Mortgage Articles

Extended Amortization Mortgages

The definition of Amortization is roughly: Paying off a debt over a period of time through payments made at regular intervals. Each payment is a blend of principal and interest. The interest portion of the payment pays the lender for the use of the money; the principal portion is directly applied to the loan balance, reducing the amount of owed at each interval or payment.

To combat the oncoming recession, in the mid 2000’s, longer amortizations were introduced by Canada’s governing agencies. These longer amortizations are helping boost mortgage activity in Canada and helping increase the number of new and pre-owned home sales across the country. People that were otherwise unable to enter the homeowner market in times past are now able to afford the payments for a house through longer amortization periods.

Longer amortizations (25+ years) are readily available and are used to make the blended payments of principal and interest much more affordable. Shorter amortizations result in the loan being paid off quicker, but at the cost of higher payments; longer amortizations result in smaller payments, but the loan is being paid off over a larger period of time. If you can handle a higher payment, you can choose to have a lower amortization (5, 10, 15 years) and will pay less interest over the life of your mortgage.

Extended amortization periods are becoming more common in Canada. With the price of housing climbing every year, it is increasingly difficult for many Canadians to qualify for and afford the payments on a mortgage. Extended 30 year amortizations are requested by Canadians on a daily basis now.

The average Canadian household earns around 100,000 dollars per year. At today’s best rates, this means they can typically afford to make payments on a 25 year mortgage of, approximately, 500,000 dollars maximum. If they live in a rural area, it’s fairly easy to find suitable properties in this price range. If they live in the city though, 500,000 dollars may not be enough to find a home that suits their needs. The option of increasing their mortgage to a 30 year amortization increases the maximum amount they can afford to about 600,000 dollars, which can make all the difference when hunting for a home.

Regardless of whether you choose an extended amortization or not, most would agree that there is a place for it in the market. Extended amortizations will be a part of our economic landscape for many years to come. Alberta Equity mortgage brokers can assist you by giving you advice and offering you options when it comes to extended amortizations.

Alberta Equity has helped over 50,000 people find and qualify for the best mortgages in Canada for over ten years. We do all of the heavy lifting and ensure that you get the best mortgage rates and product features available. Apply online for a free, no obligation consultation or alternatively, view our products and services.