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CategoryMortgage Trends

Posted Interest rates

Have Fixed mortgage rates hit the bottom?

record low ratesEarlier this year, Fixed rates hit new all-time lows.  This must sounds like a broken record, or for those in the modern error, sounds like a glitch or a skip (somehow, ‘broken record’ sounds better).

5 year fixed rates hit 2.59%.  This is the lowest we have ever seen. (before you start emailing me that you’ve seen lower rates, yes, I know.. I see them too and have access to them.. but those products are full of restrictions, limitations and inflated prepayment penalty calculations… for our purposes, I’m only discussing quality mortgage products with no gimmicks or strings attached).

Now, looking at the 5 yr govt of Cda bond yields (this is where fixed rates are closely priced from), we have seen this drop down to as low as 0.70%… it’s been holding steady in the 0.80% range since July.    Normally, the 5 fixed rate is priced 1.10% to 1.50% above the 5 yr bond yield..  but the spread has been at or over 1.79% for quite a while.   So, why haven’t the fixed rates gone down further? Continue reading “Have Fixed mortgage rates hit the bottom?”

Posted Mortgage News

Trudeau effect on housing market, interest rates and more….!

Trudeal Liberal majority“My fellow Canadians,  Canada has spoken…”  you’ve heard the speech before.  Okay, now that the party is over, what’s the hangover gonna look like?    It’s hard to say for sure.   Politicians are infamous for making promises they can’t keep.

One thing that we (I’m talking about anyone with a mortgage or invested in real estate) should be concerned with is what the Liberals plan to do with housing, mortgage rules, interest rates.

Here’s part of what they have promised..    Good and Bad. Continue reading “Trudeau effect on housing market, interest rates and more….!”

Posted Interest rates

Rates usually drop leading up to a Federal election!

Election 2015History tells us that mortgage rates usually drop leading up to an election. And 2015 has followed that trend.   It started in January of this year, when the Bank of Canada (BOC) Governor, Stephen Poloz, shocked Economists with his surprise 0.25% Bank Rate cut.

(CanadaMortgageNews.ca readers will remember, not all were shocked, as I had predicted a rate drop just days earlier).

Then in July, the BOC Govr did it again..  this time, it wasn’t as much a shock.  The Bank Prime was cut by another 0.25% after months of negative Economist data showed the Canadian economy was slowing.  Continue reading “Rates usually drop leading up to a Federal election!”

Posted 2 Comments on BIG SIX BANKS aren’t passing along the Bank of Canada rate cut to consumers? Bank News

BIG SIX BANKS aren’t passing along the Bank of Canada rate cut to consumers?

banksters monopolyToday, the actual BANK PRIME rate should be 2.50%, not 2.70%.   What am I talking about?… follow me on this and let’s see if this makes sense.

It’s been a few weeks since the Bank of Canada cut the rate.  I’ve been waiting to see how this would play out… First, let’s get the terminology clear.    Bank of Canada overnight rate, or Key rate as it’s referred to, directly affects the Retail Bank Prime rate and Variable rate mortgages.   This does not have a direct impact on fixed rate mortgages.

Last January, the Bank of Canada Governor, Stephen Poloz, surprised most economists and financial experts when he cut the rate by 0.25% (well, not all experts, I called for a rate cut just a week earlier).
Continue reading “BIG SIX BANKS aren’t passing along the Bank of Canada rate cut to consumers?”

Posted 1 Comment on Bond Yields are up… will Fixed Mortgage rates follow? Interest rates

Bond Yields are up… will Fixed Mortgage rates follow?

graph trend upFixed mortgage rates are tied closely to the Govt of Cda bond yields.   And bond yields are up…  Since mid April, the 5 yr Gov of Cda bond yield has gone from 0.75% to 1.07%.   That’s a 0.32% jump.   Normally, we would see fixed mortgage rates go up.

So far, no increase.  But that’s probably more to do with a competitive Spring housing market.   This is when most house sales and mortgage transactions take place.   The Banks need to maintain certain market share levels in order to keep shareholders happy.    They are willing to sacrifice a little profit margin (and I do mean little… they seem to make up for this with higher service fees as was recently reported, but let’s not get into that now…).

If the bond yields continue to increase, we will see fixed mortgage rates rise.  That’s an automatic.   The real question is how long will the bond yields continue their climb?   It will be interesting to watch the next few months.   We can expect to see some rate increases as the Spring market ends and Banks look to increase their profit…. A pattern that repeats itself year after year..   but here’s what you can do to protect yourself… Continue reading “Bond Yields are up… will Fixed Mortgage rates follow?”