Guide to Canadian Mortgages
by:
Amy Nutt
If you are going to buy a home in Canada, you are going to need a mortgage, unless you have a store of money lying around to use to pay cash for your home. Before you sign on the dotted line for your mortgage, make sure you know what you are agreeing to. After all, your mortgage is a long-term financial agreement, so you should know as much as you can about it at the outset.
Basic Structure of a Mortgage
Since most people do not have the cash stores necessary to pay for a home in full, they will usually borrow money from a lender for the purchase of the home. The property in question is the collateral for the loan, which means that the bank or lender has the right to take the home if you do not pay the loan according to its terms.
A mortgage is considered an amortized loan. This means that you have a set number of years in which you must pay back the loan and the interest on it. In Canada, most loans are amortized for around 25 years, but this can vary based on the loan structure. The amortization period is separate from the term, which is the period that the interest rate is guaranteed. Sometimes the term and the amortization period are not the same, which means you will need to negotiate a new mortgage term when the first one is over.
Finally, a mortgage has an interest rate applied to it. This is the percent of the total loan amount that you will pay to the bank for the privilege of borrowing the money. Your goal should be to find a loan with the lowest possible interest rate.
Getting Approved
Once you have decided that you wish to buy a house, it is time to get approved for a mortgage. Shop around to find a lender with good rates, and then apply. Your approval will be based on the size of the loan, your credit rating, employment history, and current income, among other factors.
Making a Down Payment
Most lenders require you to make a down payment on the property you wish to buy. This shows them that you are responsible with your money and have a good intention of paying what you owe on the loan. It is generally recommended that you put down a 20 percent down payment. You can put down more if you wish. You can also put down less, but if you do you will have to buy mortgage insurance.
What is mortgage insurance? Under the Canadian Bank Act, federally regulated lending institutions, with a few exceptions, cannot provide loans that exceed 80 percent of the value of the home without purchasing mortgage insurance. This insurance protects the lender against the possibility of default, which statistics have shown is more likely when the borrower does not place at least 20 percent down on the home. The premium on the insurance policy is typically determined based on a percentage of the home's purchase price. You will typically pay this premium as part of your loan payment each month. This allows you to purchase a home with as little as 5 percent down.
Your Monthly Payment
Your monthly mortgage bill is broken down into an interest payment and a principal payment. At the beginning of your loan, more of the payment goes towards interest than principal. This gradually shifts until you are paying mostly principal than interest at the end of the loan. If you wish, you can pay your loan off faster by paying extra towards the principal on the loan. Once you have paid off the entire principal balance on the loan, you will officially own your home.
About the Author:
Toronto mortgage rates comparison site. Listing over 500 rates from Canada's top lenders and brokers. Visitors can compare mortgage rates with one quick search or browser our
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No. of Times this article has been viewed :
207
Date Published :
Jan 30 2009
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