Although home prices in Toronto and Vancouver seem to have stabilized recently, they are still at historical levels.

The average home price in these two major Canadian cities are still well over $1 Million. Unsurprisingly, first-time homebuyers are finding it increasingly difficult to get onto the “property ladder”. It is now harder than ever for first-time homebuyers to own a home; so what are they to do? Studies have shown that more and more millennials are turning to the bank of mom and dad for help with their down payments.

According to the latest statistics from Mortgage Professionals Canada, down payment gifts from parents have increased significantly in the last 16 years, going from 7% in 2000 to 15% for homes purchased between 2014-2016. The average gift amount has skyrocketed as well. Industry experts have seen many down payments in the six-figure range – $100,000 to $200,000. The trend is expected to continue, as 2017 is predicted to be “the most difficult year for a first-time homebuyer in the last [decade]”, according to James Laird, co-founder of RateHub, a mortgage rate comparison website.

How can you help your children climb the property ladder?
With soaring property prices, you may be asking about your options to help your children break into the housing market. One way is by getting a reverse mortgage on your home. The CHIP Reverse Mortgage from HomEquity Bank has seen a growing number of senior Canadians over the years access their home equity in order to give a financial gift to their family members to help them with big purchases such as a down payment for a house. “We definitely see a growing trend of this at HomEquity Bank. We get a large number of clients who would take out $100,000-$200,000 in a reverse mortgage, they have the benefit of not having to make payments, and they give that lump sum of money to their kids to help them get started in the real estate market.” says Steve Ranson, President and CEO, HomEquity Bank.

How does it work?
A reverse mortgage is a loan secured against the value of your home. It allows you to unlock up to 55% of the value of your home without having to sell or move. The money you receive is tax-free and you are not required to make any regular mortgage payments until you move, sell or pass away.

Why should you give an early inheritance as a down payment now?
Life Expectancy – According to Statistics Canada, for a 65-year old couple there is a one-in-two chance that one of them will reach the age of 92. Do your children really need an inheritance when they are in their mid-to-late 60’s?
Create memories now – After you are gone, you will have missed out on seeing your children build a family in their new home. Giving a down payment now will enable you to create lasting memories while your health allows you to.

Find out more about this incredible opportunity to use a reverse mortgage to give the gift of a down payment to your loved ones today.

Courtesy of Joe Heale, Director, Referred Marketing and Product Development – HomEquity Bank

This week, OSFI (Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions) announced that effective January 1, 2018 the new Residential Mortgage Underwriting Practices and Procedures (Guidelines B-20) will be applied to all Federally Regulated Lenders. Note that this currently does not apply to Provincially Regulated Lenders (Credit Unions) but it is possible they will abide by and follow these guidelines when they are placed in to effect on January 1, 2018.

The changes to the guidelines are focused on
• the minimum qualifying rate for uninsured mortgages
• expectations around loan-to-value (LTV) frameworks and limits
• restrictions to transactions designed to work around those LTV limits.

What the above means in layman’s terms is the following:

OSFI STRESS TESTING WILL APPLY TO ALL CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGES

The new guidelines will require that all conventional mortgages (those with a down payment higher than 20%) will have to undergo stress testing. Stress testing means that the borrower would have to qualify at the greater of the five-year benchmark rate published by the Bank of Canada (currently at 4.89%) or the contractual mortgage rate +2% (5 year fixed at 3.19% +2%=5.19% qualifying rate).

These changes effectively mean that an uninsured mortgage is now qualified with stricter guidelines than an insured mortgage with less than 20% down payment. The implications of this can be felt by both those purchasing a home and by those who are refinancing their mortgage. Let’s look at what the effect will be for both scenarios:

PURCHASING A NEW HOME
When purchasing a new home with these new guidelines, borrowing power is also restricted. Using the scenario of a dual income family making a combined annual income of $85,000 the borrowing amount would be:

Current Lending Guidelines

Qualifying at a rate of 3.34% with a 25-year amortization and the combined income of $85,000 annually, the couple would be able to purchase a home at $560,000

New lending Guidelines

Qualifying at a rate of 5.34% (contract mortgage rate +2%) with a 25-year amortization and the combined annual income of $85,000 you would be able to purchase a home of $455,000.

OUTCOME: This gives a reduced borrowing amount of $105,000…Again a much lower amount and lessens the borrowing power significantly.

REFINANCING A MORTGAGE

A dual-income family with a combined annual income of $85,000.00. The current value of their home is $700,000. They have a remaining mortgage balance of $415,000 and lenders will refinance to a maximum of 80% LTV.
The maximum amount available is: $560,000 minus the existing mortgage gives you $145, 0000 available in the equity of the home, provided you qualify to borrow it.

Current Lending Requirements
Qualifying at a rate of 3.34 with a 25-year amortization, and a combined annual income of $85,000 you are able to borrow $560,000. If you reduce your existing mortgage of $415,000 this means you could qualify to access the full $145,000 available in the equity of your home.

New Lending Requirements
Qualifying at a rate of 5.34% (contract mortgage rate +2%) with a 25-year amortization, combined with the annual income of $85,000 and you would be able to borrow $455,000. If you reduce your existing mortgage of $415,000 this means that of the $145,000 available in the equity of your home you would only qualify to access $40,000 of it.

OUTCOME: That gives us a reduced borrowing power of $105,000. A significant decrease and one that greatly effects the refinancing of a mortgage.

CHANGES AND RESTRICTIONS TO LOAN TO VALUE FRAMEWORKS (NO MORTGAGE BUNDLING)

Mortgage Bundling is when primary mortgage providers team up with an alternative lender to provide a second loan. Doing this allowed for borrowers to circumvent LTV (loan to value) limits.
Under the new guidelines bundled mortgages will no longer be allowed with federally regulated financial institutions. Bundled mortgages will still be an option, but they will be restricted to brokers finding private lenders to bundle behind the first mortgage with the alternate lender. With the broker now finding the private lender will come increased rates and lender fees.
As an example, we will compare the following:
A dual income family that makes a combined annual income of $85,000 wants to purchase a new home for $560,000. The lender is requiring a LTV of 80% (20% down payment of $112,000.00). The borrowers (our dual income family) only have 10% down payment of $56,000.. This means they will require alternate lending of 10% ($56,000) to meet the LTV of 20%.

Current Lending Guidelines
The alternate lender provides a second mortgage of $56,000 at approximately 4-6% and a lender fee of up to 1.25%.

New Lending Guidelines
A private lender must be used for the second mortgage of $56,000. This lender is going to charge fees up to 12% plus a lenders fee of up to 6%

OUTCOME: The interest rates and lender fees are significantly higher under the new guidelines, making it more expensive for this dual income family.

These changes are significant and they will have different implications for different people. Whether you are refinancing, purchasing or currently have a bundled mortgage, these changes could potentially impact you. We advise that if you do have any questions, concerns or want to know more that you contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage specialist. They can advise on the best course of action for your unique situation and can help guide you through this next round of mortgage changes.

Courtesy of Geoff Lee, AMP – DLC GLM Mortgage Group

Why, why, why it is so challenging for entrepreneurs to obtain a mortgage in Canada?
If you’re among the 2.7 million Canadians who are self-employed, regrettably your income is not as easy to document as someone who’s traditionally employed.

Since 2008, mortgage regulations in Canada have made it more challenging for those who work for themselves to qualify for a mortgage due to tighter restrictions on “stated income” loans. In 2012, Canada’s Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) introduced Guideline B-20, which requires federally regulated banks to evaluate applications for residential mortgages and home equity lines of credit with more scrutiny. These rulings made it more challenging for the self-employed to prove income.

Here’s what Self-Employed home buyers need to know:

1. Most self-employed are motivated to decrease their earnings to avoid paying tax through legitimate expenses and personal deductions.
-Therefore, much of one’s self-employed income does not show up on paper.

2. I’m sorry… but you can’t have your cake and eat it too! If you choose to write off as much of your income as legally possible to avoid paying taxes, claiming low take-home pay, you will end up paying a higher interest rate on your mortgage.
– i.e. home buyer is a tradesperson, they earn $70,000/year and legitimately write off their business expenses to $40,000/year on Line 150 of their tax return. Lenders use income from Line 150… not gross income to determine affordability.
– Some lenders allow you to “gross up” your declared taxable income (as opposed to stated income) by adding up to 15%.
– i.e. if your declared income on your Notice of Assessment (NOA) is $40,000, the lender could add 15% for a total of $46,000. In most cases this doesn’t really help the business owner, as their income is still too low to qualify for the mortgage they want.

3. The new mortgage rules mean the assessment of a self-employed applicant’s income has become far more rigorous. Lenders now analyze the average income for the industry a self-employed candidate works in, and study the person’s employment history and earnings in the field. Their stated income should be reasonable, based on:
– industry sector
– type of business
– length of time the operation has been in business

4. Work with professionals. You need to hire a qualified book keeper and a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA). Their job is to know the ins and outs of taxes so that you can put your focus on growing your business.
– You need to keep all your financial affairs up to date. That means getting the accountant prepared financials, filing your annual tax returns and most importantly paying your taxes. Government always gets first dibs on any money. Lenders won’t be interested in you haven’t paid your taxes.
– I recommend having a discussion with your CPA. Let them know that you want to buy a home. Come up with a budget of what income you need to be able to prove on your tax returns.

Suggestion: you could choose to pay more personal income tax this year, to push your line 150 income up and help you qualify for any mortgage transactions you hope to make. Please note: most lenders will want to see 2 years history, to prove consistency in earnings.

5. For self-employed borrowers, being able to document income for the past 2-3 years gives you more lending options. Some of the documents your lender may request include:
– Credit bureau (within 30 days of purchase)
– Personal tax Notice of Assessment (NOA) for the previous two to three years.
– Proof that you have paid HST and/or GST in full.
– Financial statements for your business prepared by a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).
– Contracts showing your expected revenue for the coming years (if applicable).
– Copies of your Article of Incorporation (if applicable).
– Proof that you are a principal owner in the business.
– Business or GST license or Article of Incorporation

6. If you have less than 20% down payment, Genworth is the only option of the 3 mortgage default insurers that still has a stated income program.

Self-employed home buyers, who can document proof of income, can generally access the same mortgage products and rates as traditional borrowers.

Tips for self-employed applying for a mortgage to ensure the process goes smoothly:

1. Get your finances in order. Pay down your debt!!
– Every $400/month in loan payments lowers your mortgage eligibility by $100,000
– Every $12,000 in credit card debt lowers your mortgage eligibility by $100,000
– Do you see a theme here? Pay down your debt! Resist buying/leasing a new vehicle or taking on any additional debt prior to buying your home

2. 3 “Rules of Lending” what Banks look at when you apply for a Mortgage in Canada
– Debt-service ratios are a major factor in a loan-approval assessment based on your provable income (Line 150 – what you paid taxes on)
– Maintain good credit. Solving the Puzzle – 5 factors used in determining your Credit Score
– Consider a larger down-payment.
– If you run into difficulty qualifying on your own, consider having someone co-sign for your mortgage. Would a Co-Signer Enable You to Qualify for a Mortgage?

3. Have two to three years’ worth of your self-employed supporting documentation available so your mortgage broker can work with you to set up your Mortgage Preapproval.

4. Be consistent and show stability. Lenders prefer self-employed borrowers who work in a business that’s established and have expertise in that field.

What happens if the banks still don’t want you for a conventional mortgage?

Many high net worth business owners with low stated incomes turn to private mortgage lenders for financing, since they can’t prove their income.
It is difficult to navigate which lenders specialize in self-employed mortgages. Using a mortgage broker has obvious advantages, since mortgage brokers have access to multiple lenders and have a broad knowledge of the mortgage market.

Courtesy of Kelly Hudson, AMP – DLC Canadian Mortgage Experts

It is great feeling buying your first home, but for most of us the first step is preparing to get a mortgage.
Your credit rating and cash flow are based on a minimum of a two-year history.
As mortgage rules continue to change, the credit rating is becoming even more important as a higher credit rating could mean a lower interest rate and save you thousands of dollars over the life of your mortgage.
Your credit is made up of many things that the lenders will look at.

Character, it is determined by:
• Paying your bills on time.
• No Delinquent accounts
• Available credit – Are you using all or most of your available credit? That is not a good thing. You are better off to increase your credit limit than to use more than 70% of your limit each month. If you need to increase your score faster use less than 30% of your credit limit, and if you need to use more, pay your credit cards off early so you do not go above 30% of your credit limit.
• Your total out standing debt is considered.

Capacity: this is your ability to pay back the loan. Capacity also covers cash flow vs debt. Your employment history. How long have you been with your current employer, are you self employed, for how long? Capacity is not what you think you can afford, it is what the lender thinks you can afford based of the debt service ratio.

Capital: how much have you saved? How much do you have for a down payment and where does it come from?

Collateral: Lenders consider the value of the property and other assets as they want to see a positive net worth. If you have a negative net worth you may not be able to get a mortgage.

Courtesy of Kevin Bay, AMP – DLC Producers West Financial

The mortgage rule changes that were passed by the Ministry of Finance in October 2016 are still having their effect one year later. Higher qualification requirements and new bank capital requirements have split the industry into two segments – those who qualify for mortgage insurance and those who don’t.

Mortgages that qualify for mortgage insurance are basically new purchases for borrows that have less than 20% down and can debt-service at the Bank of Canada Benchmark rate (currently 4.89%). Those who don’t are basically everyone else – people with more than 20% down payment but need to qualify at the lower contract rate, and people who have built up more than 20% equity in their homes and are hoping to refinance to tap into that equity.

The biggest difference we are seeing is two levels of rate offerings. Those that qualify for a mortgage insurance by one of the three insurers in Canada (CMHC, Genworth and Canada Guaranty) are being offered the best rates on the market. Those who don’t qualify cost the banks more to offer mortgages due to the new capital requirements and so are offered a higher rate to off-set that cost.
Dominion Lending Centres’ President, Gary Mauris, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance at the beginning of October 2017 outlining the negative impact of those changes on Canadians on year later. That letter was also published in the Globe and Mail. CLICK HERE to see that letter.

But even more alarming are the rumblings being heard about another round of qualification changes that will see those who have been disciplined in saving or building equity having to qualify at a rate 2.00% higher than what they will actually get from their lender.
Where the first round of changes in 2016 saw affordability cut by about 20% for insured mortgages, this new round of changes will have much the same impact on the rest of mortgage borrowers – regardless of how responsible we’ve proven to be.

The mortgage default rate in Canada is less than 1/3 of a percent. We Canadians simply make our mortgage payments. So where’s the risk?
The new qualification rules are intended to protect us from higher rates when our current terms come to an end. But when most Canadians are already being prudent, borrowing at well below their maximum debt-to-income levels the question now is why do we need to be protected from ourselves?

The latest round of rule changes are rumoured to be coming into effect by the end of October 2017 so my word of advice to at least those who have been contemplating a refinance to meet current goals?

Courtesy of Kristin Woolard, AMP – DLC National

I’ve heard brokers say more than once that mortgages are a commodity, by definition a commodity is a basic good used in commerce that is interchangeable with other commodities of the same type. That doesn’t sound like mortgages to me.

While the core product is always the same, money lent that is secured by real estate, the nuances of a mortgage can vary a lot. When we look at what the client is looking to do with that property and what their life style is composed of, we have to be sure that we aren’t just placing them for the sake of placing them in a mortgage. We have a duty to the client to make sure that even though they are looking for that lowest rate that it doesn’t tie them into a mortgage they can’t get out of in a reasonable manner. I recently had a client whose parent had gotten a mortgage on a property that the kids were living in with the idea that down the road when the kids had some money they would buy the house from Mom and Dad.  Problem was that when I read the original commitment the bank representative had not explained that the sale had to be arm’s length sale; sorry kids you need to move out.

By some standards the comparison for commodities that a barrel of oil is a barrel of oil, when as an Albertan I already know that the heavy crude from Fort McMurray sells for a discount because while it is needed to toughen up the Texas oils, they just don’t need as much of it. By mortgage standards the same applies, if the rate is lower than the market there has to be a reason. The reasons can range from as simple as the yearly buy down is only 10% instead of 20% and range up to the office doing it pays their staff a salary and they use the extra money to buy down the rate.  Regardless of the reason we still need to make sure the product we recommend to our clients fits their needs and plans for the future.

Courtesy of Len Lane, AMP – DLC Brokers for Life

A mortgage in its simplest form is a contract. It has terms, conditions, rights and obligations for you and the lender. When you sign on the dotted line, you are agreeing to those terms for the length of time laid out in the contract. However, sometimes life throws us an unexpected event that brings around the need to make key decisions and changes. One of these changes, for whichever reason, might be needing/wanting to break your mortgage contract before the end of the term. Can you do that? What are the penalties? Let’s take a look!

To answer the initial question of can it be done, the answer is yes. Most mortgage lenders will allow this provided they receive compensation. Compensation is known as an Interest Rate Differential or IRD. When you started your fixed rate mortgage you had a rate of xx.x%, but the best they can lend to someone else right now is 1% less, so they want the difference. Seems fair, right? However, like most contracts, the fine print tells the true tale. The method in which the IRD is calculated is what borrowers should be aware of.

Let’s examine a few different calculations that can be used for IRD.

Method “A” -Posted Rate Method – Generally used by major banks and some credit unions

This method uses the Bank Of Canada 5 year posted rate to arrive at the formula to calculate the penalty. It also considers any discounts you received. These are the ones you will commonly see on their websites or when you first walk into the Bank or Credit Union. Now, rarely does anyone settle on that rate-there is a discount normally that is given. This gives you the actual lending or contract rate. When this method is used, you will be required to pay the greater of 3 months interest or the IRD. What that looks like is:

Bank of Canada Posted Rate for a five-year term: 4.89%
You were given a discount of: 2%
Giving you a rate of 2.89% on a five-year fixed term mortgage.

Now you want to exit your contract at the 2-year point, leaving 3 years left. The posted rate for a 3-year term sits at 3.44%. The bank will subtract your discount from the posted 3-year term rate, giving you 1.45%. From there your IRD is calculated like so:

2.89%-1.45% =1.44% IRD difference x3 years=4.32% of your mortgage balance.

On a mortgage of $300,000 that gives you a penalty of $12,960.

For most, that is a significant amount that you will be paying! It can equate to thousands and thousands of dollars, depending on the mortgage balance remaining. So what other methods are used? Let’s take a look at the second one.

Method “B”-Published Rate Method – Generally used by monoline (broker) lenders and most credit unions

This method is more favourable as it uses the lender published rates. Generally, these rates are much more in tune with what you will see on lender websites and appear to be much more reasonable. Again, let’s look at an example.

Your rate: 2.90%
Published rate: 2.60%

Time left on contract: 3 years

Equation for this: 2.90%-2.60%=0.30% x3 years=0.90% of your mortgage balance. A much more favourable outcome. On a $300,000 mortgage that would equate to only $2,700.

The above two scenarios operate under the idea that the borrower has good credit, documented income, and a normal residential type property. It is also a fixed rate mortgage, not a variable one. For variable rates, if the contract needs to be broken, generally the penalty will be a charge of 3 months interest, no IRD applies.

We are committed to ensuring that you make an educated decision when selecting a lender. Yes, we want to get you the best rate, but we also want to make sure you are taken care of.

Courtesy of Geoff Lee, AMP – DLC GLM Mortgage Group

Deciding to borrow money to launch your small business startup is a big decision. It’s the second biggest decision after deciding to start the business. Since it is a big decision, it requires much thought and research before taking the leap. There are multiple ways to fund a small business startup, and it’s important to know and understand all of them before making a final decision.
Not only can you borrow money to launch your small business startup, you can also invest your own personal savings or give up a percentage of ownership in the company to investors in return for funding. Before making the final decision to borrow money for your small business startup, here are a few things you should know:

Types of Financing

There are a number of different ways you can finance your small business startup. Depending on the amount of revenue the business is generating, how many years the company has been in business, and the business industry, you may or may not qualify for certain types of financing.

Pay Back & Defaulting

When you borrow money to launch your small business startup, you will be required to make monthly payments. You will also have a set “term” to pay back the financing. The term is the period of time you will have to make monthly payments toward the total financing amount you borrowed. This is important because you need to be comfortable making the monthly payments. It has to be something you can afford. I suggest developing a business plan with at least three years of financial projections to estimate what your expenses will be and the amount of revenue the business will generate. This will help you determine if there will be enough money to go around (to cover business expenses and paying back a business financing).
If you default on a financing for any reason it can ruin your personal and business credit. Having a good understanding of how much it will cost you to borrow money to build the business will enable you to plan better and avoid defaulting. It’s good practice to ask a lender what their average interest rates and terms are before you apply so you can estimate what your monthly payments will be. The bottom line is that paying back financing has to be something you are ready for and capable of handling.

Maximum Amount of Debt

Your debt to income ratio and the amount of outstanding debt you have on the business is important in the lender’s decision to give you a small business loan. If your company is a small business startup with no revenue, lenders will pay close attention to your debt to income ratio. As a rule of thumb, your outstanding debts should equal no more than 28% of your total income. (Depending on who you talk to, some people will say it should be no more than 32% to 36% of your total income however, 28% is playing it safe). If you have a high debt to income ratio, you may not be able to borrow money to launch your small business startup.
If your small business startup has some revenue, and you’ve already borrowed money for the business, if you apply for additional financing, the lender may also look at outstanding business debt. As a rule of thumb, you usually can’t borrow more than 15% of your total annual revenue. This all depends on the lender, but keep that in mind if you decide to take out multiple business loans from different lending sources for the business.

How You Will Spend the Money

Some types of financing are restricted to certain business expenses. For example, equipment financing must be spent only on equipment purchases. This includes computers, office furniture, etc. However, financing such as unsecured business lines of credit can be spent on any business expense. This is why it is important to develop a business plan and at least three years of financial projections. Financial projections outline what the money will be spent on. Knowing what the money will be spent on will help you determine what type of business financing will work best for you.

Need Expert Help? Let Us Assist You

If you still need helping figuring out if borrowing money will be right for your small business startup, Dominion Lending Centres Leasing can help. Our team can advise you and will help you analyze your situation to determine whether or not borrowing money to launch your small business startup makes sense. They will also help you figure out what type of financing will work best for you.

Courtesy of Jennifer Okkerse, DLC – Director of Operations, Leasing Division

No one wants to be told that they are not allowed to have something. We live in Canada; as Canadians, our focus has always been to strive for better and for more. That said, there appears to be a growing trend around co-sharing which means people are increasingly moving away from owning their own cars, bikes, offices and, even, homes.

Don’t believe me? Watch this video about communal pod-shares, or this one about a car-sharing company in Edmonton. The trend is here and growing.

While this lifestyle is not for everyone, it speaks to an interesting trend about doing more with less.

In Edmonton, we have the luxury of living in a city that offers affordable housing in every corner of the city. Although we have the benefit of local properties that give us more bang for our buck, times are changing.

The federal government made some changes last year that greatly affected people’s ability to qualify for a mortgage. This month, more changes are expected which will make it even that much more difficult to qualify for a mortgage. New and existing homeowners are rushing in droves to secure five-year fixed mortgage rates ahead of future Bank of Canada rate hikes, and others regulation changes.

The government is essentially continuing its stress-test for all uninsured mortgages (those with a down payment of more than 20%), which will affect a small percentage of new homeowners.

For those looking to get into their first home, however, this might be a good opportunity to look at the growing trend of doing more with less. Qualifying for a mortgage on a home worth more than $500,000 will likely be unattainable on a single, or even double, income. Looking at homes that offer more bang for you buck, including smaller starter homes could get your real estate investment off on the right foot.

We’ve been able to enjoy low interest rates for many years now. Unfortunately, they are up and will likely continue to increase. As such, your $500,000 mortgage in five years could actually cost you more in monthly payments – even as you pay down your premium. It is simply a reality that many cannot afford and should be taken into account as you take the plunge into buying property.

To discuss your mortgage rates, and to secure a low rate for 120 days, do not hesitate to call. We can also look at your current finances to better understand what price range of home you can afford.

Like many of you, I received a call last week, from my mortgage provider, asking whether I wanted to “lock in” a new five-year fixed rate. The rate was a special offer and would only last for the week, so I would need to make a decision quickly, with little time to think about the consequences to my own mortgage strategy.

While it may appear that your financial institution is acting entirely in your best interests, this is only partially the case. While it is true that locking in or switching to a new fixed rate can help you control your costs, they are doing it to manage their own costs, not yours. It’s important to remember that each time a financial institution lends you money, it’s not their own money. Their strategy is to borrow the money from investors, depositors and other corporations in order to lend you the money. The five year fixed rate renewal they sign with you is backed up with a five year investment contract with someone else. Always.

When I started as a broker, the best piece of advice I got was from a former boss who said; “Before you sign up with someone, its always important to have an exit strategy, because things will change, often for the better, and you may need to get out of the agreement. Make sure you make it easy to do so. “

Having an exit strategy is just as important when signing a renewal or early renewal contract. The strategy is not so much about exiting the mortgage entirely, but ensuring you know and can use the existing features to your advantage. There are three specific features (termed ‘privileges’ and ‘penalties’ in the offer) that you should know and understand before signing that new contract;

A) Pre-Payment Privilege
For most of us, there is some time in our lives where a sum of money lands in our laps, perhaps a large bonus, severance, cash settlement or even a small inheritance. Knowing how much you can pay down, should you choose to, is vital. Depending on the lender, you may be limited to a 10 percent prepayment or as much as 20 percent. Some lenders specify the exact day you can make the prepayment, some merely say ‘anytime’.

B) Increased Payment Privilege
Again, at some time in our lives, most of us will leave one job for another that pays significantly more. In those situations we can certainly afford to increase our mortgage payments and should do. Do you know how much you can increase your payment and when? Again, it varies widely from lender to lender, for 10% on a specific day, yearly, to 20% anytime.

C) Early Payout Penalty
This is perhaps the most ignored potential cost in mortgage financing. As with the privileges, no two lenders calculate the penalty the same way. Its important to understand the differences. It can save you thousands.

Most people’s reaction, when we talk about penalties is ‘well I’m never going to pay out early, so it doesn’t matter. ‘ I don’t blame you for thinking that way, because that’s always my reaction too! But let’s walk through a “what if” and I’ll show you why its important to consider.

So… You have an existing mortgage in the amount of $480,000. Your lender’s representative calls you to say that because rates are going up, he’s calling all his clients to let them know that if you wish to early renew, they’re offering a fixed rate that’s actually a minuscule amount lower than you are paying now. Rates are going up and the offer is only guaranteed until the end of the week!

Because it’s actually well before the renewal date, there is a penalty, but they’ll add that on to the mortgage balance, no need to worry. After a couple of moments hesitation, you agree and you go in to sign at the branch. Overall, your experience with the lender has been very good.

Spool forward three years and your life is changing. You’ve become an expert in your field, people are noticing and suddenly, you are offered a dream job in another part of the country.

It’s sad and exciting to have to sell up and move but you’re startled when you realize the payout penalty is $21,000. That’s a LOT of your hard earned equity to lose but you realize that you’ve already actually paid another $37,00 in penalties when you renewed early. Now its $25,000! GULP!

I know you realize that this is a worst case scenario but it can potentially happen to any one of us. The key is not avoiding these costs, but by making informed choices, avoid paying any more than you have to. By being aware and making one simple change, your penalties in our previous scenario could be about $7,500 – a savings of $17,500.

You can read more about how some lenders (not all ) calculate their penalties here.
As always, contact a Dominion Lending Centres mortgage specialist if you have any questions.

Courtesy of Jonathan Barlow, AMP – DLC A Better Way