How Banks & Mortgage Lenders Determine Their Mortgage Rates
Mortgage rates in Canada are determined by a range of factors.
On one hand, external economic forces have considerable effect, on the other, the profile of the mortgage applicant is significant.
External factors include:
7.7% | 7.5% |
*All rates presented in this table are the most typical of those offered by the six major Canadian chartered banks in the beginning of each year.
Beyond The Mortgage What Else Should A Homebuyer Budget For
Securing a great mortgage rate is just the first of many things you need to consider. Were pretty sure you knew this, but homeownership doesnt come cheap. Here are some of the other things youll need to budget for as a prospective homeowner.
Land transfer fees: In every province except Alberta and Saskatchewan, you have to pay a land transfer tax once you close the sale on your new home. The exact calculation varies depending on which province you live in, but its a cost youll need to consider come closing time.
Property taxes: A property tax is an annual charge depending on where you live. If you live inside a municipality, youll be required to pay a municipal property tax. If you live outside a town or city, youll have to pay a provincial property tax. Property taxes can either be rolled into your mortgage or paid in installments depending on the lender youre working with.
Home insurance: While home insurance isnt a legal requirement in Canada, youll be hard-pressed to find a lender to offer you a mortgage contract without it. Home insurance provides compensation in case your home is damaged by unexpected events, such as flooding or fire.
Land transfer taxes: These are additional taxes that are calculated as a percentage of the purchase price of the home. Land transfer taxes vary by province, though some municipalities charge an additional land transfer tax. Toronto, for example.
Should I Use An Ontario Mortgage Broker
Ontario mortgage brokers often have the lowest rates in the province, particularly for default-insured mortgages. And theyre generally free of charge for qualified borrowers. Ontario brokers also tend to provide better advice than many lender representatives since they specialize in mortgages and deal with multiple lenders. Note that all brokers must be licensed by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario. Heres a link to see if your broker is licensed.
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Summary Of What Affects Your Mortgage Rate
- A short mortgage term will have a lower mortgage rate. A long mortgage term will have a higher mortgage rate.
- Variable mortgage rates are lower than fixed mortgage rates, but increases in the prime rate will cause variable rates to rise.
- Insured mortgages will have the lowest mortgage rates, followed by insurable mortgages, then uninsured mortgages.
- Making a larger down payment for insurable or uninsured mortgages will lower your mortgage rate.
- A low credit score will increase your mortgage rate. Agood credit scoregives you access to lower mortgage rates.
Jamie David Director Of Marketing And Head Of Mortgages

Jamie David is the Director of Marketing and Head of Mortgages at Ratehub.ca. A graduate of the Systems Design Engineering program at the University of Waterloo, she has over 15 years of business, marketing, and engineering experience in the financial technology, banking, education, energy and retail industries. She has worked in top organizations like TD Bank, Trading Pursuits, Petro-Canada, and the TTC. Her passion for personal finance, investing, education, and business strategy brought her to Ratehub.ca where she heads a very talented, cross-functional team that is dedicated to providing Canadians with the best mortgage experience all the way through from online search to funded mortgage.
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What Is The Prime Rate At Cibc
A line of credit to assist you in achieving your objectives. Up to November 20, 2022, you may take advantage of this advantageous introductory rate, which is equivalent to the CIBC Prime rate, which is now 3.20 percent. The CIBC Current Prime Rate serves as the benchmark for all loans, whether they have a fixed or variable interest rate structure.
Should You Choose Fixed Or Floating
- Fixed interest rate loans.
When you choose a fixed rate home loan, the interest rate you pay stays the same for a given period . At the end of the term, you can either fix again for a new term or switch to a floating rate. Fixed rates make budgeting easier and are nearly always lower than the floating rate.
Advantages:
- Your repayments stay the same over the term, so there are no surprises.
- Lenders compete for the best fixed rate, so there are usually some great deals going.
- If economists are predicting a rise in interest rates, you can lock in a lower rate for a long term.
Disadvantages:
- If you want to increase repayments or pay a lump sum off your loan, youll probably get hit with a fee.
- If you choose a longer term, theres always the chance floating rates will dip to below the fixed rate youre paying.
- You may have to pay a break fee if you want to sell your property or move to a floating rate before the term is up.
- Floating rate
Advantages:
- You can increase your repayments or pay off a lump sum at any time, without any penalty.
- To simplify your financial life and pay less interest, you may be able to consolidate other borrowing into your floating rate home loan.
Disadvantages:
- Floating rates are nearly always higher than fixed rates.
- Youll have less disposable income if repayments go up in response to an interest rate increase.
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Best For Saving Money
Who’s this for? SoFi offers homebuyers a number of discounts that can help them save as much money as possible throughout their home buying process. When you lock in 30-year rate for a conventional loan, you can receive a 0.25% discount. And when you purchase a home through the SoFi Real Estate Center, which is powered by HomeStory, you can receive up to $9,500 in cash back. Another appealing perk is that SoFi members can get a $500 discount on their mortgage loan.
This lender offers an online-only experience for those looking to qualify for a conventional loan, jumbo loan, or HELOC . Terms range from 10 to 30 years and are both fixed and adjustable-rate. Similar to most other lenders, SoFi considers applicants with a minimum credit score of 620.
Homebuyers can also take advantage of a host of resources from SoFi, like a home affordability calculator, a mortgage calculator and a home improvement cost calculator, which can really come in handy if you’re purchasing a home that needs some work done and you need to figure out ahead of time how much to budget for renovations.
Just keep in mind, though, that SoFi’s mortgage loans are only available in 47 states and Washington, D.C. residents of Hawaii, New York and New Mexico would be unable to apply.
Big 5 Bank Mortgage Rates
Rates updated: August 10, 2022, 4:19 a.m.
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How Do I Get The Best Mortgage Rate In Canada In 2022
Make sure you compare mortgage rates across the different banks, credit unions and top mortgage lenders in Canada. You can use our rate table above to compare the best mortgage rates in just a glance.
After comparing the different mortgage rates currently available, you should then get a personalized quote to see which mortgage rate you can actually get given your situation. At Ratehub.ca, we can provide you a quote in just 2 minutes. and enter some basic information so we can show you the lowest rate you can actually get.
How Do Variable Mortgage Rates Work
A variable-rate mortgage is a type of home loan in which the interest rate is not fixed. Instead, interest payments will be adjusted at a level above a specific benchmark or reference rate. In Canada, this is the prime rate set by the Bank of Canada. Lenders can offer borrowers variable-rate interest over the life of a mortgage loan.
With a variable-rate mortgage, your mortgage payment will stay the same throughout your mortgage term, but the interest rate can go up and down along with the prime interest rate.
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Best Mortgage Rate Ireland Overall Best Mortgage Rate Ireland 2022
Average Rate at LTV < 50% | 10 Yr |
The leading score on rate, whilst not dropping many points on the basis of flexibility, makes the Finance Irelands 15 to 25 year fixed rate products the best mortgage rate Ireland 2022 choice overall and also the best fixed mortgage rate.
If youre looking for the lowest repayments and dont mind being tied in to a provider for 15-25 years look no further.
When Will Mortgage Rates Go Up In Canada

Canadians can see as many as eight interest rate adjustments per year.
While Canadians have been fortunate to not see any increase to mortgage rates over the last two years, mostly due to low rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank of Canada began raising their interest rates effective March 2022.
As a rule of thumb, when the Bank of Canada changes the policy interest rate, it sets off a chain reaction that affects lending rates from every bank. Each bank determines its own prime lending rate, which is itself primarily influenced by the Bank of Canada’s policy interest rate.
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What Are The Pre
Your mortgage pre-payment option determines how you can increase the size of your monthly payments, or whether you can make a lump-sum payment directly towards the principal on your mortgage. Your options will be set out in your mortgage contract.
The first pre-payment option you have is to increase your monthly payment amount by a certain, set percentage. This increase in payment will reduce youramortization period and thus, the total interest paid on your mortgage.
A second option is to make a lump-sum payment directly towards the principal of your mortgage. The percentage amount by which you are allowed to make this lump sum repayment is based upon your mortgage’s initial principal value.
Which Lenders Offer The Lowest Mortgage Rates
The truth is no mortgage lender has a clear edge when it comes to mortgage rates. Each has its own specific methods for calculating which rates to charge which borrowers, so the lender with the best rate for one person might not have the best offer for another. It really depends on individual circumstances.
This is why its so important to look into a variety of lenders and see what they can offer you. Using tools, such as our rate comparison tool, can help you compare mortgage rates for your specific situation and give you a good idea of what rates you may qualify for. You can also get ahead by checking your credit score before you apply for a mortgage, to better understand your financial standing.
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What Happens At The End Of A Term
At the end of each term, you have the option to renew or refinance your mortgage.
- Renewing your mortgageinvolves signing for another term with your existing lender. Your monthly payment and mortgage interest rate may change.
- Refinancing your mortgageinvolves signing a new term agreement, possibly with a different rate or lender. Refinancing allows you to take advantage of lower mortgage rates or better options not offered by your current lender. You can also borrow more money by using your home equity and receiving it in cash.
Your mortgage lender might not reassess your credit score or debt service ratios if youâre renewing at the same lender. If youâre switching to a new lender, youâll need to be reassessed and you may need to pass the mortgage stress test.
Where Can I Get The Best Mortgage Rate In Canada
You may ensure that you receive an interest rate that is appropriate for your situation by finding out your credit score before consulting with an expert.Bringing down your debt-service ratio is an easy step you can take toward securing the most competitive mortgage rate in Canada.This is the proportion of your monthly gross income that goes toward paying off your various obligations and debts.
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Why Compare Ontario Mortgage Rates On Ratehubca
We know mortgages can be overwhelming. With so many different types of mortgages, terms and conditions, and providers to consider, just getting started can be confusing. At Ratehub, we compare the lowest rates from the Big 6 Banks, smaller banks, credit unions, and top mortgage brokers in Ontario. We want to make it easy for Canadians to compare, apply, and connect with mortgage providers so that you’re empowered to get better mortgage rates.
Mortgage Critical Illness Insurance
Mortgage critical illness insurance provides a benefit if you suffer a life-threatening issue, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. Critical illness insurance usually has a smaller coverage benefit, and it has slightly higher premiums. Some policies might not cover pre-existing conditions up to 24 months before the start of your coverage. You might also need to complete a health interview.
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How Much Mortgage Can I Afford
There are many ways to determine how big a mortgage you can afford. However, there are some guidelines Canadian lenders use when evaluating your eligibility for a mortgage.
Your down payment: How much you are able to put down upfront will inevitably impact how big a mortgage you can afford. This is because there are minimum requirements for a down payment in Canada, depending on the cost of the home.
On a home thats $500,000 or less, youre required to put down at least 5% upfront. On a home thats between $500,000 and $1 million, youre required to put down 5% of the first $500,000, and 10% of the rest of the principal. On a $1 million home, youre required to put down at least 20%.
Down payments that amount to less than 20% of a propertys value are called high ratio mortgages and homebuyers need to purchase insurance to guarantee their mortgage. The price of the insurance premium is added to the monthly mortgage payment. Down payments that are at least 20% or more are called conventional mortgages and not require insurance.
Having a down payment that exceeds 20% will help you pay off your loan sooner and save you money in the long run. However, interest rates on high-ratio mortgages tend to be lower than the rates on conventional mortgages. Thats because the added insurance reduces the risk of the bank losing its investment.
What Is A Fixed Rate Mortgage

With a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate and your mortgage payment will remain the same throughout your mortgage term. Unlike variable-rate mortgages, a fixed-rate mortgage does not fluctuate with the market. So the interest rate in a fixed-rate mortgage stays the same regardless of where interest rates go, up or down.
As an example, if you have a mortgage with a 5% fixed interest rate means that you will pay 5% until it is time to renew. This can give you financial peace of mind, knowing that your rate wont go up before your term is done. On the other hand, at signing you will lock in a higher rate than the going variable rates at the time of signing.
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What Is A Mortgage
A mortgage is a type of secured loan that is used to purchase a home. The word mortgage actually has roots in Old French and Latin.. It literally means death pledge. Thankfully, it was never meant to be a loan you paid for until you died , but rather a commitment to pay until the pledge itself died .
You can also get a mortgage to replace your existing home loan, known as a refinance.
What Factors Affect The Mortgage Rate I Get
The mortgage rate that you qualify for will depend on a number of factors, some of the most important of which are:
- Your down payment – The size of your down payment will determine the amount of insurance your mortgage will require. The larger your down payment, the less insurance your mortgage will require. Though it may seem counter-intuitive, uninsured mortgages actually have higher rates. This is because lenders take on more risk for these mortgages since they cannot get insurance on them. Though you may not get the lowest rate, it is usually always better to put a larger down payment if you can afford it because you wonât have to pay for mortgage insurance.
- Your amortization period – Mortgages with amortization periods greater than 25 years are not usually insurable and therefore come at a higher rate. However, a longer amortization period allows you to have a lower monthly payment.
- What the property will be used for – Will you be living in the property? Mortgage rates for rental properties are typically higher than for those that are owner-occupied.
- Mortgage type – Mortgage rates for refinances are usually higher than rates for renewals and purchases.
- Your credit score – Your credit score may affect the type of lenders that will work with you. If you have bad credit, you may not qualify for a Big Bank mortgage.
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