Changes made to Canadian Mortgages

February 17, 2010 · Filed Under First Time Buyers and Real Estate Canada · 1 Comment 

April 19th is the deadline for the old mortgage rules.  After this, the new changes proposed by the Canadian government earlier this week will be in effect.  Personally I think the rules are a good move from the governments part and in the long run protect Canadians from taking on additional debt.  As well, for those thinking we are in a housing bubble it should assist in slowing the pace a little.

Starting April 19th, the new mortgage rules are as follows:

1) All new borrowers will have to meet standards for the 5 year fixed-rate mortgages even if they’re seeking a shorter, variable-rate loan.

2) The maximum amount Canadians can withdraw when refinancing is now 90% of the value of their homes down from the current 95 per cent.  It’s a good idea to personally cap this at 80% – if you go over 80%, CMHC fees are applicable.

3) For those interested in an investment property, you will be required to have a 20% down payment for government-backed mortgage insurance on speculative investment properties.

The third rule change seems to be the harshest of the three as there are a number of people interested in buying investment properties for the long term (ie for retirement). It’s a big price hike for a down payment on an investment property now.  An average 2-apartment home in St. John’s is around $250,000.  This means a purchaser would need $50,000 for the down payment.  Again, the 20% will help avoid your CHMC fees when purchasing an investment property.

What are your thoughts for the new upcoming changes in Canada’s mortgage rules?

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Say Goodbye to 40 year mortgages and 100% financing

July 10, 2008 · Filed Under First Time Buyers, Mortgages, Real Estate Articles and St. John's Real Estate · Comment 

The Canadian Government is making it tougher for home buyers to obtain a mortgage and with good reason.  Starting October 15 of this year, the new rules will take effect.

We are all familiar with the  sub-prime mortgage meltdown in the States the past year but while Canada is not even close to this disaster the government still feels it necessary to secure and maintain a strong mortgage and housing market.

The changes include:

  • Cutting the maximum amortization period to 35 years from 40.
  • Requiring a minimum down payment of five per cent, whereas loans for 100 per cent of the price are possible now.
  • Establishing a requirement for a consistent minimum credit score.
  • Introducing new loan-documentation standards.

The people effected are the purchasers with less the 20% downpayment for a property as they are the people that require mortgage insurance with the purchase of real estate.

Mortgage insurance protects lenders (ie Royal Bank, Scotia Bank etc) when a borrower  (the Purchaser) defaults on the loan if the sale of the property doesn’t cover the debt.

I for one am in agreement with this change.  The zero down, 40 year mortgage that was introduced a couple years ago allowed home buyers the ability to purchase a home yet become heavily in debt.  There was a lot of buyers that entered the real estate market in Canada during this time and probably shouldn’t have.

It will be interesting to see the public’s reaction to these changes.

Read the Globe and Mail Article – Ottawa tightens mortgage rules to avoid ‘bubble’

Read the CBC News release – Ottawa tightens mortgage insurance rules

Norm Fishers Saskatoon Blog Article – Canadian Government Says, “No More 40-year Mortgage for You!”

Edmonton Real Estate Blog – No More Zero Down, 40 Year Mortgages

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Energuide Rebate Incentives

June 8, 2008 · Filed Under Energuide Info, Home Maintenance and St. John's Real Estate · Comment 

From hybrid cars to energy efficient appliances, no matter where you turn these days going green and reducing your energy footprint in the world seems to be the norm. Not only is reducing energy important for the environment but with the cost of oil and gas sky high, it can be very helpful to your budget.

Did you know that after furnaces and water heaters, household appliances are the biggest energy users in the average Canadian home?

Major electrical appliances (think kitchen and laundry room) consume on average up to 14 percent of the total energy used in the home.

Although the upfront costs can be a little more expensive, over the long haul you will save. Compare a $1 old fashioned 100w light bulb to a $7.50 23watt fluorescent bulb. Times that by 15 bulbs and the price difference is quite significant.

Not only will you save in the long haul, there are government incentives to help reduce the upfront costs.

ecoENERGY Retrofit provides federal grants and incentives to homeowners and small and medium-sized businesses, industry and public institutions to help them invest in energy and pollution-saving upgrades. In addition to the grants available under ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes, selected provincial, territorial and municipal entities also offer grants and incentives to homeowners who conduct energy saving upgrades.

When you get a mortgage on your home check out CMHC’s Mortgage Loan Insurance Rebate for energy efficient homes. If you use CMHC insured financing to buy an energy efficiency home, purchase a home and make energy-saving renovations or renovate your existing home, a 10% refund on the mortgage loan insurance premium may be available.

Newfoundland Light and Power has a Wrap Up for Savings Rebates & Financing. If you upgrade the insulation in your basement, attic or crawl space, you may be eligible for a cash rebate.

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Free St. John’s Real Estate listings on kijiji – Is it worth it?

May 23, 2008 · Filed Under St. John's Real Estate · Comment 

I just was introduced to the world of kijiji. Kijiji is a website where you can post anything for sale or post looking for items to buy. Similar to to craigslist.org

I looked under the real estate section of St. john’s Kijiji and noticed there was 45 ads to sort through. The problem that I saw was the 40 ad’s from Realtors in Edmonton, PEI real estate, BC Real estate and realtors, free mortgage advice and online mortgage approvals from no name ad’s. However there was 5 listings there but you really had to look closely and sort through the Google Ad’s (St. John’s Real Estate Blog – www.stjohnsrealestateonline.com was there 4 times) and sponsored links. Of course I’m biased but I do not see a “free classified” online website the optimal way to promote your home for sale.

I looked on craigslist.org and ebay.ca as well for real estate listings. Much easier to find and sort through, however extremely limited in selections.

Personal plug: Why not just use a Realtor to purchase your home? It’s free to have a Realtor in St. John’s assist you in the purchasing of your new home. Both pre-existing homes and new home construction apply. Contact your local Realtor today and ask them how they can help.

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Homebuyers pay down mortgages faster

March 26, 2008 · Filed Under Mortgages · 1 Comment 

Canadians who have recently purchased real estate plan on paying off the mortgage as quickly as possible according to an annual mortgage consumer survey released Wednesday by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

Seventy-eight per cent of respondents said they wanted to pay their mortgages off as fast as possible and one-third said they had made a lump-sum payment toward that end.

Eighty-four per cent of homeowners who are making weekly or biweekly payments on their mortgages are doing so at an accelerated rate in order help to shorten their amortization period, according to the mortgage insurer.

The fact that new homeowners are working to pay down principal early and are accelerating payments is a good indication that this responsible behavior will continue throughout the life of their mortgage.

More Canadians are becoming aware that, since mortgage interest is not tax-deductible in Canada, (as it is in the US), you are making mortgage payments of both principal and interest with money that you’ve already paid tax on “after tax dollars”. This makes it even more important to pay down your mortgage as soon as possible!

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The dream of homeownership

February 26, 2008 · Filed Under First Time Buyers, Mortgages and St. John's Real Estate · Comment 

Why not put your rent money into an appreciating asset instead of in your landlord’s pocket?

Do you cringe every month when it’s time to write that monthly rent cheque? Like many other renters, you probably wish that your hard earned money was being put towards something that has potential payback but haven’t explored your options because you don’t think homeownership is within your reach. If you are currently renting you may be surprised to learn that there have been recent mortgage product innovations such as a minimal down payment (0%-5%) and extended amortization that can make owning your first home more than a pipe dream.

This is a great time to get into the St. John’s housing market. House prices are expected to appreciate by 12% in 2008 according to Remax. 2-apartment homes and condos are in demand but when it comes to first time buyers, many renters hesitate because they are concerned about two things. The first is that they may not have enough for a down payment. The second is that they are afraid that they may not be able to carry their monthly mortgage payments. Today, these concerns can be addressed with the minimal down payment and extended amortization options that are available to first time home buyers. Renters can now buy their first home with very little down and also not have to worry about high mortgage payments.

With minimal or zero down payment products, many financial institutions will provide you with 100% financing for the purchase price of the house. Some lenders may also let you borrow close to 100% in financing and offer you a small percentage back as cash. You are able to borrow 95% of the purchase price to put towards your down payment, closing costs, or other costs associated with purchasing a home. Do keep in mind that with minimal down payment you will most likely need to purchase insurance and also have to commit to a longer mortgage term.

Remember that if you do have money set aside for a down payment or have RRSPs you should still consider putting a larger down payment because this does lower your total mortgage amount and ultimately the amount you will pay in interest.

If on the other hand you are concerned that you will not be able to make your mortgage payments, then you should consider extended amortization products that lower your monthly payment amount. This is done by having the mortgage paid back over an extended period of time. Your monthly payments on a 35 or 40 year mortgage will be lower than the payments on a traditional 25 year mortgage.

You should note that with extended amortization products, you will be paying more interest over the long run but there are definite benefits to getting into a hot housing market early. Plus, you always have the option of decreasing your amortization period by exercising your prepayment options or by increasing monthly principal and interest payments.

A valuable resource for information on homeownership is the Canada Mortgages and Housing Corporation (CMHC) website. You will find publications such as Bringing Home Ownership Within Reach.

Given the availability of these new options and the resources to support tomorrow’s homeowners, it’s easy to see why many renters may be switching their rental payments to equity building mortgage payments within the next year.

Credit: www.newcanada.com

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Will the subprime mortgage effect St. John’s real estate?

January 28, 2008 · Filed Under Mortgages and Real Estate Articles · 1 Comment 

Last week both the United States and Canada dropped their interest rates, 0.75% and 0.25% respectively. With the recent subprime mortgage fiasco in the U.S, people have been asking was the rate reduction due to this? Will Canada follow the same fate? And most importantly….what exactly is a subprime mortgage?

Here is my interpretation of the subprime mortgage:

The Bank of Canada has it’s prime rate. Banks and lenders then offer a mortgage at competing rates to potential pre-approved home buyers.

A subprime mortgage refers to a mortgage offered to a borrower that is higher risk than the normal home buyer. They do not receive a lower interest rate. It’s actually the complete opposite. Potential home buyers who have poor credit scores make them candidates for a subprime mortgage and they typically pay much higher mortgage rates.

The problem was that the lenders offered an introductory rate which was comparable and at times lower than the prime mortgage rate to attract clients. You can begin to see the bigger picture forming.

The introductory rates were only temporary and after a year or two they expired and the interest rate on a subprime mortgage increases. This resulted in many, now home owners, who once had a low introductory mortgage rate paying interest rates in the double digits.

Remember, they were high risk from the start with “special” introductory offers. When the rates jumped to double digits, the subprime meltdown began.

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