Markets are rapidly repricing inflation and rate expectations, driving bond yields higher and triggering a new round of fixed mortgage increase. Canadian fixed mortgage rates have moved decisively higher, with lenders rolling out increases of up to 30 basis points as bond yields continue their rapid climb.   The benchmark five-year Government of Canada bond […]

U.S. mortgage rates climbed for a third straight week, pushing home-financing costs to the highest since October and dealing a blow to both purchasing and refinancing activity. By Vince Golle (Bloomberg) — U.S. mortgage rates climbed for a third straight week, pushing home-financing costs to the highest since October and dealing a blow to both purchasing […]

Markets see the Bank of Canada hiking interest rates more aggressively this year amid surging oil prices and hawkish messaging from peer central banks. By Erik Hertzberg (Bloomberg) — Markets see the Bank of Canada hiking interest rates more aggressively this year amid surging oil prices and hawkish messaging from peer central banks. Traders in overnight […]

The Bank of Canada announced today that it is holding the overnight rate at 2.25%. At first glance, this sounds like good news — and it is. But most people misunderstand what this actually means for their mortgage, their payments, and their timing in the market. Let’s break it down clearly. First — What This […]

When a mortgage renewal date approaches, most homeowners instinctively focus on one thing: the interest rate. It makes sense. Rates are visible, easy to compare, and constantly discussed. They feel like the lever that matters most. But for many borrowers, the rate itself is not what creates stress at renewal. The real risk is everything […]

By Nojoud Al Mallees (Bloomberg) — The Canadian economy lost the most jobs in more than four years last month, driving the unemployment rate up to 6.7%. Employment fell by 83,900 in February, with losses concentrated in full-time and private sector work, according to Statistics Canada data released Friday. That followed a 25,000 employment decrease in […]

Housing markets have an interesting habit. They rarely wait for the economy to feel comfortable again before activity begins to return. People move because life forces decisions. A new job across town. A growing family. A mortgage renewal that suddenly changes the math. Those forces tend to restart housing activity long before economic confidence fully […]

Construction financing is often approached like a more complicated mortgage. In reality, it is a completely different lending discipline. There is no finished asset, funding is released in stages, and lenders are underwriting the project itself, not just the borrower. Many construction projects run into trouble not because the idea is bad, but because the […]

Most homebuyers treat a pre-approval as a green light. A lender gives you a number and it feels like the amount you can safely spend. In reality, a pre-approval only shows what you qualify for on paper. It does not tell you what you can comfortably afford or how your finances will behave once you […]

Housing Minister John White announced Tuesday the First-time Homebuyers Program, a four-year pilot that will lower the usual five per cent down payment to two per cent for participating first-time buyers. The government will guarantee the mortgages, to be delivered through participating credit unions. If a buyer defaults and the home is sold for less […]