Competition = Low Mortgage Rates

Stop! Don't Renew Your Mortgage...

Have you received your mortgage renewal in the mail? Don't just sign the form and send it back to the lender.

Over 70% of mortgage holders in Calgary and Edmonton do just that, and what is the usual result — a higher mortgage rate and a product that might not be best suited to their needs.

Make sure you are getting the best mortgage renewal rate in Alberta. Learn More

Canadian Mortgage Info Online

CanEquity.com has recently launched its Canadian Mortgage Statistics website providing a unique source for mortgage brokers and mortgage seekers to learn about Internet mortgage trends.

These statistics were compiled using over 20,000 surveys, plus data collected over a span of five years.

Over one thousand pages of cities and towns have been developed with data ranging from average loans to peak hours for mortgage inquires through a 24-hour day.

Some of the highlights you will find are:

• Average ages, martial and residential status for Internet mortgage inquires.
• Interactive flash interface allowing you to plot national and provincial mortgage originations, average incomes, and loan amounts.
• Data displaying year-to-year, month-to-month and day-to-day Internet volume comparisons with complete charts and graphs.
• Tables displaying provincial and national mortgage volume rankings of cities and towns throughout Canada.

These statistics are anonymous and contain no personal information, and cannot be used to gather such information; therefore this information may be used freely for educational or non-commercial use.

Prime Lending Rate vs Fixed Mortgage Rates

Many Canadian's have asked, "When the bank of Canada lowers or increases prime does that mean fixed mortgage rates will move?"

The question is best answered by describing the differences between the two:

Prime Lending Rate: For most Canadian's this is what our major bank offers us for a line of credit or a variable rate mortgage. When the bank of Canada lowers or increase their over night target rate most lending institutions will follow suit. This is just a target rate that the banks aren't forced to follow. The Major banks and lenders in Canada will almost always follow this rate change and increase their prime lending rate. In most cases the Bank of Canada rate is much lower than the prime rate major banks offer. The prime lending rate in Canada is set by the Finance Minister and his/her staff.

Fixed Mortgage Rates: (3yr, 5yr etc): Funds for these products come from various sources. The majorities come from the Canadian Bond Market, life insurance funds and other investment funds. You can usually gauge an increase or decrease in fixed mortgage rates if you follow the Bond Market. Fluctuation in fixed mortgage rates has little or nothing to do with the Prime Lending Rate.

As you can see the Prime Lending Rate and Fixed Mortgage Rates have very little to do with each other. It is important to remember that changes in the Prime Lending Rate are usually indicative of the general state of the economy. Bonds rates and fixed mortgages usually follow these trends; this is where the general confusion started.

Note: You should receive professional financial advice when considering switching to a biweekly mortgage payment schedule.

Closing Costs Associated with Purchasing a New Home

Be prepared to pay some closing costs when purchasing a new home. These costs are not part of the property purchase, but additional items that you should consider. However, it is important to remember that these items may not be applicable in all cases, so check with your lawyer for a complete list of all closing costs specific to your situation. Possible closings costs can include:

• Legal fees
• Property Transfer Tax
• Interest Adjustment
• Property Tax Adjustment
• Property Appraisal
• Property Inspection
• Survey Certificate
• Insurance Binder

Note: Some of these costs may be included in your legal fees as your lawyer will arrange for the service to be completed.