Tagfixed mortgage rates

Posted July 12, 2017 Bank News

Bank of Canada rate hike.. it’s really not a big deal.

BREAKING NEWS… BANK OF CANADA RAISES RATE BY 0.25% AND THE SKY HASN’T FALLEN!!

Stephen Poloz, the Bank of Canada Governor, raised the Target rate by 0.25% to 0.75%. Maybe now the media will move on to other news.

Seriously, aren’t we all kinda tired of hearing how rates are going to skyrocket,…how this is going to make our mortgages unaffordable… how we have record debt levels.. how we are going to default our mortgages, lose our homes and go into a recession…it’s doom and gloom? This isn’t happening.

SOME FACTS ABOUT THE RATE HIKE Continue reading “Bank of Canada rate hike.. it’s really not a big deal.”

Posted January 2, 20175 Comments Interest rates

Mortgage rate outlook 2017.. Expect Fixed mortgage rates to go up…Expect Variable rate pricing to drop.

Fixed mortgage rates have increased by about 0.40% in the last 6 weeks. Today’s 5 year fixed rates are at around 2.89% and will could continue to go up in 2017. There are political and fundamental reasons why rates have gone up. (oh, by the way.. it’s not panic time.. who ever said that 5 yr fixed rates were the best product to choose anyways? more on this later.)

FUNDAMENTAL REASONS

Govt of Cda bond yields have gone up around 0.55% since October (fixed rates are priced from govt of Cda bond yields). It’s more expensive for Lenders to fund mortgages due to stricter government regulation and higher Capital holding requirements. These increased costs are being passed down to the consumer.

Okay, this is the “how” the rates are higher.. but what’s prompted these fundamentals? Why are rates higher?

POLITICAL REASONS.. IT’S ALL POLITICS Continue reading “Mortgage rate outlook 2017.. Expect Fixed mortgage rates to go up…Expect Variable rate pricing to drop.”

Posted June 21, 2016 Mortgage News

New record low fixed rates… how low can they go?

5 yr fixed rates just got better. With last weeks U.S. Fed chair, Janet Yellen, saying these low rates are the ‘new normal’, the markets reacted.

Bond yields are down and that has moved fixed rates lower. The best full featured, no handcuffs 5 yr fixed rate is 2.49% (yes, some fast closing specials exist but 2.49% is the best today). (oh, by the way, Yellen wasn’t the first govt rep to say this. Our own Senior Deputy Governor for the Bank of Canada, Carolyn Wilkins, said this 2 yrs ago.. Go Canada!)

Hard to believe they keep going lower. Does that mean we should jump into a 5 yr fixed? For some, yes. But for many of us, no. For over a decade, I’ve recommended Variable rate or a short term priced products. History has proven that short term priced products result in lower cost to the borrower.

However, there is something to be said for peace of mind. Many of us want to set it and forget it. For those that can’t sleep at night or for those that are borrowing to invest, then perhaps, 5 yr fixed makes sense.

If you really want to know what’s best for you and your situation, you must speak with an unbiased mortgage professional. A Mortgage Broker doesn’t work for any one Bank. They work for you. They will give you unbiased, neutral advice and they can offer hundreds of different products.

Your best interest is my only interest. I reply to all questions and I welcome your comments. Like this article? Share with a friend.

Steve Garganis 416 224 0114 steve@mortgagenow.ca

Posted November 24, 20154 Comments Interest rates

Mortgage rates went up…. but why? And will they continue to go up?

A month ago, I said Fixed mortgage rates probably hit the bottom. A week later, fixed mortgage rates started to go up… around 0.20% over the past 3 weeks. Variable rate mortgage pricing has gone from Prime less 0.65% to Prime less Prime less 0.40%.

Now, here’s the thing…. I don’t think rates will skyrocket over the next 6 or 12 months, like the pessimists would have you believe. I think mortgage rates hit the bottom….BUT, they probably won’t go up very quickly.

In fact, the forecast now is for the Bank of Canada rate to stay the same until 2017. This is just another example of how the world has become a smaller place. If someone sneezes in Germany, we catch a cold. With most of the global economies just getting by, there isn’t much reason for mortgage rates to go crazy. They should remain low.

The key driver for rates going up recently is nothing more than profit taking. Banks have had a great year… In case you didn’t know. That’s right.. we seem to forget that 2015 was one of the best years on record for real estate and mortgage volume… and house prices have never been higher. Funny how that seems to get lost in the media reports.

Look for Variable rate pricing to fall in the new year… Fixed rates could also come down slightly, but don’t count on them hitting the record lows that we saw this summer. Hey, that’s not to say rates are bad. We are still well under 3.00%. These are ridiculously low mortgage rates. Enjoy them while you can.

Your best interest is my only interest. I reply to all questions and I welcome your comments. Like this article? Share with a friend.

Steve Garganis 416 224 0114 steve@mortgagenow.ca

Posted November 5, 20152 Comments Interest rates

Trudeau sworn in as new PM, and bond yields jump leading to higher fixed mortgage rates!

Yesterday, our new Prime Minister gets sworn in. Justin Trudeau is Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister. Some interesting facts… Bond yields have gone up significantly in the last 2 weeks, since the election. Fixed rates are priced directly from the Govt of Cda Bond yields. If the yields go up, then fixed mortgage rates go up. If they go down, then fixed mortgage rates go down.

Since the election on Oct 19, the bond yields have made a steady climb upwards. Going from around 0.80% to 0.97% today.. Investors seem to think the Trudeau govt will keep it’s promise and spend our way to prosperity. The concern is that if the govt of Canada increases its borrowing, the borrowing costs will go up. Meaning it will cost the govt more, which in turn affects personal borrowing costs. That’s you and I.

Watch for fixed mortgage rates to climb over the next month or so. Right now, the increase is expected to be minimal…. but that could change.

I’ll be watching and reporting how this plays out. Let’s hope the campaign promise of increasing the deficit was one of those promises that doesn’t get honored. If you want to keep borrowing costs low, then you also want less govt, not more.

Your best interest is my only interest. I reply to all questions and I welcome your comments. Like this article? Share with a friend.

Steve Garganis 416 224 0114 steve@mortgagenow.ca