At a quick glance a reverse mortgage and a HELOC appear very similar. However, once you begin looking at the details they have many striking differences between them. In short, while both can meet the immediate purpose of the loan, a reverse mortgage is designed to accommodate the individual’s lifestyle well after they receive the […]

As expected, the Bank of Canada held rates steady at 1.25% for the third consecutive month but said that first-quarter growth was stronger than expected and that developments since April suggest that higher interest rates will be warranted. The first quarter GDP numbers are out tomorrow morning, and it’s clear the Q1 growth will be […]

You may have heard that rates are changing, and that is true. They don’t call it war for nothing and you need an expert by your side! Think of mortgage brokers as your loyal soldiers. What we are seeing is exactly what we anticipated when prime rate goes up and discounts go down. Confused? Don’t […]

April is usually the start of a spring housing market ramp-up, but this year the new mortgage stress test and rising mortgage rates have continued to be a negative factor. Those expecting an early-stage pick-up marking an end to the payback for sales pulled forward into the fourth quarter of last year have been sorely […]

It’s a mistake to shrug off interest rate increases because all banks are doing it. There’s a lot of sameness to how banks treat their customers, but raising rates is an exception. We’ve recently seen varying levels of aggressiveness in raising mortgage rates. And in one case, we’ve seen an unusually shaky hand in ramming […]

With the Bank of Canada holding rates steady this April, the same is not the case for the bond market, which impacts fixed rates. In every interest-rate market there are many factors leading to and increase and we are hoping to provide a little bit of clarity on what is happening and what it means […]

TORONTO — Two of Canada’s biggest banks are raising their benchmark rates for five-year, fixed-rate mortgages. TD says as of Wednesday it increased its posted rate for five-year fixed mortgages to 5.59 per cent from 5.14 per cent. Mortgage planner and rate comparison website founder Robert McLister says the increase is “unusual” as the benchmark […]

The Canadian dollar fell sharply immediately after the release of the Bank of Canada’s Official Statement providing a more bullish forecast for the economy while holding rates steady. The Bank hiked its estimate of noninflationary potential growth, implying there was more room to grow without triggering rate hikes. The central bank now suggests the economy […]

There has been no shortage of changing in policies, and one specific area that continues to grow is reverse mortgage space. There are so many baby boomers who are house rich but cash poor and are living on fixed incomes. We have recently seen new lenders enter this space and competition makes lenders better! So […]

Do you have a mortgage? So do I! Looks like we have something in common. Did you know that 6 out of 10 consumers break their mortgage 38 months into a 5-year term? That means that 60% of consumers break a 5-year term mortgage well before it’s due…but do you also know what the implications […]