Elliot asked:


Our mortgage broker is encouraging us to wait for the interest rates to fall again despite the fact that they have increased steadily for the past three weeks. Is there a monetary incentive for him to lock us in higher? We are paying 1 point for a better rate.

jayjay asked:


This is a question for those in the UK.
My fixed rate mortgage has come to an end. Do you think interest rates will continue to fall, or is it more likely that they’ll begin to rise? Should I get another fixed rate mortgage now or stay where I am on the provider’s variable rate (slightly higher than what they’ve offered as a fixed rate) and hope interest rates continue to fall?
Thanks!

Penny-Ann Lupton asked:


We’re all fully aware of the crisis in the world housing market, especially in the United States, it’s practically impossible to have missed it with all of the coverage on the news.  Unfortunately, this situation has affected Canadians as well.  It’s more difficult than ever for a person with no down payment to get a mortgage in Canada.  With the cancellation of the zero down mortgage programs, many people now believe that if they don’t have 5% down payment to buy a house they won’t be approved for a mortgage. Although it’s a little more stringent, it’s still possible to get zero down mortgages, however it’s in the form of what the banks call cash back mortgages.

Cash back mortgages are a great alternative for someone who wants to take advantage of the low price of housing in Canada right now but doesn’t have 5% down payment to purchase a home.  Alternatively, some people have saved for their down payment but don’t quite have enough.  A cash back mortgage would be a good option for this situation as well.  You’re probably wondering what’s the difference between a cash back mortgage and the zero down mortgage programs?  The banks would like you to believe that there is essentially no difference between these two mortgage products, but that is not the case. Although cash back mortgages are a fantastic alternative to the zero down mortgage products, there are significant differences.

The first and most important difference is the interest rate.  When the banks were offering zero down mortgages the interest rates were the exact same as if you had 5% down, with a cash back mortgage, the interest rates are usually about 1% higher than a traditional mortgage product.  However, this is offset by the fact that the bank is giving you your down payment.  That means if you have a cash back mortgage for $100,000 the bank will give you 5% down, and you only have to pay back $95,000. Banks would like you to believe that they are giving you the 5% out of the goodness of their hearts, but the fact is the interest rate is higher on this product so they can recoup that 5%. The good news is, at the end of your 5-year term with that bank, you are free to shop around again for the best rates.

 

The second difference between cash back mortgages and the zero down mortgage programs is the penalty if you break the mortgage before the 5-year term is up.  On a traditional mortgage at 100% financing, if you break the mortgage the penalty is the same as any other mortgage, the standard 3-month interest penalty would apply.  With a cash back mortgage they also charge a 3-month interest penalty, in addition to that you have to pay back a portion of the cash the bank “gave” you.

I know it seems like I am trying to deter you from a cash back mortgage but that isn’t the case, I just think it is important to enter into cash back mortgages fully aware of the product.  It is important to weigh your options carefully.  If you decide to wait and save up a down payment for your house because you don’t want to pay a higher interest rate, one very important point to consider is. Every year on average houses increase in value by approximately 5%, so,  if you were to purchase a house for $100 000 today that same house would cost you $110 000 in two years. 

If you consider waiting because the interest rate seems a little high you should know that a cash back works out to about a quarter of a percent higher than a traditional mortgage, when you consider that you are not paying back the cash back portion.  On a $100 000 mortgage over five years you will pay approximately $4,800 more in a cash back mortgage than if the zero down mortgage program was still available.  However, if you consider that waiting two years to save would cost you $10 000, the cash back mortgage would cost less than waiting and would be an excellent option to get into the housing market.  Cash back mortgages are excellent options for homebuyers, but you should make certain that you are fully aware of the conditions in your mortgage. 

Michael Marchese asked:


A sub-prime mortgage is a mortgage that is extended to people who are not qualified to get the normal mortgage. Most of these mortgages are offered by the same companies that offer the mainstream mortgage but in a different lending institution. The rates for sub-prime mortgages are higher than the rates for prime mortgages thus; it is advisable to get a prime mortgage if possible. The main reason that makes one fail the qualification of prime mortgages is the credit rating where one gets a low credit score and they are rejected by the prime mortgage lender based on the assumption that the person is not able to service the prime mortgage.

The terms that are given for sub-prime mortgages include a small down payment and higher payment due to the higher interest rates and a longer payment period. The rates of sub-prime mortgages are raised to cover the risk that come with offering mortgages to people with low credit scores. There are chances that they might pay late or they might fail to pay if they do not have enough money to service the installment. The high mortgage rates are also meant to discourage borrowing of the sub-prime mortgage and this idea works since a majority of people accumulate their savings and get the prime mortgages.

The advantage of these mortgages is that they allow those people who have low credit ratings get the services that are usually accessed only by the people with high credit ratings. An additional advantage is that they have a longer repayment period and thus they are well suited for customers who would like to extend their repayment period. The disadvantage of these types of mortgages is that some of the people who qualify for mortgages are referred for sub-prime mortgages when their credit rating is low. The lending company determines one’s credit rating and whether one should be issued with a prime or sub-prime mortgage. This thus, leads to people who would otherwise have qualified for a prime mortgage being relegated into the sub-prime mortgage area. Additionally, this thus makes a person get one of these mortgages when mortgage lenders solicit them. They do not get a chance to consult prime mortgage lenders. Therefore, once these sub-prime lenders get solicitation commissions, they then carry out a process called ‘steering’.

The houses for which sub-prime mortgages are offered are not in good condition as those that qualify for prime mortgages. This arises from the assumption that when one has poor credit rating, they are not well up and thus they do not need a very expensive house. Sub-prime mortgage also face competition from prime mortgage lenders since the mortgage lenders offer lower interest rates. These lenders also offer customized mortgage programs. Most people who fall in the middle class or are associated with this financial status subscribe to sub-prime mortgage since when they apply for these mortgages they qualify. Most citizens cower from the mainstream mortgage, which they assume is for the wealthy. For this reason, people are advised to consult with the relevant people prior to taking up a sub-prime mortgage.