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Posted 2 Comments on RBC Mortgage Specialist crosses the line. Mortgage News

RBC Mortgage Specialist crosses the line.

They say competition is good for the consumer.   And I must agree.. this is part of what a Mortgage Broker does…A Broker determines a borrower’s needs, goals and objectives…..and then go to the market to seek out the most competitive mortgage product for that client…

Last week, I received what must be the most inaccurate piece of marketing propaganda I have ever seen in my 21 years in the Financial Services industry.  click here to view… At first, I was offended, angry and upset that RBC would put out something like this… but then I realized just how ignorant some Bank employees must be…..

Clearly, this RBC Mortgage Specialist thinks it’s okay to spread lies in an attempt to win over more mortgage business and discredit Mortgage Brokers . .. It’s just too bad she didn’t take the time to do some research before publishing her propaganda.

I thought I’d take the time to clarify some of her misinformation…..I’m making some comments below so that other RBC Bankers can get their facts straight…..and maybe answer or address any concerns or questions the average borrower would have…

  • Brokers will charge set up fees and have other hidden costs you should be aware of.    A mortgage broker does not usually charge a set up fee... A broker fee MAY apply for harder to place mortgages and for commercial mortgages…. BUT all fees MUST be disclosed BEFORE a borrower signs any document.… there are NO hidden fees…all Mortgage Brokers are licensed provincially and must disclose all fees through a disclosure statement…  (most provinces have these regulations including BC, Alberta and Ontario)… By the way, Mortgage Specialists are NOT licensed by the government...
  • Ask the broker what their compensation will be.  Nothing wrong with that question… A broker’s compensation is based on the mortgage amount and product type…longer term products tend to pay brokers more.   But let’s ask the Bank Mortgage Specialists this question….  What compensation does she receive?   Did you know that the Bank Mortgage Specialists are paid more for selling a higher rate?  
  • Brokers will set you up with a financial institution based only on the lowest rate, no other factors.  Another completely false statement.  If you are a regular visitor of CanadaMortgageNews.ca then you know that interest rate is just one part of a mortgage…There are many other factors to consider such as a client’s personal needs, the terms of the mortgage, privileges and options….
  • When selling your mortgage, the broker and the financial institutions reviewing your file may pull numerous credit bureau requests.   This one makes me laugh…”numerous credit bureau requests” are NOT pulled when dealing with a broker.. In fact, the credit report that a broker pulls is considered a ‘soft hit’ by the credit reporting companies, just like the Banks… and the broker’s report is shared by the lender or lenders that underwrite and review the mortgage application…  it’s actually better to deal with a broker where there will only be ONE inquiry, rather than go to 5 or 6 banks and have them pull multiple inquiries….Numerous inquiries can affect your credit score in a negative way.
  • Brokers will not be there in a few months when you need to ask questions about your mortgage.   Any good mortgage broker will tell you they must stay in contact with their client…keep them informed….otherwise, how can they expect a borrower to come back to them for their future needs?  Brokers depend on repeat and referral business….  hmmm… let’s turn the tables… ask the RBC Mortgage Specialist how long they have been in their current position and how long they intend to stay in that position?    Ask yourself, how many times has your local branch changed account managers, branch manager?
  • Mortgage Brokers can most often find you the lowest rate on the market (well, that part is true and I’m glad to see this acknowledged… here’s a good link that proves this)  by taking advantage of this one time, one term rate offer the client has a price to pay.      No need to comment too much here…All mortgages have terms that expire… typical terms are 5 years… at the end of 5 years, borrowers can stay with their current Lender or go elsewhere…  A good broker will contact their clients at maturity and compare what their current Lender is offering and what the Mortgage Market is offering.

This post is a bit lengthy, but I thought it was important to be as thorough as possible…. I’m not sure how long this marketing piece will be in circulation but I know that the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals is aware of this and are in the process of contacting RBC to get them to take some sort of action with this RBC Mortgage Specialist…  We’ll update you as more news on this becomes available…

I do agree with one thing in this RBC piece…you really do need to check the credentials and credibility of your advisors…Hope you found this informative…

Posted 1 Comment on TD and RBC are first to raise fixed rates… Interest rates

TD and RBC are first to raise fixed rates…

RBC and TD Canada Trust are raising fixed mortgage rates from 20bps on shorter terms, to 35bps for longer terms…. The new posted 5 year fixed rate is 5.69%…

The so-called ‘special fixed rate’ advertised by Retail Banks is now 4.44% at TD and 4.54% at RBC.… (Of course, Mortgage Brokers have access to even lower rates…)

Three weeks ago, Banks lowered their fixed rates after the Bond market dropped due to the Mid-east turmoil and the Japan Tsunami.   Bond yields have gone up from 2.45% on March 16 to 2.77% today.    That 32bps increase has prompted the Banks to raise rates.   Fixed mortgage rates are affected by Bond Yields.

Variable rates remain unchanged.   Not sure what’s best for you?  Speak with a qualified Mortgage Broker to get some direction.

 

Posted Case study

Investing in a multi-unit properties? Take care…

Recently, I noticed something very strange happening with multi-unit properties and I want to share two experiences with you…

I was approached to refinance 2 separate and different Multi-unit properties by 2 completely different borrowers.    Both properties were in the Greater Toronto area.   They were both in great condition and were bringing in good rental income.

Property 1 was purchased in 2008 for $385k.  There are 3 legal rental units.   It generates good rental income of $3700/month. The owner paid utilities.

Property 2 was purchased in 2006 for $610k.  There are 3 legal rental units.  It generates rental income of $3400/mth…. The tenants paid utilities…(it should be noted that Property 2 is in a more expensive part of town where real estate prices are higher).

Fast forward to today…. Based on current appraised values, Property 1 is currently worth $460k, Property 2 is currently worth $660k.   Keep in mind that these are actual rents for both properties.

So how can this happen?  It’s clear to me… the buyer’s of Property 2 overpaid in 2006….Property 1 is in a less expensive part of town but the rental income and condition of the property are more relevant when dealing with investment properties….

How can you avoid this mistake?  Seek out the help of a good Mortgage Broker… A good broker can seek out the opinions of a recognized real estate appraiser… and even crunch the numbers with an experienced Lender to determine the property’s Lending Value…

As an aside, the average sale price of a single family home in GTA in 2006 was $350k…. today, it’s around $427k.   Multi-unit dwellings can be attractive but consider single family homes if you want to invest in real estate.  Always discuss the purchase with a trusted group of advisors… including your Mortgage Broker.

 

Posted Interest rates

Inflation rate drops in February and rate hikes pulled back.

It may seem hard to believe  but Canada’s core inflation rate is down in February to lowest level since 1984 as reported by CBC.  It’s now 0.90%.

Filling up my car at the gas pumps or buying groceries is certainly costing me more… So how can the inflation rate be lower be lower?

The Core inflation rate strips away food and energy costs resulting in a lower rate of inflation.

The Bank of Canada has a Target inflation rate of 2%.  The Target range is 1% to 3%.  When you combine a high Canadian $dollar that is at par with the $US dollar and this low inflation rate, the Bank of Canada less likely to raise the Target Rate….for now.

Here are a few forecasts…  Citigroup says a rate hike will not take place in April but instead, July.  And retired RBC Chief Economist, Patricia Croft says to watch the Bank of Canada 2 year bond yields for an indication of where the market thinks rates are headed.   The yields have dropped from 1.90% to 1.68%.    She says the market thinks rates won’t go up til October and only by 35bps.  But she thinks we should be ready for summer rate hikes.  The next few inflation reports will play a big part in the Bank of Canada’s future decisions.

I tend to agree with both forecasts… Summer rate hikes are  likely…. but I’m not sure how high and how quickly these rate hikes will happen.   We’ll be watching and reporting.

Posted 19 Comments on CBC news reports Scotiabank slams client with $30,000 penalty! Case study

CBC news reports Scotiabank slams client with $30,000 penalty!

A word about world events the past 4 weeks…  We have seen a lot of turmoil overseas……  Egypt, Libya  and other middle east countries…. We need to pay attention…. Let’s hope for an immediate and peaceful resolution…

The Tsunami in Japan has been horrible… the images on TV are tough to watch…what a tragedy… Our hearts go out to the people of that nation.

Fixed rates drop slightly and Variable rates remain flat.

We have also seen how mortgage rates can be affected by these events… The uncertainty has caused the Bond market to fall…. and we even saw a very small rate reduction by the Big Banks… Posted Fixed rates are down around 10bps… 5 yr fixed is 5.34%. Continue reading “CBC news reports Scotiabank slams client with $30,000 penalty!”