
Whether you’re getting ready to apply for a mortgage on your first home (congratulations!), or you’re renewing your mortgage, you’re faced with a dilemma. Do you choose a fixed-rate, or variable-rate mortgage? There are many of factors at play here. Your personal finances, your level of risk tolerance, and in a broader context, the current economic situation. We break down the differences between a fixed-rate and variable-rate mortgage to help you choose the one that best fits your needs.
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The name says it all. A fixed-rate mortgage stays the same throughout the entire term of your loan. Your term is the length of your mortgage contract. It can vary from anywhere between a few months to 10 years.
Generally, fixed-rate mortgages may have higher rates than variable-rate mortgages, but are a better option if:
Interest rates are notably low now, and you want to secure your rate and avoid any potential future increases.
You’d rather budget for predictable and consistent payments, generally with the same principal-to-interest ratio, regardless of market fluctuations.
A variable-rate mortgage fluctuates depending on the prime rate of your financial institution. The prime rates vary mainly according to the key interest rate issued by the Bank of Canada. Variable-rate mortgages are adjusted each month to reflect these fluctuations. It’s an interesting choice if:
A capped variable rate will fluctuate depending on the market but will never exceed a threshold established when you take out a mortgage. This option allows you to take advantage of rate decreases while protecting you from rate increases. You should note that there is usually an additional premium to pay for this type of rate.
Certain financial institutions will offer fixed monthly payments with a variable-rate mortgage. How does this work? If your interest rate decreases, you'll pay more principal and less interest, and vice versa if it increases. When rates reach a certain percentage, your financial institution will contact you to adjust your mortgage payments.
Are fixed payments and variable rates the best of both worlds?
Not necessarily. Even if you have fixed payments, rate
fluctuations will have an impact when you need to renew your mortgage.
You may have to increase your monthly payments to keep the same
amortization period. Or you'll have to refinance your mortgage and
extend your amortization to keep your lower payments.
According to many economic experts, in most cases variable-rate
mortgages are more beneficial in the long-term compared to
fixed-rate mortgages.
That being said, keep in mind that the most advantageous option for
you will depend on the economic situation, your personal
finances and risk tolerance. Like all financial products,
each case is unique.
A hybrid or made-to-measure mortgage combines both a fixed-rate
and variable-rate mortgage into one. The idea is simple: Divide
your mortgage into segments. Each of these segments have their own
characteristics, including term, interest rate, etc. That way, you’ll
be able to get the advantages of a variable-rate mortgage for a part
of your loan, and secure another part with the advantages of a
fixed-rate mortgage.
As mentioned earlier, a variable mortgage rates fluctuates depending
on the prime rate of your financial institution. Prime rates
vary mainly according to the key interest rate issued by the Bank of
Canada. Basically, if the key interest rate increases, so
do variable-rate mortgages.
The key interest rate is adjusted according to the economy and
inflation rate. The stronger the Bank of Canada expects inflation and
the economy to be in the coming months, the higher the key interest
rate will be to curb inflation.
Beware! Although closely linked to the key interest rate, the
prime rate can sometimes fluctuate between periods when the key
interest rate changes. For example, the prime rate could increase in
anticipation of future increases in the key interest rate.
Fixed mortgage rates are influenced by long-term Government of Canada
bond rates. For example, fixed mortgage rates for a five-year term
vary in relation to a five-year Canadian bond rate. Bond rates
fluctuate with the stock
market, which are influenced by long-term economic and
inflationary forecasts.
If particularly favourable rates are in effect or if an exceptional
rate decrease is expected, you could:
Be careful, if your loan doesn’t mature for a long time, get
out your calculator:
As soon as a rate increase is announced, you immediately ask
yourself: what impact will it have on my
mortgage payments? We get it. An increase can have a (possibly
immediate) impact on your payments if you have a variable-rate
mortgage or renewal
coming up.
Before making any drastic decisions, here are a few solutions in
case interest rates go up:
Now let's move from theory to practice and assess your tolerance
for fluctuating monthly payments. Here are some mortgage
planning tools to help you predict the costs for a first-time home
buyer and develop a realistic annual budget:
A tip for peace of mind: While looking for a home, you can lock
down a good mortgage rate against possible increases with a mortgage
pre-approval. It will also help you simplify
your buying process by certifying your borrowing capacity,
especially when it comes to making an offer
to purchase.
As with any financial product that fluctuates according to the markets, the choice between a fixed or variable rate will depend on the economic context, your budgetary flexibility and, above all, your risk tolerance. Would you like to evaluate your personal situation with an expert? We're here to answer your questions.
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