11 May

The Art of Defending and Strengthening your Financial Position in the age of COVID-19

Refinancing

Posted by: Garth Chapman

During this time of financial disruption people are and should be seeking to shore up their financial position, just as businesses are looking for ways to strengthen their Balance Sheet.

A popular option in the past has been to refinance homes to either take advantage of lower interest rates or to pull out equity as a source of extra funds. But in an unprecedented situation like the one we’re now dealing with, the refinancing landscape can look quite different than it has in a long while.

Here is some information from the article I will provide a link to at the bottom of this post.

“Does the option to refinance property work the same for me today?
The short answer: It depends. Everyone’s situation and circumstances are different, but qualifying is not as easy as it was before. In the wake of the COVID-19, refinances have been tougher for Canadians for a few reasons.”

Due to declining employment, lenders are more wary when it comes qualifying income. With record job losses in March and the grim outlook of Canada’s future unemployment rate, lenders are digging deeper into current employment status and the stability of future income.

If a borrower is self-employed they may also need to provide a description of their business, its current status, and reasonable proof that it can withstand the effects that will come with COVID-19. In addition, lenders will not use any temporary government benefits towards qualifiable income, but they recently started considering Child Tax Benefit as qualifiable income, which can be very helpful.

While private lenders are also being cautious by lowering LTV ratios or requiring interest pre-paid for all or part of the term, they are also providing much needed solutions to buyers and homeowners during this difficult time.” 

The decision-making criteria for Canadian Homeowners on this is quite clear

If you think you may want or need to have access to more capital in the coming months or years, then get it done now, as it appears that financing will continue to become tougher to get as time goes on.  Remember, once it’s too late…it’s too late.

Read more: Refinancing in the age of COVID-19

 

4 May

WONDERING WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING WITH YOUR MORTGAGE IN TODAY’S MARKET?

Mortgage Help

Posted by: Garth Chapman

EXISTING VARIABLE RATE BORROWERS

  • Sit tight – your rate likely includes a large discount to the Prime rate.
  • Banks & Mortgage Lenders have dropped their Prime Rate to 2.45%.
  • If you are considering converting to a fixed rate (aka ‘locking in’), enjoy your newfound savings for a while fixed rates settle down, which they have been doing.
  • Contact me to learn how to create some simple rules so you will lock in at the right time.

NEW/RENEWING BORROWERS

  • Ensure flexibility when selecting your mortgage product.
  • Variable rates can be converted (locked in) to Fixed at any time, and the Variable product comes with the smallest penalties for early payout, being 3-months interest as mandated by federal regulations.
  • Conversion rates (from Variable to Fixed are not always the best rates in the market, so expect to pay a bit of a premium when you convert (lock in).
  • Do the Math with your Mortgage Broker: compare costs of shorter-term fixed rates to 5-year fixed rates with penalties included (the results may surprise you).

EXISTING FIXED-RATE BORROWERS

  • The 5-year Government of Canada Bond yield is at an all-time low, currently just under 0.40%. This bond yield is a major factor normally in pricing 5-year mortgage loans for Canadians.
  • Fixed rates moved higher in early April as liquidity tightened up for the banks and began slowly dropping by mid-April.
  • We are now in early May they are still dropping and may have a bit of room to go lower yet, although we are very close now to the very low rates of early March before the world was turned upside down.
  • Rate competition typically intensifies during the spring real estate market, which may well be delayed into summer this year.

STRETCHED BORROWERS

  • Cash-flow may be your most important imperative to get you through this.
  • Refinance if it improves your cash-flow or if it reduces your risks.
  • Don’t wait until it’s really raining hard to reach for your umbrella – it will be harder to borrower as we get further into this economic down-turn than it is now.
27 Mar

The Fixed vs Variable Interest Rate Decision

Buying & Refinancing a Home

Posted by: Garth Chapman

Fixed Vs Variable – How to decide…which way to go?

The choice between Fixed and Variable interest rate is one that many borrowers ask about.

This is a very common question and you are not alone. First, let’s help you to understand the differences between the two types of mortgages.   A Variable Rate Mortgage is where the interest rate charged and your monthly payment will normally change when there is any change to prime rate.  The prime rate can change up to 8 times per year.  A Fixed Rate Mortgage is where neither your payment or the interest rate will change at all during the term of your mortgage.

Both fixed and variable mortgages have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of a Variable Rate Mortgage:

  • When rates go down you benefit from that immediately and will see your payment drop – this means more towards the principal and less interest so your mortgage is paid off faster!
  • Historically variable mortgages have been significantly lower in rate than fixed mortgages
  • Variable rates offer you the freedom to convert at any time to a fixed rate mortgages especially when you see rates rising.

Advantages of a Fixed Rate Mortgage:

  • The fixed rate offers the security of locking in your rate
  • You may prefer peace of mind – the same mortgage payment every month with a guarantee not to change for the term
  • You will know exactly how much principle and interest you are paying with each payment.

There are at least three key elements to be considered when making this decision.

1) The fixed rate premium is the cost of taking the security of a (higher) fixed rate over a (currently lower) Variable rate. The fixed rate is always somewhat higher than the Variable rate.  Think of that rate premium as you would an insurance premium.  You pay the higher rate for the security of that rate not changing during the current term of the mortgage.

The spread does move around, and when it is less than 0.80% it is generally considered to be a ‘good buy’.  In May of 2012 we saw that spread drop to an all-time low, so low that we converted four existing mortgages from Variable to Fixed.  At that time Variable rates were at about Prime – 0.30% which translated to 2.70% and the lowest fixed rates for a 5-year term was 2.79% making the spread under 0.10%.  The spread between Fixed and Variable have remained below the norm from mid-2012 through to mid-2017, when it began increasing along with both Fixed and Variable mortgage rates.  In April of 2017 we converted 4 more mortgages to 5-year fixed rates because we believed fixed rate increases were upon us, and that the Prime Rate would also be increasing.

So on the financial side of this choice you can determine the cost of the rate premium in dollars per month or year, or during the term.  Then decide if the cost of that premium is worth paying.

2) Increased payment risk tolerance is about how well you are able to handle an increase in mortgage payments, which would be created by an interest rate hike following a Prime Rate increase).  I break this risk tolerance down into two components.

Financial risk tolerance is about your financial capacity to absorb an increase in mortgage payments.  This is something you can assess by reviewing your monthly budget. Less tolerance may point you to a Fixed rate mortgage.

Emotional risk tolerance is about how you sleep at night, and by that I mean do you worry about interest rates and your payment going up, and does your level of worry create any stress in your life?  If it does, then you may be more emotionally suited to a Fixed rate mortgage.

3) Qualifying Rate vs Actual rate of the mortgage contemplated.

You must qualify at the much higher Bank of Canada Benchmark rate when taking a Variable Rate mortgage, so that is something to confirm early on that will fit your qualifying criteria.

Understanding what drives Variable rates and Fixed rates

Your Variable Mortgage Rates are driven by your bank’s Prime Rate which is set individually by each Bank.  They normally (but not always) move in sync with changes in the Overnight Rate, which is set by the Bank of Canada (BoC) and is used as a basis for one-day (or “overnight”) borrowing between the major lenders and financial institutions.  The BoC is responsible for monetary policy, the goal of which is to keep inflation near the mid-point of a 1 to 3 per cent target range, ideally 2%.  The BoC is equally concerned with significant movements in the inflation rate, both above the 2% mid-point and below it.  When demand is strong, it can push the economy against the limits of its capacity to produce.  This tends to raise inflation above the midpoint, so the BoC will raise interest rates to cool off the economy.  When demand is weak, inflationary pressures are likely to ease.  The BoC will then lower interest rates to stimulate the economy and absorb economic slack.

So when the economy heats up and there is a threat that inflation could get beyond the 1 to 3 per cent target the BoC may increase the overnight rate, which drives the Prime Rate. The schedule of dates when the BoC reviews and sets the Overnight Rate is found here http://www.bankofcanada.ca/core-functions/monetary-policy/key-interest-rate/

Fixed Mortgage Rates are driven by the Bond markets

Typically, when bond rates (also known as the bond yield) go up, interest rates go up as well. And vice versa. Don’t confuse this with bond prices, which have an inverse relationship with interest rates.

Investors turn to bonds as a safe investment when the economic outlook is poor. When purchases of bonds increase, the associated yield falls, and so do mortgage rates. But when the economy is expected to do well, investors jump into stocks, forcing bond prices lower and pushing the yield (and mortgage rates) higher.

The spread between 5-year Government of Canada Bonds and 5-year mortgage rates varies within a range that has fluctuated in recent years.  You can follow the 5-year Bond Yield in Canada on the BoC website and you will notice that a period of Bond yield increases or drops will almost always be followed by a corresponding change in fixed rates for mortgages.

If I choose a Variable rate and I want to be able to convert that to a Fixed rate, how will I know when it is time to convert to a fixed rate?

Bond Yields and the Prime Rate don’t move in lock-step, so if you choose a Variable rate then you will need a mechanism or methodology to decide when it is time to convert that Variable rate to a Fixed rate. Without one you will more than likely end up making the switch long after you would like to have done so, and you will pay more. that is because we tend to make such financial decisions when laden with emotions such as fear, and we either panic and move too soon or we freeze and don’t act soon enough or at all.

So to manage that decision I strongly recommend that (to use a stock trading term) you set two ‘stop-loss’ orders to act as your trigger points to make the change to Fixed rate. One is your Variable trigger, that being when the Prime Rate reaches ‘x’%. The other is your Fixed trigger, that being when the 5-year (or any other term) reaches ‘y’%. Using those two management mechanisms will ensure you don’t miss the boat.

If you want to be even more sophisticated about this, you could review the Stop-loss rates annually, remembering that as time goes by without significant change in the Prime Rate you will have built up a nice buffer against the cost of an increase during the term of the mortgage.

You can follow what the best market rates are here http://garthchapman.ca/

The schedule of dates when the BoC reviews and sets the Overnight Rate is found here http://www.bankofcanada.ca/core-functions/monetary-policy/key-interest-rate/

For more on the subject read the Fixed or Variable Rate Mortgage? The Decision Checklist post by RateSpy.com

I hope this gives you some clarity on this complex subject, and on how to make and then manage your own interest rate decision.

12 Jan

What is a Monoline lender? 

About Mortgage Brokers

Posted by: Garth Chapman

What is a Monoline lender?

A Monoline lender, by definition, is a mortgage lender that focuses on just mortgages.  They do not have any other products that can be cross-sold and most Monolines securitize their mortgages, instead of keeping them on their balance sheet.  Monolines are secure, follow the same rules as all Canadian Banks and they deal exclusively with Mortgage Advisors on their clients’ behalf.

Advantages of a Monoline lender

  • They focus on one thing: mortgages.  For you that also means they do not try to cross-sell you into credit cards, investments or insurance.
  • Monolines have a much lower IRD (Interest Rate Differential) pre-payment penalty calculation, which is important if you are required to get out of your mortgage before the end of your term. In my own personal experience the Monoline penalties are up to 2/3 less than those of the big-six banks.
  • They often have products that specialize in a range of solutions aimed at borrowers with lower credit scores and those with self-employed income sources.
  • No storefronts mean lower overhead which in turn they pass along to you in the form of lower interest rates.
  • Monolines are heavily regulated and follow the same lending guidelines as all the major banks in Canada
  • Pre-payment options are often greater than the big-six banks offer.
  • Online access to your mortgage and customer service departments is excellent – it has to be – they don’t have branches.

This article by financial writer Rob Carrick was published in the Globe and Mail comparing Scotiabank to ING regarding their vast differences in penalty calculations.  As much as we try to explain what a Monoline differs from a bank, an article from a third party drives it home.

Even when the rates are the same between banks and the Monoline borrowers should always factor the potential IRD into their decision making as one never knows what will happen in the future. 

To summarize, Monoline lenders tend to provide better rates over the big banks, have favourable penalty calculations, and foster relationships with brokers to ensure the business comes back to them (including having a renewal model to reduce churn).

22 Jul

Do you have a HELOC on your home, vacation or rental property?

Buying & Refinancing a Home

Posted by: Garth Chapman

If you have a Line of Credit (HELOC or LOC) on your property you are paying a much higher rate of interest to the bank.  Why not put some of that money in your own pocket instead of in the bank’s? Your savings will likely be in the range of 1% or more of the outstanding balance.  That would amount to $3,000 per year or more on a $300,000 HELOC.

So let’s take a look at the details and at my philosophy around this.  I have split my thinking into two types of debt for purposes of this post.

YOUR LONG-TERM DEBT:

You want to have your long-term debt in a mortgage, which means it would be at a lower interest rate than you will pay on a LOC.  This is true for both Variable and Fixed rate mortgages. The mortgage should be/have:

  • Should be portable if there is any chance of you wanting to move during the 5-year term.
  • Can be registered at full appraised value if you want to later be able to increase the LOC or the mortgage without having to incur the costs of refinancing.  This option precludes putting a LOC or 2nd mortgage on the property with a different lender.
  • Should be transferable at time of maturity. When a mortgage matures (the term ends) you become essentially a ‘free agent’. By this I mean that you then can shop around for the best deal and move to another financial institution without cost. This works to ensure your existing mortgage lender offers you a competitive rate.
  • Lenders will normally allow the mortgage to be split into 2, 3 or more separate mortgages within the All-In-One product.  This allows borrowers to easily track amounts borrowed for various purposes.  This is especially helpful when some debt is tax deductible and some is not.
  • Collateral mortgages are generally not portable, and are not transferable at maturity.
  • Should have good pre-payment and payment increase privileges.

YOUR SHORT-TERM DEBT:

Your short term debt should be in a secured LOC at the higher rate.

  • Your LOC rate should be in the range of Prime + 0.50% (at the time of writing).
  • Your LOC should ideally be connected to your mortgage – referred to as an All-In-One (AIO) mortgage product. Each bank has their own name for this product.
  • Ideally the LOC should increase automatically as you pay down the mortgage. Only some banks do this. This gives you more flexibility over time especially when you decide to buy something.

We have several of these AIO mortgages, and over time they have allowed us to buy several more properties over the years by easily tapping the equity in our existing properties via those LOCs.

Some Lenders will allow the LOC to be split into 2, 3 or more (up to 9) separate accounts within the All-In-One product. This allows borrowers to easily track amounts borrowed for various purposes.  This is especially helpful when some debt is tax deductible and some is not.

A quick thought on mortgage pre-payment penalties:

If you don’t want/need a LOC that is connected to your mortgage, and if you are on a fixed rate mortgage, then you should consider having your mortgage with a lender that is not one of the big-6 banks. The reason is that their pre-payment penalties are 2-3 times higher than the non-bank (known as Monoline) lenders.  I have personal experience with this issue and would be happy to explain further, and even provide examples.