Mortgages in Canada can be a murky subject – one that we hope to shed some light on with a series of highly informational articles.
Latest News
Q3 Lender Earnings: The Unexpected Recovery Dec 2nd
The country’s key mortgage lenders recently released their third-quarter earnings, and it’s safe to say results were better-than-expected all around. Equitable Bank had its best-ever third quarter, while First National had its own record quarter. “For customers and partners, we ori.... More »
Forget the burbs—should home buyers “fly until they qualify” for a mortgage? Feb 12th
During my time as the resident mortgage expert on CP24’s Hot Property TV show, I started using the phrase “drive until you qualify” to describe the advice given to home buyers struggling to get into hot real estate markets. The idea was that you should expand your search from high-priced urban.... More »
Best of Finance Winners: The Best Credit Cards and Banking Products for 2019 + MORE Oct 10th
RateSupermarket.ca aims to make financial decision-making easier for the consumer by acknowledging the best credit cards and banking products in Canada at its annual Best of Finance Awards. (Originally published May 15, 2019)
The credit card, loan, bank account, or mortgage you choose can affect ho.... More »
The State of the Residential Mortgage Market: 2021 Mar 26th
Despite the headwinds of a global pandemic, Canadians’ interest in real estate and the resulting rise in prices took even the most seasoned experts by surprise. This, of course, had major implications for the mortgage market. Mortgage Professionals Canada’s Annual State of the Residentia.... More »
Weekly mortgage digest: Canadians are pulling back on borrowing Sep 16th
A weekly review of the latest mortgage and real estate news, a recap of key headlines, and a preview of upcoming economic releases..... More »
Motusbank Online Bank Launches With Low HELOC, Competitive GICs
– ratesupermarket.ca
Motusbank, a subsidiary of Meridian Credit Union, has launched in Canada. First announced in February, a full range of banking and borrowing services are now available on its website, motusbank.ca.
As an online-only bank, Motusbank can be accessed via its mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play. App users can check balances, transfer funds, and deposit cheques; Apple Pay and Google Pay, however, are not supported. Statements and other documents are available only on desktop.
The main appeal of Motusbank lies in its competitive mortgage rate and simple online application. Fixed-rate mortgages are available with terms ranging from six months to five years; variable-rate mortgages all have five-year terms. The bank is currently advertising a 3.09 percent interest rate for closed fixed-rate mortgages with terms ranging from one year to five years; the same rate also applies to its closed variable-rate mortgages.
Given the current crop of online-only banks, which offer many of the same services and advantages, Motusbank is making a direct play for home buyers who are shopping for the lowest rates and don’t want to spend time haggling…
Taking on a “Fraction” of the Cost; Vancouver Start-Up Promises a Better Incentive for Home Buyers than CMHC
– ratesupermarket.ca
An incentive for first-time home buyers offered through the Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) was only announced a week ago, promising to provide $1.25 billion over three years to help lower mortgage costs for eligible Canadians.
However, a new company is now also promising to provide an alternative form of relief for potential home buyers.
If a home buyer chooses to work with Fraction, the Vancouver-based start-up says it will take up to a 40 percent stake in the buyer’s property, securely reducing mortgage payments by up to 35 percent.
Since Fraction is putting up 40 percent of the purchase price, the home buyer is then only required to take out a mortgage for the remaining 60 percent.
“It’s almost like selling shares in a home,” said Fraction’s Chief Technology Officer Josh Baker, as you’re essentially selling equity in your home and paying it back to Fraction upon resale at its future value.
For instance, if your home is worth $500,000 and you want to sell 40 percent of your property, Fraction will take on that $200,000 share…
