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Homebuyers: Avoid These Common Mortgage Pitfalls

Diane Buchanan • March 1, 2018

A home is the largest purchase most people will make in their lives.

That should reinforce the importance of planning ahead, doing your research, relying on the advice of experts and not rushing through the process.

With nearly 700,000 homes purchased in Canada each year, there’s no shortage of anecdotes about the issues and surprises that can arise.

While a mortgage broker can help you avoid many of the pitfalls commonly encountered during the home buying process, it’s still important to be informed even before you start looking for that perfect home. Here are just a few examples:

 

1. Not checking your credit report before applying for a mortgage

Put simply, not knowing your credit score prior to applying for a mortgage is akin to not brushing your teeth before visiting the dentist.

Your credit score can have a huge impact on the best rate you’ll be able to secure. For example, some lenders will offer a borrower with a 640 credit score rates that are a full 0.25% worse than someone with a score of 750, as we’ve  written about  previously on these pages. For conventional mortgages (those with down payments of less than 20%), the ideal target score is around 720.

You don’t want to discover your credit score is sub-par in the middle of a mortgage application. Knowing this information beforehand gives you time to improve your score, or address any errors that may appear on your report. You can easily check your score through  Equifax  or  TransUnion.

Anyone with a credit score less than 680 (the minimum credit score to get the best rates) should be prepared to pony up for a higher interest rate and will likely qualify for a smaller mortgage.

 

2. Thinking it’s all about the rate

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want the cheapest mortgage rate possible? And indeed it is important to find the best deal that meets your needs. After all, a few percentage points can make a not-insignificant difference to your interest costs over your mortgage term.

But don’t be too quick to jump at the cheapest rate without making sure it has all of the features you need/want, and that it doesn’t stick you with higher-than-normal penalties should you need to break your mortgage early. Some people are OK with a large penalty if it saves them money upfront on the rate. Just remember that penalties on certain “no-frills” mortgages can end up costing  many  thousands of dollars, nullifying any rate savings.

 

3. Not understanding the importance of the down payment

Many first-time buyers see a down payment as a big, almost-insurmountable obstacle to home ownership, particularly in regions where prices have skyrocketed into the stratosphere.

But when you get into the nitty-gritty of it all, there are many more considerations beyond simply coming up with the money.

Things to consider:

  • How big of a down payment will you/can you make? Of course you must meet the federally mandated minimum down payment: 5% for all mortgages up to $500,000, and 10% on any portion above $500,000 up to $1 million (CMHC-insured mortgage loans are only available on properties valued under $1 million). It goes without saying that as you increase the size of the down payment, you reduce the amount of interest over the lifetime of the mortgage. But you also reduce the size of the  CMHC mortgage insurance premium , which runs from 0.60% on loan-to-values up to 65%, all the way up to 4% for loan-to-values of 95% (i.e. 5% down). CMHC says the average down payment in 2016 was 8%, while the average CMHC-insured loan was $245,000. Based on those figures, the average premium was $9,016. Remember, this premium is normally rolled into the mortgage, and gets paid off (with interest) over the life of the mortgage.
  • The source of your down payment funds. According to Mortgage Professionals Canada, about 10% of first-time buyers use the federal government’s  Home Buyer’s Plan  to withdraw up to $25,000 tax free from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). This can be a great tool for supplementing a down payment, so long as you’re aware of the rules and the payback requirements.
  • Transferring the funds. No matter where your down payment funds are coming from (savings, investments, RRSP, proceeds from a prior sale), be sure to leave yourself plenty of time for the funds to clear and for a certified or cashier’s cheque to be produced before the closing. It’s easy to underestimate the time it may take for wire transfers to finalize, so be sure to confirm with your bank or financial institution in the event of a tight deadline.

 

4. Not setting (and sticking to) a budget

You’re probably thinking, “but budgets can be boring and tedious.” This is not entirely incorrect, but on the other hand a budget paints a clear picture of your financial situation and lays the framework for ensuring you can afford all of the hidden (and not so hidden) costs associated with buying a home—not to mention all of the costs that follow after the closing.

It’s important to plan for both the short and long term. Short-term costs include everything from:

  • Land transfer taxes
  • Legal fees
  • Home inspection/appraisal fees
  • Down payment (this is kind of a big one)
  • Mortgage insurance (remember, the provincial tax on your insurance premium can’t be rolled into the mortgage like the premium itself, so expect this hefty expense at closing time)

Then there are the ongoing costs of home ownership. Previous owners will know what to expect, but first-time buyers may be caught off guard with sudden expenses after moving in, such as:

  • Appliances and furniture
  • Condo fees/Property taxes/Property insurance
  • Utility costs
  • Renovations/repairs (furnace replacement, new shingles, etc.)
  • And everything else, down to tools, and yes, even a dehumidifier. These expenses can add up

As for long-term planning—and this applies especially to today’s buyers—just because you scored a great rate for your purchase, be prepared for the possibility that rates will rise and that you may need to renew into a higher rate in the future.

For every 25 bps or rate increases, adjustable-rate holders can expect to pay approximately $25 more in interest each month based on a $200,000 mortgage.

 

5. Not Shopping Around

Whether you plan to find your own mortgage or enlist the help of a broker, it’s still important to shop around in both cases.

Most people don’t buy the first car they test drive. They give themselves adequate time to research and compare their options. So why would a purchase worth many times the cost of your vehicle be any different?

If you have questions about any of these issues, or about the mortgage application process in general, I’d love to discuss it with you. Please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime!

 

This article was written by Steve Huebl from Canadian Mortgage Trends. It was originally published here on July 21,2017. 

DIANE BUCHANAN
 Mortgage Broker

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How To Get The Best Mortgage

By Diane Buchanan • February 19, 2025
If you’re looking to buy a property or have a mortgage up for renewal, and you’re thinking about connecting with your bank directly, save yourself a lot of money and regret by reading this article first. Here are four things that your bank won’t tell you, accompanied by four reasons that explain why working with an independent mortgage professional is in your best interest. Banks have Limited Access to Mortgage Products. Now, while this one may seem pretty straightforward, if you’re dealing with a single institution, they can only offer mortgages from their product catalogue. This means that you’ll be restricted to their qualifications which are usually very narrow. Working with a single institution significantly limits your options, especially if your financial situation isn’t straightforward. In contrast, dealing with an independent mortgage professional, you will have access to products from over 200 lenders, including banks, monoline lenders, credit unions, finance companies, alternative lenders, institutional B lenders, Mortgage Investment Corporations, and private funds. Working with an independent mortgage professional will give you considerably more options to secure a better mortgage. Banks Employ Salespeople, not Mortgage Experts. Banks don’t employ mortgage experts; they employ salespeople. Banks pay and incentivize salespeople to sell their products. There is a fundamental misalignment of values here. If the bank incentivizes a banker to make a profit for the bank, how can they at the same time advocate for you and your best interest? They can’t. Banks don’t have your best interest in mind. In fact, the more money they make off of you, the better it is for their bottom line. However, when you work with an independent mortgage professional, you get the experience of someone who understands the intricacies of mortgage financing and will advocate on your behalf to get you the best mortgage. It’s actually in our best interest to assist you in finding the mortgage with the best terms for you. Once your mortgage completes, we get paid a standardized finder’s fee by the lender for arranging the financing. So although we get paid by the lender, that lender has had to compete with other lenders to earn your business. When you work with an independent mortgage professional, everyone wins. You get the best mortgage available, we get paid a standardized finder’s fee, and the lender gets a new borrower. Banks Rarely Offer You Their Best Terms Upfront. Banks are in the business of making money, and they’re usually pretty good at it. As such, banks will rarely offer you their best terms at the outset of your negotiation. This is especially true if you’re looking to refinance your existing mortgage. With over half of Canadians simply accepting the renewal offer they get sent in the mail without question, banks don’t have to put their best rate forward. Instead, they rely on you to be ignorant of the process and will take advantage of your trust in them. When you work with an independent mortgage professional, we don’t play games with rates and terms. Our goal is always to seek out the lender who has the best mortgage for you from the start of the process, and if there are any negotiations to be had, we handle them for you. There is no reason for us to do otherwise. In fact, the better we do our job, the more likely it is that you’ll be happy with our services and refer your friends and family. Banks Promote Restrictive Mortgage Products. As if it’s not bad enough that banks don’t offer their best terms upfront, they actually promote mortgage products that are restrictive in nature. The fine print in your mortgage contract matters; understanding it is challenging. Banks do what they can to make it hard for you to leave. Now, if you’ve ever heard stories of outrageous penalties being charged, this is what’s called an Interest Rate Differential penalty (IRD). Each lender has its own way of calculating the IRD. Chartered banks are known for their restrictive mortgages and high IRD penalties. When you work with an independent mortgage professional, we take the time to listen to your goals and assess your mortgage needs based on your life circumstances. The best mortgage is the one that lowers your overall cost of borrowing. So not only will we walk through the cost of the mortgage financing, but we’ll also clearly outline the costs incurred should you need to break your mortgage before the end of your term. This might be the deciding factor in choosing the right lender and mortgage for you. Working with an Independent Mortgage Professional is in Your Best Interest. Banks have limitations to the mortgage products they offer. Working with an independent mortgage professional gives you mortgage options! Bankers work for the bank; they are incentivized to make money for the bank. An independent mortgage professional advocates on your behalf to get you the best mortgage available. Banks rarely offer their best terms upfront; they leave negotiations up to you. An independent mortgage professional outlines the best terms from multiple lenders at the start of the process. Banks promote restrictive mortgage products that make it difficult to leave them. An independent mortgage broker will outline all the costs associated with different mortgage products and recommend the mortgage best suited for your needs. So if you’d like to talk about the best mortgage product for you, you’ve come to the right place. Please connect anytime. It would be a pleasure to work with you.

Are You Ready To Buy A Home?

By Diane Buchanan • February 12, 2025
Buying your first home is a big deal. And while you may feel like you’re ready to take that step, here are 4 things that will prove it out. 1. You have at least 5% available for a downpayment. To buy your first home, you need to come up with at least 5% for a downpayment. From there, you’ll be expected to have roughly 1.5% of the purchase price set aside for closing costs. If you’ve saved your downpayment by accumulating your own funds, it means you have a positive cash flow which is a good thing. However, if you don’t quite have enough saved up on your own, but you have a family member who is willing to give you a gift to assist you, that works too. 2. You have established credit. Building a credit score takes some time. Before any lender considers you for mortgage financing, they want to see that you have an established history of repaying the money you’ve already borrowed. Typically two trade lines, for a period of two years, with a minimum amount of $2000, should work! Now, if you’ve had some credit issues in the past, it doesn’t mean you aren’t ready to be a homeowner. However, it might mean a little more planning is required! A co-signor can be considered here as well. 3. You have the income to make your mortgage payments. And then some. If you’re going to borrow money to buy a house, the lender wants to make sure that you have the ability to pay it back. Plus interest. The ideal situation is to have a permanent full-time position where you’re past probation. Now, if you rely on any inconsistent forms of income, having a two-year history is required. A good rule of thumb is to keep the costs of homeownership to under a third of your gross income, leaving you with two-thirds of your income to pay for your life. 4. You’ve discussed mortgage financing with a professional. Buying your first home can be quite a process. With all the information available online, it’s hard to know where to start. While you might feel ready, there are lots of steps to take; way more than can be outlined in a simple article like this one. So if you think you’re ready to buy your first home, the best place to start is with a preapproval! Let's discuss your financial situation, talk through your downpayment options, look at your credit score, assess your income and liabilities, and ultimately see what kind of mortgage you can qualify for to become a homeowner! Please connect anytime; it would be a pleasure to work with you!
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