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TagFixed rates

Posted Mortgage Rates

Banks slow to lower rates…but quick to raise them

Some things never change…..On Oct 19th, 2010, the 5 year Canadian Bond yield was 1.85%… It fluctuated up and down but staying below 2.00% until Nov 5th when it closed at 2.053%…  We were expecting the Banks to adjust their Fixed rates downward but it didn’t happen..

Since then, it has kept above 2.00% and is currently at 2.27%….  This increase in the Bond yield usually means Fixed Mortgage Rates will go up..  See the chart here.

But earlier this week, the Big Six Banks lowered their posted 5 year mortgage rate to 5.19% from 5.29%…  This is just a delayed reaction the low bond yields.. but it just goes to show that the Banks continue their pattern of reacting slowing to lowering rates but move like Formula 1 race car to raise rates..

Of course, Posted Mortgage Rates really don’t mean much as the Wholesale Market or Broker Market deals with the true rates.. And Fixed rates dropped late last week to their lowest levels ever. … 5 year fixed rates are now at around 3.49%… with some Lenders even offering 3.39%…  WOW!

Watch for Fixed rates to move upward slightly as the Bond yield is now high enough to warrant an increase…

Posted Mortgage Products

Taking a look at a 1 year and 3 year fixed rates

I’ve had some inquiries about taking a 1 year and 3 year fixed rate…and for good reason.   A 1 year fixed rate can be had for about 2.50% and a 3 year fixed rate is 2.90%.   This does make going with a shorter fixed term an attractive option if Bank Prime rate continues to increase.

Best Variable rate is around Prime less 0.65% or 0.70% for qualified applicants with some conditions….  that puts the Variable rate at 2.30% or 2.35%…

I like Variable rate mortgages for many reasons but these shorter, fixed terms can be a good alternative.. Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions… speak with a qualified Mortgage Broker.

Posted Mortgage News

When should I lock in my Variable rate mortgage?

A thought on the minds of many, with all the talk of ‘Historical low fixed mortgage rates’ and ‘rising Variable rates’.   “When should I lock in my Variable rate mortgage?”

Here’s a quick suggestion and rule that I follow… We only want to lock in our Variable rate mortgage when we think Variable rates will go way up and for an extended period of time…

But we must also look at what we can lock into… if you are in a 2.10% Variable rate mortgage, would you lock into a 3.89% fixed mortgage rate?   I’m not sure I would…. I think it will take a few years before my Variable rate mortgage approaches today’s Fixed rate…..  why pay more today when you don’t have to?

For me, I can’t see Variable rate mortgages underperforming Fixed Rates over the 12 to 17 years that it will take us to pay our mortgage off.  Having said that, we are always evaluating the Market Trends and will adjust our strategies when needed.  A mortgage is a huge debt and deserves a solid strategy to retire this debt with the lowest cost.

Ultimately, it will come down to risk tolerance, your personal budget and what you believe will be the better strategy.  Consult your Mortgage Broker to better understand the differences.

By the way, you might be interested in knowing that certain Banks and Trust companies have recently started to pay us more to offer fixed rate mortgages over Variable rate Mortgages…Good Mortgage Brokers don’t let the compensation dictate which product they recommend.  They recommend what they believe is right for the client.

Posted 1 Comment on 3 year fixed mortgage rates under 3.00% Mortgage News

3 year fixed mortgage rates under 3.00%

Fixed mortgage rates are sitting at around 3.89% for a 5 year closed and 2.90% for a 3 year closed.  These are definitely attractive rates and are at or near historical lows…

Why?  The Bond market has dropped significantly over the past 3 months…. this has come as a surprise to many but not all…  The economic recovery isn’t as certain as we once thought… with mixed data coming out about our economy, this uncertainty will cause interest rates to stay low…

Once trend that has caught our eye is that lenders are now offering Mortgage Brokers a higher commission to sell a 3 year and a 5 year fixed rate product… and although that may attract more busy from some, I’m still recommending the Variable Rate mortgage, even though we get paid less.. it’s always about doing what’s in our client’s best interest.

Variable rate has been a proven winner over the past 25 years… I don’t think our economy is as strong as some would think….There has been improvement but we have a long way to go before we can say we are out… Hence the lower fixed mortgage rates… Variable rates will increase but it will be a slow, steady climb… with current Variable rates at 2.10%, Variable has a long way to go before it is not cost-effective.

Posted 2 Comments on Historical Rates updated…Canada reports job losses.. Fixed rates drop Mortgage Rates

Historical Rates updated…Canada reports job losses.. Fixed rates drop

Historical Rates

Here’s an updated chart that shows Fixed and Variable mortgage rates over the past 25 years…. click here.

Fixed rates drop again

Seems like it was just yesterday when we heard reports of mortgage rates going way up….  Posted Fixed rates fell again with RBC dropping their 5 year fixed rate to 5.59%.   Discounted 5 year fixed rates are now available at 3.89%…and Variable rates are hovering at around 2.10%.

Canada loses 139,000 jobs in July

Quoting a report from CBC.ca, Statistics Canada shows some cities improved their unemployment figures…but overall, we have few full-time jobs and more part-time jobs…  The recovery from the recession still seems to be headed in the right direction but this is definitely a speed bump that will slow us down..

The good news is for borrowers of money… interest rates shouldn’t go up in any hurry… in fact, we have seen fixed rates drop over the past 40 days…. watch for flat or modest rate movement over the next several months.