower number of Canadians filing for unemployment insurance, US economoy creating jobs and trimming its deficit, result in increased bond yields and therefore higher fixed rates.
In my opinion, the number one risk over the next few years as the global economy recovers is inflation. Governments spent billions of dollars to stimulate the economy by providing liquidity into the market which has to be paid for by the taxpayers eventually. High inflation would drive up fixed rates accordingly.
To review your personal mortgage situation, please contact me.
Why Everyone Should Have A Re-Advanceable Mortgage?
What's a re-advanceable mortgage? Typically, homeowners get a mortgage on their home or investment property and should they need to access their home equity for investment or personal reasons, they would have to break the mortgage, pay a penalty and legal fees to refinance their mortgage. A great way to continuously access their equity, homeowners can get a re-advanceable mortgage.
The homeowner will need to have 20% equity in their home. Based on qualifications, a mortgage up to 80% of the appraised value can be obtained and split into a fixed or variable mortgage with a line of credit. As the homeowner pays down the mortgage principal, the line of credit increases by the principal amount for a total of 80%. This product can be obtained on primary residence and one rental property.
Example
Home value: $400,000
80% mortgage: $320,000
Mortgage portion: $300,000, line of credit portion: $20,000
As the mortgage principal is reduced, eg. $319,500, the line of credit increases to $20,500. Another benefit of this product is the homeowner does not pay interest on the line of credit until funds are borrowed which allows the homeower to aggressively paydown their mortgage knowing that all the available principal would be accessed via the line of credit.
For your personalized mortgage review, please contact me.
Do You Really Need A Mortgage Broker?
When meeting a potential client, one of the first questions I ask is: "Have you worked with a mortgage broker in the past?" Here are statistics based on Maritz research completed for Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP) in 2010:
- 25% of Canadians arrange their mortgage with a mortgage broker
- 40% of first time home buyers arrange their mortgage with a mortgage broker
- 33% of Canadians have a good or full understanding of the services provided by mortgage brokers
Working with a professional mortgage broker who holds an accredited mortgage professional (AMP) designation can provide the following to a homeowner:
- Access to various lenders (options with respect to products)
- Discounted rates based on volume of business placed with lenders
- Unbiased advice on products depending on client's goals and personal situation (5 year terms do not make sense sometimes)
- Mortgage management strategy after funding
Some might argue that dealing with their institution is the way to go. Here are items to consider when negotiating with your lending institution:
- Is the employee loyal to me (the client) or employer who pays their paycheque?
- Does the product being presented to me make sense for my personal situation or is it what's most profitable for the institution?
- Will the employee manage my mortgage and let me know what's happening in the market that could affect my mortgage?
- Am I getting options with an explanation of pros & cons of each option?
- Am I being told to shop around and they will match what I get? Is so, do they deserve my business if I am doing their work? Shouldn't they offer me the best deal upfront to earn my business?
- Are the fine terms being explained to me? And what type of costs I might incurr due to the terms in the mortgage?
Working with a professional mortgage broker does not cost money to the client as the broker is compensated by the lenders they place the mortgage with. The mortgage broker's loyalty is with the client, since happy clients refer their family, friends & colleagues.
When deciding which mortgage broker to work with, consider the following:
- Length of time in the business and whether they are in the business full time
- Do some research on the net to find out more about them
- Ask for references from previous clients
- Ask how will they manage your mortgage once it is funded to reduce the total cost of homeownership
- If they promise "best rates and work with 20+ lenders" run away
And the most important factor, is work with someone you trust, share similar values and connect with. Afterall, our homes are the largest investments we make in our lives.
To discuss your mortgage options please contact me.
