Renewing your mortgage? Here’s what you need to know

Consumers are much more informed these days about mortgages and mortgage products, and are highly engaged, especially millennials who are comfortable searching the Internet for information and rates.  According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) 2017 Consumer Survey, 76% of mortgage consumers did online research, and 31% access online information through their mobile devices.

Among those going online, 50% went to lender websites, 25% to broker websites, and 15% visited both lender and broker sites.  Seventy-six per cent used a mortgage calculator, 51% did a financial self-assessment, and 29% filled out an online pre-approval form.

Because consumers are highly engaged, they are more confident about their mortgage decisions. Still, with all that research, more than half contacted a mortgage broker to get further clarification.

According to the survey, mortgage broker share of the market is increasing with renewers, from 26% in 2016 to 35% in 2017. This is a prudent move, considering how much the mortgage rules have changed.

This may be the year you get that renewal letter in the mail. Many of you may just sign the new renewal rate because it’s easy, and the idea of switching to another lender may be too onerous. You are busy with work and family and don’t have the time to do the research to see if there may be a better deal for you.

The CMHC survey found that 39% of households automatically renew their mortgages when the term is up instead of trying to find a better deal. When you’ve done your homework prior to purchasing a home, it only makes sense to do as much research at renewal time as you can. Quite often the renewal rate offered to you by your lender is higher than the market average.

There may also be material changes in your household. Perhaps you’ve started a family, or one of you has been promoted.  This is another good time to contact a mortgage broker to review your financial situation and see what makes sense for you to do.

Here are some tips to make sure you’re getting the best mortgage product:

·       Get going early. Start the discussion four to six months ahead of renewal time. Most lenders will guarantee a discounted rate for four months but your renewal agreement is usually sent only 30 days ahead of your maturity date.

·       The posted rate is usually not the best. Often, depending on your lender, you’ll get the posted rate, not the discounted rate, as a renewal rate. A report by Mortgage Professionals Canada found that renewers working with a mortgage professional saved approx. 2 points below posted rates. That can translate into thousands of dollars in savings.

·       Do your homework. Shop around to get the best deal, tailored to your particular situation. If you decide to switch lenders, there are no penalties at renewal time.

·       It’s not always about interest rate. Don’t fixate on rate. There are other options that may appeal to you such as changes to amortizations or changes to the rate type.

·       Why a mortgage broker? Most surveys find that brokers can get you a better rate because of their relationships with multiple enders. A broker can give you independent advice because they are not tied to one lender. A broker can also save you time with one-stop shopping. And there’s no cost to you.

In some cases, the new rule changes may necessitate that you stay with your current lender at renewal time. A broker can help assess the situation and provide advice, even if that means staying with your current lender.

The bottom line is that research is equally as important at renewal time as it is when purchasing your new home.  Don’t leave it until the last minute.

Renegotiating your mortgage agreement

It’s a familiar story. You buy a house and lock into an interest rate for a five-year mortgage term. Then something changes in your life midway through the term and the current mortgage doesn’t meet your needs. Or mortgage rates have gone down substantially and you would like some interest rate relief, so you consider renegotiating the mortgage agreement. However, there will be a cost and that cost will most likely determine whether you renegotiate or not.

The first step is to decide what your new needs are. Do you have to move because you’ve been transferred? Do you simply want to renegotiate to get a lower interest rate to ease your monthly payment? Do you need to make some significant home improvements? Have you accumulated debt and would like to consolidate? 

If you opted for a variable rate mortgage, the prepayment penalty may be the least costly. If, however, you opted for a fixed rate, the calculation is a bit more complicated. And different lenders offer different terms and conditions.

Here’s how it works. There are two types of mortgages – fixed and variable-rate mortgages.  For the most part, variable-rate mortgage charges are three months interest. Fixed-rate mortgages have different rules. They use the interest rate differential. Different lenders have different ways of making this calculation but basically it’s the lost interes,t calculated at the current contract rate, minus the market rate at the time the penalty is calculated, for the remaining term.

If at the time of the calculation, the market rate is higher than your contracted rate, then the lender will only charge three months interest penalty. After all, the lender stands to make more money at the higher rate.  However, if the rate is lower, then you get hit with the rate difference.

Some lenders are pretty clear with their calculations, others however are not.  You’ve no doubt heard about penalty fees in the thousands of dollars. Here’s how that happens. Let’s say you have a contracted five-year rate at 2.99% but you want to break it in the second year.  Some lenders won’t use that rate to calculate the differential but will use their posted rate, which is substantially higher.  A posted rate of 5.14 per cent, for example, would create an interest differential of 2.15 per cent. If your mortgage is in the $300,000 range, then the penalty will be in the $10,000 range. That’s a hefty sum.

There are also options to help reduce those prepayment charges. Many mortgage agreements allow you to prepay a certain amount without triggering a charge. You might consider prepaying a portion of the mortgage before renegotiating so your charge is calculated on the balance. But beware; some lenders have rules on how close to the date of renegotiation you can make those prepayments.

If you’re renegotiating because you’re moving, you can avoid prepayment charges by porting the mortgage, which means you take your existing interest rate, terms and conditions to your new home.

If you’re renegotiating to take advantage of lower interest rates, some lenders will allow you to blend- and-extend the mortgage until the end of the term. Your old interest rate gets blended with the new term’s rate. You will probably get charged an administration fee.

There may be benefits over the long term to renegotiating your existing mortgage if it fits with your overall financial goals. It’s always a good idea to get advice from a mortgage broker who can offer options and solutions.