Whether you like it or not, stats and numbers are a part of the world of mortgages. When rates change even the slightest of percentage points, it could cost or save you thousands of dollars. Every once in a while, here on the Mortgage Monday posts, I’ll update you on what’s going on in the world of mortgage rates. If this kind of stuff doesn’t really interest you, I won’t be offended if you just skim through it – I’ll try to make it as painless as possible. 😉
- The Bank of Canada interest rate held stead yat 1.00% for a 14th consecutive time early in the week, which was expected, but the Bank’s commentary reflected the ongoing challenges in the global economy and shifted sentiment clearly away from a rate increase anytime soon. There was even some limited speculation of a possible rate cut. The next meeting date is July 17th, 2012.
- The Bank of Canada prime lending rate is also holding steady at 3.00%. It has also been holding steady since Fall 2010 – if the bank rate goes up, the prime lending rate will follow. At the earliest, we’re probably looking at late 2012/early 2013.
- The qualifying rate (the rate you would need to qualify at for a variable mortgage) for a 5-year mortgage has dropped to 5.24%. Not many folks are getting into a variable mortgage these days (variable rates just aren’t competitive with fixed rates right now – so this doesn’t affect that many folks).
- The current best variable rate (changes daily) is in the prime-0.1% (2.9%) ballpark, though many lenders currently are offering ‘prime’ as their variable rate.
- The current best 5-year fixed mortgage rate (changes daily) has dropped slightly and is now in the 3.09% range – again, always contact your mortgage broker for current best rates for your situation (and as we’ve talked about previously, The Best Mortgage Rate is Not Always the Best Option).
- The “hot term” in Canada these days is still the full-featured, 10-year fixed mortgage with rates as low as 3.89% (check out my post from a couple of months ago on the 10-Year Mortgage Below 4% and my post from two weeks ago: Should You Consider a 10-Year Mortgage?). If you want to lock in for a decade and record-low rates, definitely take a look at locking in for 10 years at less than 4%.
As noted above, some of these numbers change monthly, where as some change daily. While I’m happy to provide an update on what’s going on as rates, if you’re interested on getting personalized mortgage advice, speak to your favorite mortgage broker who can help you decide the best rates and options for you.
